What to Do If You Forget to Bring Your Vehicle License?
3 Answers
Driving without a vehicle license will result in the temporary seizure of the vehicle and the issuance of a compulsory measure certificate until the owner can provide the vehicle license, after which an administrative penalty decision will be made. The administrative penalty for not carrying a vehicle license is a corresponding fine and a deduction of 1 point. However, traffic police cannot make an immediate administrative penalty decision on the spot. Find your vehicle license and go to the local vehicle management office or traffic police station for the traffic police to verify your vehicle license. After verification, the traffic police will impose the corresponding penalty, and the owner can drive the car away after paying the fine.
A few days ago, I drove out to run some errands when I suddenly realized halfway that I forgot to bring my vehicle license. I was so panicked! I quickly pulled over to check my phone. Fortunately, I had already downloaded the Traffic 12123 app, which had an electronic copy of my vehicle license. I immediately showed it to the traffic officer, who verified it and just gave me a few reminders without issuing a fine. Nowadays, electronic documents are super convenient. I recommend everyone to keep them ready in their phones and develop a habit of checking their pockets or the app before heading out—don’t be as careless as I was. If you ever encounter a check, stay calm, avoid unnecessary talk, and cooperate with the officer to verify the vehicle information. Afterwards, it’s best to confirm the record at the vehicle management office to avoid any discrepancies.
I drive my kids to and from school every day. Once I was in such a hurry that I left my vehicle license at home and got pulled over by traffic police right after leaving the neighborhood. I was quite anxious and immediately explained it was an everyday oversight. The officer had me provide my license plate number for system verification, confirmed everything was in order, and let me go, though suggesting I replace the document soon. From experience, minor oversights like this usually don't incur heavy penalties unless you're uncooperative. For prevention, I now keep a reminder note by the entryway or ask family to double-check. Keeping a photocopy in the car is also smart—it can save the day in a pinch. Safety first—don't let small slip-ups disrupt family trips.
