The automotive market of China today dictates the fashion not only for electric cars, but also for the introduction of advanced technologies in the identification system of transport. For Russian motorists and experts who monitor imports from Asia, Chinese license plates They become the object of increased attention. Understanding their structure is necessary not only for the correct filling of documents during customs clearance, but also for the analysis of logistics flows and the origin of equipment.
Unlike the usual formats, the numbering in China has a strictly hierarchical structure tied to the administrative division of the country. Each symbol on the metal plate carries a specific meaning, indicating the province, city and even the type of vehicle. Knowing these nuances allows you to instantly determine where a particular origin is from. Geely, Chery or BYD, which is in sight.
In this article, we will examine in detail the anatomy of the Chinese car number, examine the existing color categories and answer questions that arise from car owners with Chinese roots. Particular attention will be paid to the differences between standard civil plates and special rooms, since this is where the most nuances for importers lie.
Standard structure of the PRC civil number
The main format of the car number in China is a single-line plate with a characteristic combination of colors: a blue field on the left and a white background for the main text. This scheme is universal for most privately owned passenger cars. Visually, the number is divided into several semantic blocks, each of which requires a separate consideration for proper understanding.
The first symbol is always a Chinese character, which means a province or autonomous region of registration. It is followed by a Latin letter indicating a particular city or prefecture within that province. It is these two signs that are key-identifier Geographical location of the vehicle. For example, the character Jing immediately indicates that the car is registered in Beijing, and Hu in Shanghai.
After the alpha-hieroglyphic prefixal part, a dividing point follows, followed by a unique five-digit code. This code may consist solely of numbers or a combination of numbers and letters. It is important to note that in modern series of letters becomes more, as simple digital combinations in large cities are already exhausted. The system of generating these codes allows you to create millions of unique combinations for each city.
⚠️ Attention: When customs clearance of a car in Russia, it is extremely important to accurately rewrite all the characters from the PTS. An error in even one element of writing can lead to data inconsistency in the customs declaration and delay in issuing the data. EPTS.
It is also worth mentioning that the typeface used for character application is standardized at the state level. This is done to facilitate the operation of automatic number recognition (ANPR) systems, which are incredibly developed in China. The cameras capture not just a set of symbols, but also read the color gamut, instantly determining the type of vehicle.
Geographical reference: hieroglyphs of the provinces
China’s regional coding system is built on logic that anyone familiar with the country’s administrative system can understand. The first character on the number is an abbreviation of the name of the province. There are 34 administrative units in China, and each has its own unique symbol, which can be found on license plates. This is the first level of filtering information about the car.
The second symbol, the Latin letter, refines the location to the level of the city. The letter “A” is reserved for the capital of the province or the largest economic center. Subsequent letters are distributed among other cities, often in order of foundation or economic weight. This system allows for the number Yue B understand that the car is from Shenzhen (Guangdong Province) and not from Guangzhou (which will be the Yue A).
Below is a table with examples of the main regions from which most often export cars to Russia and CIS countries. Knowing these codes helps to quickly identify the origin of the vehicle, which is especially important when checking the history of the vehicle through Chinese databases.
| Hieroglyph | Province/City | Code A (Capital/Center) | Example of a full prefix |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Jing) | Beijing (City Center). submission | Beijing | A |
| (Hu) | Shanghai (City Center). submission | Shanghai | A |
| (Yue) | guangdong | guangzhou | A |
| (Je) | zhejiang | hangzhou | A |
| (Su) | Jiangsu | nankin | A |
There are also special prefixes for military districts and central offices that have their own unique hieroglyphs and do not obey the general civil logic. However, in the civil circulation and import you will encounter provincial codes. For exporters, the provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu are most interesting, as the largest factories and logistics hubs are located there.
Why is it difficult to get a number in some provinces?
Large metropolitan areas such as Beijing and Shanghai have a lotteries or auction system in place to get a car registration. This is done to limit traffic. Therefore, a number with the code “A” in these cities can cost a lot of money or get by random sampling, which makes cars with such a residence permit more liquid in the secondary market.
Color differentiation: types of license plates
In China, the color of the license plate is not just a design decision, but a strict legal marker that defines the rights and obligations of the owner, as well as the type of vehicle. The color coding system is much more developed here than in many other countries, and includes several main categories, each of which has its own characteristics of operation.
The most common blue numbers. They are issued for passenger cars with an internal combustion engine up to 2.0 liters (in some classifications up to 2.5 liters) and a body length of up to 6 meters. It’s the standard choice for most family-friendly sedans and crossovers we see on the roads. Owning a blue-numbered car gives you the right to drive with a C1 driver’s license (similar to our B).
Yellow numbers are designed for more overall equipment. This includes trucks, buses, and passenger cars with an engine capacity of more than 2.0 liters or a length of more than 6 meters (for example, limousines or some full-size SUVs). A higher category of rights is required to drive a vehicle with a yellow number. In addition, such cars are often subject to restrictions on entry into the centers of major cities.
- 🟦 Blue background: Small and medium-sized cars, standard trucks up to 4.5 tons.
- 🟨 Yellow background: Large-sized cars, trucks over 4.5 tons, buses, training cars.
- 🟩 Green gradient: New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) are electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
- ⬛ Black background: Cars of foreign consulates, representative offices and some categories of special equipment.
Special attention should be paid to the green rooms that were introduced to support the green energy program. They have a gradient background and differ in format: for electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV), a 6-digit digital code after the prefix is used, while for conventional cars – a 5-digit one. Owners of such cars often enjoy parking privileges and have the right to drive on days with restrictions on even and odd numbers.
⚠️ Attention: When buying an electric car from China, make sure that the engine type (EV/PHEV) is listed on the documents. Green license plate entitles you to certain tax benefits within the PRC, but when customs clearance in the Russian Federation, this does not affect the recycling rate, which is calculated according to other parameters.
Special and diplomatic numbers
In addition to standard civil plates, cars with special status can be found on the roads of China. Their numbers differ not only in color, but also in the format of the recording, as well as prefixes indicating belonging to government agencies or international organizations. Understanding these differences is important for general erudition and proper identification of transport.
Diplomatic numbers have a black background and red symbols. They start with a country or international organization code, followed by a six-digit number and a letter indicating the status of the owner (for example, an ambassador or technical staff). These vehicles are diplomatically immune and are only allowed to be stopped by police in exceptional cases.
The PLA (People's Liberation Army) has a white background and red symbols. The format includes a character for a military district or type of troops, followed by an alphanumeric code. Civilians are prohibited from using or imitating such signs. The appearance of such equipment on public roads is usually associated with the performance of official tasks or transportation of goods for the needs of the army.
There are also temporary numbers that are issued for the period of distillation of the car from the dealer to the buyer or during export. They can be paper (placed behind glass) or metal with appropriate markings. For importers, temporary transit numbers are the first step in starting a car’s journey to a new owner in another country.
When ordering a car from China, ask the seller to send a photo of the VIN code and license plate before sending. This will allow you to check the history of the car on open Chinese bases and make sure that the car is not listed in theft or pledge.
Technical features and materials of manufacture
Chinese license plates are manufactured according to national standards. GA36-2007. This document strictly regulates the sizes, materials, fonts and the technology of applying symbols. The main material is aluminum alloy, which provides durability and resistance to corrosion, which is especially important for regions with a humid climate or active chemistry on the roads in winter.
The technology of applying symbols is not just printing, but embossing (embossing) with subsequent coloring or applying a reflective film. This makes the room embossed and well read even in poor light conditions. Modern plates are equipped with a layer that reflects the light of the headlights, which significantly increases their visibility for cameras and other participants in the movement at night.
The dimensions of the standard number for passenger cars are 440 mm in length and 140 mm in height. However, for motorcycles, tractors and large-sized equipment, the dimensions may differ. It is important to note that the quality of Chinese rooms is very high, and it is quite difficult to fake them visually due to the complex protective elements and holograms that are introduced during the production stage.
Standard dimensions (mm):Passenger cars: 440 x 140
Motorcycles: 220 x 140 (front/rear)
Large transport: 440 x 220
Recently, smart numbers with RFID chips built into the structure of the plate are being introduced. Such signs allow you to read information about the car from a distance, which simplifies the system of toll roads, parking and automatic fines. Although mass adoption is still underway, in wealthy provinces, such numbers are becoming the norm.
Nuances for importers and owners in Russia
For Russian owners of Chinese cars, the issue of license plates arises in two planes: identification when buying and replacement with Russian analogues. When choosing a car at auctions or dealers in China, a license plate (or its absence) helps to understand the status of the car: it is new, used, or possibly service.
When customs clearance in Russia, Chinese license plates, of course, are not preserved. The car receives a Russian state number. However, if you order a car through intermediaries, you may be offered a "carrying" service on Chinese transit numbers. This is a legal procedure within the PRC, but it requires temporary rights or a driver with the appropriate category.
It is important to distinguish between the “Chinese number” as the machine ID in the database and the physical plate. After purchase and export, the car is removed from the register in China, and its number is canceled. So if you see a car with Chinese plates on Russian roads (except diplomatic ones), it is either a violation or the car is in the process of being decorated, which is a risky situation for driving on public roads.
☑️ Checking your car before buying in China
A Chinese license plate is a vehicle passport that tells you about its origin, engine type and owner status. The ability to read these codes gives an advantage in assessing the liquidity and history of the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I travel to Russia with Chinese rooms?
No, constant driving with foreign plates (including Chinese) on a car imported into the Russian Federation is prohibited if the car is not registered under the procedure of temporary importation for foreign citizens. For citizens of the Russian Federation, the car must be customs-cleared and receive Russian numbers. Diplomatic numbers are an exception, but they are issued only to diplomatic personnel.
What does the green number on a Chinese car mean?
The green number with a gradient means that the car is classified as NEV (New Energy Vehicle). This can be a pure electric vehicle (BEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV). In China, such cars have benefits, but when exported to Russia, they are classified simply as electric cars or hybrids depending on the design.
How to find out the city of registration by Chinese number?
You need to look at the first character (province) and the next Latin letter (city). There are many tables-decryptions on the Internet. For example, the combination “Su E” (Su E) indicates the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, which is a major industrial center.
Why do some numbers have 6 characters after the dot, and others have 5?
This depends on the type of vehicle and the year of issue. Standard numbers have 5 characters. The 6 characters used for new energy cars (green numbers) are used to increase the capacity of the database, as the number of electric vehicles is growing exponentially and 5 characters are no longer enough to encode all cars in major cities.