
The annual inspection sticker should be placed on the upper right corner of the front windshield. The items checked during the annual inspection include: 1. Checking whether the engine, chassis, body, and their attachments are clean, complete, and functional, whether the paint is uniform and aesthetically pleasing, whether the main assemblies have been replaced, and whether they match the initial inspection records; 2. Verifying whether the vehicle's braking performance, steering control, lights, exhaust, and other safety features comply with relevant regulations; 3. Checking whether the vehicle has been modified, remodeled, or altered, whether the driving license, license plate, and all vehicle registration records match the actual condition of the vehicle, and whether any changes have been made, including whether approval and modification procedures have been completed; 4. Inspecting whether the license plate, driving license, and the enlarged license plate characters printed on the vehicle are damaged, altered, or illegible, and whether they need replacement; 5. For large vehicles, verifying whether the unit name or the name of the street, township, or town where the vehicle is registered, as well as the maximum seating capacity in the cab, are printed in Chinese imitation Song font on both sides of the door as required, and whether the license plate number is enlarged 2 to 3 times and printed on the outer side of the truck's rear gate as stipulated.

I drove for over a decade and had to dutifully stick the annual inspection sticker in the top right corner of the windshield. Traffic cops would check that spot first during inspections – no sticker meant a possible ticket. You had to clean the glass thoroughly before applying it, or the adhesive residue would be a nightmare to remove. Once, I spent half an hour scraping it off with a bank card. A crooked sticker would reflect light and obstruct the view, especially annoying during rainy drives. But now things have improved – since 2020, electronic stickers have been rolled out nationwide. Just download the Traffic 12123 app and show the digital certificate. Still, I’ve kept the last paper sticker on my car as a memento.

I remember the year I first bought my car, the DMV gave me that little paper slip, and I spent a long time figuring out how to stick it. The old-timer said it had to be placed on the upper right side of the interior windshield, about ten centimeters from the top edge. Sticking it too low would block the wipers, and placing it on the left would obstruct the driver's view. It's much more convenient now. Last year, when I was stopped for a check on the highway, I simply showed the electronic annual inspection mark on my , and the traffic police scanned the QR code before letting me go. I recommend all new car owners to bind their vehicles on the 12123 APP—it makes temporary inspections a breeze.

The placement of the annual inspection sticker is important. According to regulations, it must be affixed to the upper right corner of the windshield without obstructing the driver's view. I once saw someone stick it behind the rearview mirror and got fined 200 yuan. It's best to use a static cling sticker when applying it, so it can be removed cleanly next year without leaving residue. With the widespread adoption of electronic stickers now, most areas no longer require physical stickers. I remember a friend's car had three expired stickers on the front windshield, which caught the traffic police's attention for quite a while. During the transition period between old and new stickers, it's important to check local policies, as some provinces still require both paper and electronic versions as a double safeguard.

When dealing with expired annual inspection stickers, I found the adhesive residue was extremely stubborn. It took five minutes of applying a hot towel to peel it off, but it left a white mark. The mechanic at the repair shop taught me to spray foam cleaner and then scrape at an angle with a plastic scraper. Nowadays, it's much simpler with new cars—just download the Traffic 12123 app, register your vehicle, and the annual inspection info syncs automatically. During checks, simply open the motor vehicle section in the app; no worries about misplacement or obstructing the view. However, it's still recommended to carry the vehicle license with you, as annual inspection stations require scanning the original document.

In the past, after each annual inspection, I had to neatly stick that small paper in the upper right corner of the windshield. One winter, I tried to save effort by placing it on the outside, but it got ruined by frost. Now, the is much more user-friendly—I keep the electronic inspection mark on my phone, which is ten times more convenient than the paper version. But be careful not to ignore it completely; my neighbor thought it would update automatically and ended up with an expired mark for three months. Enforcement varies by region, so it's best to confirm whether electronic marks are recognized locally when driving across provinces. When removing old marks, remember to use alcohol wipes—it saves time and effort.


