What to Do If the Vehicle License Expires?
2 Answers
A vehicle with an expired license cannot be driven normally and requires immediate annual inspection. Even vehicles exempt from on-site inspections cannot be driven on the road. You can take the vehicle license to the local DMV to apply for an inspection sticker. If the vehicle is not exempt from on-site inspection, it must be towed to the nearest inspection station. Only after completing the annual inspection can the vehicle be driven normally. The validity period of the vehicle license is indicated on the supplementary page, and each annual inspection will be stamped with the next inspection date. Annual inspection procedures must be completed within three months before the expiration date. Failing to do so may result in additional complications. If the license has expired for less than three months, you can proceed directly with the annual inspection. After three months, the vehicle enters a "delinquent inspection" status, and you must first resolve this status at the DMV before proceeding with the inspection. If the annual inspection is missed for three consecutive cycles, the vehicle license will be revoked. If the vehicle license expires, the vehicle cannot legally be driven on the road. In case of a traffic accident or incident, the insurance company will not provide compensation.
If my vehicle license expires, my first reaction is to stop driving immediately and go straight to the DMV to renew it, otherwise I might get pulled over and fined by traffic police. The specific process is to first confirm the expiration date, bring my ID card, vehicle registration certificate, and photos, then fill out the forms at the local DMV to apply—usually I can get a new license on the spot. The fee isn’t high, just around a few dozen yuan. I always remind myself to set a phone reminder six months before the expiration date so I won’t forget. If I miss the deadline, there could be issues with car insurance claims, as insurers sometimes don’t recognize expired documents. Safety first—it’s best to get it sorted the same day.
