Nine Chinese Ministries Include Car Modification in New Aftermarket Consumption Policy

A new car costs RMB 250,000 on the road, yet its owner has spent more than RMB 400,000 on modifications. While color changes can be filed for registration, other modification items such as body kits, suspension, and brakes exist in a regulatory gray area, with annual inspection enforcement varying across regions. This leaves car enthusiasts and modification shops in a difficult position, a situation that has persisted for years and kept the car modification industry operating in the shadows.

The Ministry of Commerce and eight other departments jointly issued a notice on measures to cultivate and expand automotive aftermarket consumption, marking the first time car modification has been explicitly incorporated into the policy framework. The notice provides a policy basis for the car modification business, which has long lacked clear regulations, though specific implementation details and local enforcement standards remain to be seen.