Greetings from Beijing!

[bikerdoc]

The vehicle and registration plate are tied to both a person (or business name) and their drivers license/ID card/passport number etc. This explains why the person (or business [aka work unit]) whose registered the plate appears in the PSB Traffic Management IT system, and is included on the motor vehicle registration card included in the 'blue' wallet. Anything official concerning the vehicle and it's plate often requires or needs the registered owner whether that be an individual or business, to either be present when dealing with matters (most of the time) and/or have someone (acting as an agent with appropriate supporting documents) present their drivers license/ID/Passport or other relevant documents etc. This doesn't need to happen with speeding or red light camera infringements as the person presenting to pay the said infringement is claiming to be responsible. This can depend naturally on the type of alleged violation, and importantly points being administered.
Keep in mind that every town, city, district, province is in actuality its own little kingdoOm slash empire, so what applies in one jurisdiction may not apply in another. See the example about Taizhou below.

When a vehicle is sold, the actual registered owner (individual/business rep) has to be present (presenting their ID card/passport) when completing a transfer to the new owner. If the new intending owner (buyer) is from out of the city or province then usually the original plate will be surrendered and the whole file related for to the registered vehicle held by that Traffic PSB will be provided in a stamped and sealed envelope which will be given to the new owner, who must present this envelope unopened to the relevant Traffic PSB authorities in the intended jurisdiction. There is a time limit allowable for this to occur (between 21-28 days from memory), and the envelope containing the file must not show signs of being tampered with. A temporary paper plate is also issued to cover this time period by the Traffic PSB from where the vehicle is being transferred from. Obviously this differs if the both the seller and buyer are individuals versus businesses etc and are located in the same jurisdiction. As does the rights of the owners where plates can be transferred and/or reassigned from one vehicle to another. That's why it is misleading to think that simply paying for a motorcycle or vehicle with a current valid and legal plate can simply be bought, paid for and shipped to the buyer without the two parties coming together, as both the registered owner and potential buyer MUST present to the Traffic PSB where the said motorcycle or vehicle is registered and being sold. The caveat to this being if the seller/owner is a business entity that may specialise in such activities.

If the vehicle is due for an inspection, it will be done at the time the bikes 'registered' ownership is being transferred, at the time of the transfer formalities. A transfer fee is also payable at this time. When I did this earlier this year it was a set flat fee, irrespective of the bikes 'declared' value.

This might also explain why it is problematic when attempting to deal with vehicle mandatory inspections, most of the time the registered owner has to be present, though a nominated person (e.g. car workshop/agent) can sometimes handle the re-inspection on the registered person's (owner's) behalf. After all any workshop/dealership 'worth its salt', requires a signature on a work order, which probably would suffice allowing the business to 'act as the owners agent', given that both copies of drivers license and passport are usually required - at least this is the case with my car. This is what I have done with my cars inspection years past including this past August. I have had the same done with a couple of my motorcycles in the past, where the local Suzuki motorcycle dealer/workshop have handled the inspections. However sometimes this is not allowed. As is the usual case, Guanxi plays a significant part as does one's location, as not all things are the same in all parts of China.

For example, in Taizhou, one can register a 150cc bike/scooter without needing a motorcycle drivers/riders licence. The Traffic police issue the bike/scoot with a white plate with black characters and alphanumerics. This plate is of slightly different dimensions compared to the standard yellow plate issued for motorcycles, and is for all intense and purposes legal. Not sure what would happen if one rides a bike with this type of plate into another jurisdiction. The plate though still needs to be obtained with suitable identification e.g. ID card/passport. In the areas connected to Ningbo that allow motorcycle registrations/plates, no such allowance is provided meaning all motorcycles with a regular petrol aspirated engine of any displacement require the user to have a motorcycle endorsed drivers license, despite Ningbo and Taizhou being in the same province.

Hope this clears any confusion...