What to do with ETC when changing cars?
2 Answers
When changing cars, the ETC needs to be canceled. The car owner should bring their ID card, vehicle registration certificate, and bank agreement to an ETC service point for installation and activation. Before changing cars, the owner needs to bring their ID card, vehicle registration certificate, ETC card, and OBU device to an ETC customer service center for removal. Then, with the removal receipt issued by the ETC customer service center, they can terminate the contract at the contracted bank. ETC dedicated lanes are for vehicles equipped with ETC onboard units, using electronic toll collection. ETC utilizes dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station. It employs computer networking technology to conduct background settlement processing with the bank, achieving the purpose of vehicles passing through toll stations without stopping to pay toll fees.
After changing my car, dealing with the ETC was a minor issue. First, don’t try to remove the device yourself: The ETC is glued to the windshield and has an anti-tamper button. Accidentally triggering it might lock the device, requiring you to buy a new one. After getting your new car registered, take your ID card, the new car’s license, and the old ETC card to the original bank service point to apply for a transfer. The bank staff will help rebind it to the new car’s license plate. The whole process is free and takes about ten minutes. After the transfer, the device will automatically activate the highway toll function. Second, pay attention to timing: Don’t rush to the highway on the day you change your car—wait until the transfer is complete. Otherwise, you might get an ‘information mismatch’ alert at the toll booth. I went through this last month—right after getting my new car, I went to the bank to queue up for the transfer, and it went smoothly. Now, highway travel is back to normal, saving me the hassle of queuing to pay tolls.
