Electric scooter registration question
- Joined: Oct 9th, 2011
- Posts: 5
Ok, so here's a question. I've seen a bunch of people saying you just need those 10RMB white plates with black letters to register an electric scooter like the Turtle King or the Metis or whatever. We bought two a week ago at our local scooter shop, and they also said 10RMB and are in the process of getting the plates for us. It all seemed legit and they seemed to know what they were talking about. For example, we got them early in the holiday and they told us to come back with our passport, visa and household registration on the 7th, and to expect it would take more than a week because that department of the police would just open on the 8th and would be swamped Saturday with people wanting stuff done. That seemed to make good sense.
But then I noticed that BikesBeijing charges 199RMB to get the plate, and claims on their site that these plates aren't currently available in Beijing and that theirs are from a neighboring province but are "real official plates." I wrote them and asked, and they say that scooters cost more to register than pedal electric bikes, and that any 10RMB plate our scooter place would try to sell us is expired, copied, or not properly registered.
Ok, fair enough, but if the local scooter shop is selling expired or copied plates, why go through the charade of getting a week-long legit registration? In my experience here, it would be more likely they'd assume foreigners don't know any better and just sell them the plates right there. Anyway, don't know if the local scooter shop is just getting us something easy to avoid work for themselves, or if BikesBeijing is just trying to sell me something.
Anyway, just wondering if anyone actually knows what the rule is. I know finding a definitive answer to anything around here is kind of like hoping to be able to catch the wind. I also realize that there's Legal, legal and sometimes even "legal," but we're hoping to be as Legal as possible 
I also realize that the traffic cops really are more concerned about gas powered vehicles than electric: at least, in 13 years in this city I've never seen a bike of any sort pulled over. But anyone who knows anything for sure or has any experience in this area...your thoughts would be appreciated.
Biker
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Prior to both being stolen, we had two e-scooters (XinRi models). The shop arranged for one plate and we did the second on our own (to understand how it works). It was a few years ago, but I doubt much has changed.
First, the e-scooter has to be "on the list". A reputable shop won't lie about this.
Second, if it is on the list of approved e-scooters, you need to find the appropriate police station that does them for your area (not all police stations do). Again, a reputable shop will tell you where it is.
Third, it is a painless & quick process. It only costs 10 rmb. But the shop is probably correct in that it will be extremely busy after the holidays.
Fourth, I have no idea what pile of crap BikesBeijing is dishing out, but 199 rmb for an e-scooter plate from a different province is a complete scam. That's totally illegal, and completely ridiculous. As a side note, I've been hearing lots of really negative things about that BikesBeijing operation. Apparently they are also misleading foreigners about not requiring a driving license for <50cc gas-powered scooters - that is a LIE! Any gas-powered bike, of any displacement, requires a DL. You do not need a DL for an e-scooter, though.
Fifth, I doubt VERY much that there is much of a market for fake e-scooter plates. Legal plates are only 10 rmb! The fake plate market is for gas powered bikes.
Finally, my recommendation to you is just let the shop take care of it. It sounds like the shop is being honest about it. And, yes, sometimes the bureaucracy can take time.
And yeah, you're right ... there are a LOT of scams targeting naive foreigners in the two-wheeled world.
chaofan
Re: Electric scooter registration question
I don't think you even need a plate for an E-bike, I have never used one and seldom see any Chinese with them on their bikes, , could just be one of those things that is ignored though.
badr
Re: Electric scooter registration question
legally, you need the plate for an e-bike. If memory serves me right, you can be fined 10 or 20 rmb for not having one if the cops choose to do so.. they rarely do! I know one friend who was unlucky enough to be fined twice for it last year
BeijingDaze.com: Live Music & Underground Rock from Beijing
The Noodle Diaries: Tales of Food & Noodles from China
chaofan
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Now that is some bad luck! I guess it depends on where you live as well. Here in Haidian in my area in over 3 years I have never seen a cop make a single traffic type stop for anything, car, bike, motorcycle, etc. I guess it is just not part of their job description here in China.
caitlinO
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Have had a motorcycle for one year, never pulled over. I don't think its a big deal.... at least not for me so far.
caitlinO
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Have had a motorcycle for one year, never pulled over. I don't think its a big deal.... at least not for me so far.
Since1997
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Thanks for all the replies. I wrote directly to the traffic administration bureau, and they confirmed that any scooter that's on the approved list (available at the local police station, but apparently you can usually trust your local scooter shop to sell you approved ones, unless they're pulling something secret out of the back) requires no license and only the 10RMB plate.
As Biker said, I don't know what kind of baloney the Beijing Biker people are dishing out.
aggierob
Re: Electric scooter registration question
good info, spent 2 years so far in Beijing, this is more definitive, thanks Since1997.
my experience is similar, not everyone bothers to get a plate, as anytime on the road can reveal, can you imagine every bike with those plates? Anyway. i've only been required to have a plate at sporadic times to get onto university campus. so even then it's just a school rule, with random enforcement.
didn't even know you could be fined for not having one. oh and p.s. po-po cannot chase you down, they are not allowed to chase anyone, so don't pull over, just keep going about your own business. welcome to the jungle
~Aggie Rob
coolcn
Re: Electric scooter registration question
My friends have electric scooter Never registered
http://www.anyproperty.net
Any Property Beijing Real Estate Agents
dan4
Re: Electric scooter registration question
OP, you've been in Beijing for 13 years? And you are asking FOB questions? You have a slow learnin' curve.
Damn I'm hot. I'm on fire!
dragon-rider
Re: Electric scooter registration question
Actually, it costs only 10￥ for you to register the e-scooter in police station which returns that 1 your e-scooter is a legal one, 2 it will be protected by police and you have right to call policeman when it is stolen, 3 you can ride it all the time even if the law will be modified.
Do you want to motorcycle in Beijing lawfully? Find me for professional help.
Drive license, lawful Jing(京) A&B plates, Emergency, short term rent, travel guide, on-site maintenance...