Will I be penalized for driving without carrying the vehicle license?
3 Answers
Driving without carrying the vehicle license will result in penalties. Introduction to the vehicle license: The motor vehicle license is the legal document permitting the vehicle to operate on roads within China. The vehicle license consists of three parts: the license holder, the main page, and the supplementary page. The front side of the main page contains the endorsed certificate core, while the back side displays the vehicle photo, both sealed in a plastic cover. The supplementary page is the endorsed certificate core. Penalties for not carrying the vehicle license: Regardless of whether the driver has committed any traffic violations, they are not allowed to continue driving. The traffic management department of the public security authority will impound the vehicle and require the driver to provide the driving license. The case will then be handled based on the driver's provision of the driving license.
Last time I was in a hurry and forgot to bring my vehicle license when leaving home, and was stopped by traffic police for inspection at the expressway exit. I was really nervous at that moment. The officer asked me to provide my ID number to check the system, which confirmed the vehicle registration information. However, I still got a ticket - a 50 yuan fine plus 1 penalty point. The most troublesome part was that my car was impounded, forcing me to take a taxi home to retrieve the license and then return to claim the vehicle, wasting three hours in total. Later I learned my lesson - I now keep my license attached to my residential access card, so every time I open the door I remember to check. My suggestion is to keep a card holder in your car and develop the habit of checking your pockets when getting in the vehicle - it's much safer that way.
Driving without the vehicle license is equivalent to unlicensed driving, which many people are unaware of. Once, I forgot to bring it when taking my child to school, and the police said the electronic driver's license wasn't acceptable—only the original paper version was valid. The penalty was stricter than expected: the car was impounded on the spot, a ticket was issued, and points were deducted. Fortunately, some regions are now piloting electronic vehicle licenses, which can be used after verification on the official app. However, extra caution is needed when crossing provinces—my friend was fined for this when traveling from Jiangsu to Zhejiang. It's advisable to take a photo of your vehicle license and keep it on your phone for verification by the police if necessary.
