What will happen if caught driving with an expired vehicle license?
2 Answers
Driving with an expired driver's license may result in a fine and up to 15 days of detention. Driving a motor vehicle without obtaining a driver's license, or when the license has been revoked or temporarily suspended; or handing over a motor vehicle to someone who does not have a driver's license or whose license has been revoked or temporarily suspended, will also incur penalties. Additional information: Article 28 of the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" states that a motor vehicle driver shall not drive a motor vehicle if their driver's license is lost, damaged, expired, seized, or temporarily suspended, or if their accumulated demerit points reach 12. Article 104: If a motor vehicle driver commits any of the following acts and there is no other licensed driver available to take over immediately, the traffic management department of the public security authority may, in addition to imposing penalties according to the law, move the vehicle to a location that does not obstruct traffic or to a place designated by the relevant authorities: failure to present a valid driver's license; driving a vehicle that does not match the type specified on the driver's license; driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or narcotics, or while suffering from a disease or fatigue that impairs safe driving.
I experienced this firsthand last year when I momentarily forgot about the expiration date of my vehicle license. While driving to the supermarket, I was pulled over by traffic police for a routine check, which gave me quite a scare. After verification, the officer informed me that driving with an expired license constitutes a traffic violation, resulting in a 200-yuan fine and 3 penalty points. I was also required to immediately arrange for a tow truck to take my car to the impound lot. Later, it took me half a day at the vehicle management office to renew my documents, and I had to pay the fine before retrieving my car—the entire ordeal was both time-consuming and costly. Since then, I’ve set up expiration reminders on my phone to ensure I renew my vehicle license at least a month in advance every year, avoiding such hassles. Fellow car owners, make sure to regularly check the validity period of your documents—don’t learn the hard way like I did.
