Why Can't I Apply for a Beijing Entry Permit After Vehicle Transfer?
3 Answers
If you cannot apply for a Beijing entry permit after transferring the vehicle, it may be due to outstanding violations or the vehicle not meeting the requirements. It is recommended to check the relevant requirements. Below are the specific details about applying for a Beijing entry permit: 1. Application Notes: All motor vehicles (including highway vehicles) with license plates from outside Beijing must undergo an exhaust emission test, which is conducted by the environmental protection department. With the emission test certificate or a one-time emission test voucher issued by the environmental protection department, the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau will issue the Beijing entry permit. The permit issuance offices will only process the Beijing entry permit upon presentation of the emission test certificate or one-time emission test voucher issued by the environmental protection department (except for vehicles holding a "Green Channel" permit). Vehicles with a one-time emission test voucher can only apply for a 1- to 2-day valid Beijing entry permit and are not allowed to drive within the Third Ring Road (inclusive) (excluding vehicles transporting critically ill patients). For long-distance passenger and tourist vehicles from outside Beijing, an exhaust emission test must be conducted every 6 months at a designated vehicle inspection site. After passing the test, the environmental protection department will issue an emission test certificate valid for 6 months. The vehicle must then apply for a tourist passenger permit at the Public Security Traffic Management Bureau's Order Department and an entry passenger permit at the Public Security Traffic Management Bureau's Publicity Department. 2. Environmental Standards for the Beijing Entry Permit: During the validity period of the emission test certificate, if the vehicle emits visible black smoke or fails a random exhaust emission test, the police have the right to revoke the emission test certificate and temporarily confiscate the Beijing entry permit. The vehicle must undergo exhaust emission control and, after passing the test, obtain a new emission test certificate before retrieving the confiscated permit or reapplying for a new Beijing entry permit. For vehicles transporting agricultural products such as vegetables, eggs, and meat from outside Beijing with slightly excessive emissions, the environmental protection department will issue a one-time emission test voucher. Based on this, the traffic management department can issue a 2-day Beijing entry permit, but the vehicle is not allowed to drive within the Third Ring Road (inclusive). The traffic management department will reclaim the one-time emission test voucher upon issuing the permit, and the environmental protection department will record it. Vehicles that fail the emission test again on their second visit to Beijing will not be issued another one-time emission test voucher or a Beijing entry permit.
Last year, I helped my younger brother deal with this issue. The most common reason for not being able to apply for a Beijing entry permit after vehicle transfer is unsynchronized information. I just went through it: the traffic management system update can lag by 2-3 days, especially for vehicles transferred on Fridays—it's the worst. There are several pitfalls to check yourself—the previous owner hasn’t settled outstanding traffic violations in Beijing, the new vehicle license address doesn’t match the out-of-province ID card (e.g., using a Shandong ID to apply for a Hebei license plate), or the vehicle’s emission standard doesn’t meet China VI (older cars from before 2013 are most likely to be blocked). It’s best to wait three days after the transfer and check the environmental filing status using the 'Beijing Traffic Police' app. If it shows 'data synchronizing,' just keep waiting. If it still doesn’t work after seven days, take the green registration book directly to the inspection site to check the emission data. Also, note that out-of-town license plates have an annual limit on permit applications—exceeding 12 times will lock you out completely!
The core issue lies in policy restrictions. Currently, there are two types of entry permits for non-local vehicles entering Beijing: the 'Beijing Entry Permit' is required within the 6th Ring Road, while only the 'Beijing Traffic Permit' is needed outside the 6th Ring Road. The inability to process after ownership transfer is usually due to the system failing to capture the new vehicle status. For example, last week my colleague purchased a used Magotan, but the environmental system still displayed the previous owner's name. Focus on checking three key points: the vehicle's emission standard (China V vehicles can no longer obtain new permits after 2019), the issuing location of the new license (e.g., Tianjin plates transferred in Hebei would cause confusion), and any unresolved electronic traffic violations by the original vehicle in Beijing. Special attention is needed for large truck transfers - yellow-plate vehicles with a total mass exceeding 4.5 tons are completely prohibited from entering within the 5th Ring Road. I recommend using the 'Traffic Management 12123' app to initiate vehicle registration transfer first, which is two days faster than waiting for the system to update.
