Buying a car in Shenzhen? You could drive it home the same day.

Crowds fill the exhibition hall at the 2026 Shenzhen International Auto Show during the May Day holiday as visitors compare vehicles and explore the latest models. Shenzhen has introduced streamlined digital services that allow car buyers to complete vehicle registration in a single day. Zhou Hongsheng

Thanks to a streamlined digital service, many drivers can now complete insurance, vehicle tax payment, registration and license plate applications through a single online process, with some dealerships offering one-stop registration before customers drive away in their new vehicles.

The change comes as China rolls out a nationwide policy allowing domestically manufactured passenger cars to be purchased, taxed and registered on the same day. Shenzhen, one of the first pilot cities to test an integrated digital registration system, provided much of the groundwork before the policy was expanded nationwide.

One app, one process

For residents who prefer to handle the process themselves, most registration procedures can be completed through the “交管12123“ mobile app, with registration documents and license plates delivered by mail after approval.

“I thought I’d have to visit several offices over a few days,” Shenzhen resident Lin, who recently purchased a new car, said in comments released by local media. “Instead, I completed everything on my phone, and my registration documents will be mailed directly to me.”

The reform integrates what were previously separate procedures — including insurance, vehicle purchase tax, registration review and license plate selection — into a single digital workflow supported by data sharing among multiple government agencies.