Can a bad license plate be changed to a new, better one?

Currently, the police have issued identification plates. So if the identification plate is ugly, can it be changed to a new, more beautiful plate? - Reader Thanh Cong

Regulations on granting personal identification number plates

According to Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, from August 15, 2023, license plates will be issued and managed according to the vehicle owner's identification code (or identification plate).

For vehicle owners who are Vietnamese citizens, the license plate is managed according to the personal identification number (the personal identification number is also the Citizen Identification Number).

For vehicle owners who are organizations, the license plate is managed according to the organization's electronic identification code established by the electronic identification and authentication system; in case there is no organization's electronic identification code, it is managed according to the tax code or establishment decision.

If the license plate is ugly, can I change it to a new, nicer license plate?

Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA provides the following transitional provisions:

- For vehicles registered with 5-digit license plates before August 15, 2023 but have not completed the revocation procedure, that license plate number will be determined as the vehicle owner's identification license plate number.

- For vehicles registered with 5-digit license plates, if the vehicle owner has completed the revocation procedure before August 15, 2023, the license plate number will be transferred to the license plate warehouse to issue a new license plate according to regulations.

- Vehicles registered with 5-digit license plates with the symbols "LD", "DA", "MĐ", "R" are still allowed to participate in traffic, even when changing or re-issuing license plates, except in cases where the vehicle owner needs to change the license plate according to the provisions of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA.

- Vehicles that have been registered with 3 or 4-digit license plates are still allowed to participate in traffic, except in cases where the vehicle owner needs to change to a new identification license plate or when the vehicle owner carries out procedures to issue a new vehicle registration certificate, change the license plate, reissue the vehicle registration certificate, reissue the license plate or register a name change or move the vehicle according to the provisions of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, then the 3 or 4-digit license plate will be revoked and changed to a new identification license plate according to the regulations.

Thus, 5-digit license plates issued before and after August 15, 2023 are all managed according to the vehicle owner's identification code, meaning the license plate is associated with the person.

Furthermore, according to the new regulations, license plates can only be changed to other plates when the vehicle owner needs to change the old 3-digit or 4-digit license plate to a 5-digit identification plate.

This makes changing a bad license plate to a good one more difficult than before. But it is difficult, not impossible.

Accordingly, there are 2 ways to get a nice license plate:

(1) Selling, giving away a vehicle and not registering the vehicle for 5 years

According to Clause 7, Article 3 of Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA, in case of transfer of vehicle ownership, the vehicle owner's identification plate will be revoked by the vehicle registration authority and reissued when the vehicle owner registers another vehicle under his/her ownership.

This license plate will be retained for 5 years from the date of revocation. After 5 years, if the vehicle owner has not registered another vehicle, this license plate number will be transferred to the license plate warehouse for registration and issuance to other organizations and individuals according to regulations.

Therefore, if you want to remove the old license plate, the vehicle owner can transfer ownership of the vehicle (sell or give it to someone else) with the bad license plate.

Then proceed with the license plate revocation procedure and do not register another vehicle under your ownership within 5 years from the date the bad license plate is revoked.

(2) Buy a new car to have a different license plate

Circular 24/2023/TT-BCA only stipulates that license plates are issued and managed according to the vehicle owner's identification code but does not limit the number of identification plates of an individual or organization.

Therefore, each person can own multiple identification plates and when registering a new vehicle, the vehicle owner will be given a new plate.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bien-so-dinh-danh-xau-co-duoc-doi-sang-bien-so-moi-dep-hon-khong-238778.html