Will I be penalized for driving without carrying the vehicle license?

[VonAthena]

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.

[VonQuinn]

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.

[ORobert]

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.

[SanLucille]

Driving without the vehicle license can indeed be troublesome during checks. Last time I was stopped at an intersection in the city, the traffic officer first directed me to pull over and used a police terminal to scan the license plate to retrieve the vehicle information. Although the car wasn’t impounded, I was issued a warning slip requiring me to present the license at the traffic police station within 24 hours. Later, I consulted a traffic officer friend who mentioned that first-time offenders usually get a warning for forgetting the license, while repeat offenders face fines and demerit points. Now, I keep my vehicle license and fuel card in a fixed compartment in the center console, which prevents loss and ensures I don’t forget them. You can also buy a document holder and stick it behind the sun visor for easy access.

[McNora]

I remember at the last company annual dinner when I had some drinks and called a designated driver, but forgot to give them the vehicle license. The driver was stopped at the community gate by patrolling officers checking for drunk driving, and they also inspected the documents, which led to my car being impounded. The traffic police said that vehicles without proper documentation cannot be driven on the road and issued an on-the-spot fine of 100 yuan. Later, I checked on the 12123 APP and found that this penalty included 1 demerit point, affecting my insurance premium the following year. Now, every time I sit in the driver's seat, I habitually check the document holder in my left pocket—this action has become muscle memory. A suggestion is to hang a small tag on your car keys as a reminder.

[DiLeah]

Last winter, while rushing an elderly person to the hospital, I forgot to bring the vehicle license in the chaos. Just after leaving the neighborhood, I was stopped by traffic police. Despite explaining the special circumstances, the officer still required the car to be impounded first, with the option to retrieve it after presenting the documents later. The process turned out to be simple: bringing my ID card and vehicle license to the traffic police station, paying a 20-yuan fine, and then reclaiming the car. However, this incident served as a reminder for me. Now, I have a sticky note on the back of my phone case with the words 'License & Cards' written in large letters. Additionally, I discovered that some car models come with an NFC function in the center console, allowing drivers to input document information into the vehicle's system for emergency queries.