1,000RMB fines to be issued for unregistered e-bikes from May 1

Plus, a last-minute step-by-step guide to registering your e-bike

Back in October last year, the Beijing government announced that all e-bikes must be registered and their riders issued with temporary licenses by May 2019. Beyond the series of announcements, even policemen were mobilised to paste stickers on bikes without license plates to remind them of the impending deadline – all of which means you have few excuses if you still haven't registered your e-bike.

The recent crackdown is part of a broader government initiative to regulate the city's e-bikes, though given the specifications for those that need to be registered – e-bikes that exceed speeds of 20kmh, weigh more than 40kg and power along at more than 240watts – Beijing could quite possibly just be attempting to reduce the number of e-bikes from roads when temporary licenses expire on October 31 2021. With over 200 million e-bikes currently on China's roads, over ten major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Shenzhen, have now implemented restrictions, or outright bans, on e-bike usage.

Whatever the case, there’s still time to get those license plates as online registration officially closes on Tuesday April 30 – though brace yourself for long queues alongside fellow dawdlers. It takes several days to actually pick up your license plate, but provided you show your approved application's QR code to policemen between May 1 to 5 (if you happen to be stopped), they'll let you pass.

For those of you who still haven't applied to register (no judgement here), we've put together a handy step-by-step guide to help speed up the registration process. Because time is short, people.

Step-by-step registration process

Step A Download the app '北京交警' (Beijing Traffic Police) using the QR code above. (If you are using an iPhone, you need to be in the China app store).

Click image to magnify.

Step B Open the app and click the light blue bar with a bike illustration.

Step C Run the 30 second clock down. Click '确认' when it lights up. Essentially you’re declaring that you’re registering an e-bike and not a motorcycle and that the onus is on you to provide the correct information. 
Step D Click the first row saying '个人申请页面'.
Step E You have the choice of '线上预约, 现场申请', which allows you to complete the registration process online (but still requires you to pick up the license plate in person at one of 202 official pick-up points), or '预约办理, 现场甲领' which means going to one of the 20 transportation bureaus to have your bike inspected for on-the-spot approval (though expect longer queues). Choose either one or the other.

How to apply online

Documentation

For those of you who opt to apply online, the following documents are required (if you opt for the in-person vehicle inspection then it's not necessary).

1. Valid ID This includes your passport or residence permit (with more than six months remaining) or temporary residence certificate.
2. E-bike specs This includes make, model and colour of your e-bike. 
3. E-bike code Your bike's unique code, normally etched into the chassis.

4. Photo of e-bike code A close-up of your bike's code to ensure it's actually your code (and not someone else's).
5. Photo of you holding your passport
6. Photo of your bike

Application process

Step 1 Click ‘线上预约, 现场申请’.
Step 2 Fill out the details (see picture for translations).
Step 3 Upload photos required and click ‘提交信息‘ to submit. 
Step 4 If successful, a screen appears with ‘提交成功‘. Click ‘返回首页’ which brings you back to the home page.

Step 5 Click the third row from the top which says '历史申请记录 (线上申请)'.

Step 6 Your application will show up. Check back later in the day or, most likely, the next day. When the orange text '身份待验证' becomes a green '待预约', click on '立即预约' to make an appointment.
Step 7 Select where you would like to pick it up. When we did it, the first option on the drop-down list was closest to the address we listed on our application. Choose a date to head down and pick up the license. 
Step 8 On the day itself, just bring the ID you registered your bike with. They'll then scan the QR code of your application from your phone. Congratulations, your bike is now legit. 

How to apply via vehicle inspection

Application process

Step i Click '预约办理, 现场甲领'. 

Step ii Fill in your ID type and ID number. 

Step iii Select the transport bureau for inspection then choose from one of the available dates. Click on '提交信息' to submit 

Step iv Head back to the home page and check the fourth row '历史预约记录 (线上预约)' to view your confirmed appointment's QR code. 

Step v Bring your ID on the day and the staff on hand will help instruct you on what to do. Warning: if you lack proficiency in Mandarin, we recommend you bring a Chinese-speaker along with you.

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