How to Apply for a Temporary License for Your E-Bike

As we blogged last week, Beijing authorities have announced new regulations urging e-bike owners to register their bikes apparently in order to alleviate the traffic chaos caused by unlicensed vehicles proliferating in the city.

Beijing Traffic Management Bureau has released an online application channel for temporary licenses for e-bikes, as well as detailed instructions. The channel will be activated on Oct 31, one day before the official crackdown. With that in mind, it’s highly recommended that you check these instructions beforehand so that you give yourself enough time to gather the required information and materials for a smooth application process. We’ve tried to illustrate the process as clearly as possible below, but even so, you might need help from a Chinese friend if you’re still struggling to follow the instructions.

First of all, scan the QR code below to download the “北京交警” (Beijing Traffic Police) app if you don’t have it. Then click the “过渡期电动自行车申请临时标识工作平台.”

Select the top option “个人申请页面” (see 1 below), where you can check if your e-bike is listed as qualified for a permanent license by the model number of your bike brand. If your bike brand isn’t listed, then continue to apply for a temporary one by clicking the blue button “没有我的车辆信息，继续进行申请” (2).

There are two ways to apply for the temporary license – complete the whole application online, or make an appointment online to apply in person at the traffic bureau. The former is strongly recommended, to save time and avoid communication difficulties with the notoriously impatient Beijing traffic bureau officers.
 

Option 1: Completing the application form online

For online application, select the left option which reads “线上申请，线下领取” (3). Click the blue button in the pop-up window labeled “确认” (4) to access the basic information form.

For the basic information, you need to enter (in this order):

• your full name
• your ID or passport number
• the address on your ID or registration document
• your physical address
• your phone number
• the model number of your bike brand
• the color of your bike
• and the HS (Harmonized System) code of your bike. This is a string of numbers which you can find on your certificate, or inscribed on your bike somewhere.

After inputting the required information, then upload three photos: one of you holding your ID or passport, one photo of your bike, and a photo showing the bike’s HS code.

After uploading the photos, you’re ready to submit the application (5). To check your application’s status, you can go back to the homepage (6), and click on “历史申请记录” (7). “身份验证失败” means some information you put in doesn’t look right to the system and you need to redo it, while “身份待验证” means the application is being considered. If it shows “已签发”, then congratulations, you got approved for a license!

Once you get approved, you can make an appointment to collect it at whichever of the 202 offices is convenient for you, within seven days of getting your application approved online. After you’ve made the appointment, the system will generate a QR code which you show the officer to get your license.
 

Option 2: Applying in person (also requires making an appointment online)

The alternative is to make an appointment online to apply in person at one of these 20 Transportation Bureau offices around the city (listed here). This requires less Chinese reading skills, but might involve a long wait because of the anticipated demand at these bureaus.

To make an appointment online, choose “线上预约，现场申请” (the right-hand option, as in 3 above). You will then be able to make an appointment, picking one of these Transportation Bureau offices to visit on a certain day. The system will create a QR code after you confirmed your appointment, which you show on arrival before registering at your appointed office with all the required materials.

Although the application window for a temporary license lasts until Apr 30, 2019, riding an e-bike after Nov 1 without a license could lead to fines, so the earlier you get one, the earlier you can ride your bike without worrying that it may get impounded or that you’ll be given a ticket.

This article originally appeared on our sister site beijingkids.

Images: China Daily, courtesy of Beijing Traffic Management Bureau