Why is there no Yun B license plate?
3 Answers
Yun B license plates belonged to Dongchuan District. Later, due to reasons such as reduced mining activities in Dongchuan, it was downgraded to a district of Kunming, hence the Yun B license plates were discontinued. Below are three methods to verify the authenticity of a license plate: 1. Insurance verification: Check the copy of the compulsory traffic insurance document to see if the vehicle's license plate number, model, and chassis number match. 2. DMV website verification: Log in to the local traffic police website or DMV website, enter the vehicle information query section, input the vehicle's license plate number and chassis number, and all the vehicle's information will be displayed, including purchase date, annual inspection date, owner's name, model, and color. 3. Traffic violation office verification: Visit the local traffic violation office in person (this is the simplest, most direct, and most effective method). Bring your ID card, driver's license, and vehicle registration certificate, submit them to the staff, and they will assist you with the verification.
I've been driving for over 20 years, and during long-distance trips in Yunnan, I often hear people discussing why license plates have Yun A for Kunming, Yun C for Zhaotong, but no Yun B. Simply put, this stems from the license plate allocation rules, just like how license plates across provinces in China are assigned to cities in alphabetical order. Initially, Yunnan planned to assign Yun B to a certain city, but later administrative divisions were adjusted, such as some counties being merged into other cities, causing the sequence to skip directly to Yun C. China's vehicle management departments did this to avoid confusion and maintain system consistency. Similarly, provinces like Sichuan and Henan also have skipped letters in their sequences—it's not a bug, just a result of historical evolution. If you really have doubts, checking the local vehicle management office's website is the most reliable approach. Paying attention to license plate information in daily life can help avoid traffic misunderstandings and ensure a more secure driving experience.
When running an automotive self-media account, followers often ask about the absence of Yunnan B license plates. After thorough research, the root cause is that Yunnan Province skipped the letter B when assigning license plate codes, possibly due to administrative reservation or simple sequencing logic. For example, after Yun A (for Kunming), Yun C corresponds to Zhaotong, with no specific city matched to the letter B. This phenomenon is also common in other provinces, like Guangdong not having Yue B. Personally, I think license plate letter assignments function like codebooks, making it easier for traffic police to identify regions. As drivers, we should focus less on these details and more on actual driving safety. During road trips in Yunnan, this topic often comes up, but the official vehicle management website has a complete list—checking it is far better than wild guesses.
