High-Value Life GuideLife's expensive mistakes
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Do not lend your ID card, do not use someone else’s ID card, and do not register, open accounts, or buy tickets using another person’s documents.

Original: eternity4719 · source details

Original author: eternity4719 · Chinese source: · English adaptation: parveen0029. Translation and grade notes ↗

Bibliographic titles are retained in their original language.

Source author's views and grades; not individually verified by this site.

Cost and benefit at a glance
Check the cost Cost ↓
No expense involved. If someone asks to borrow it, simply refuse. If a copy is required, clearly note on the copy what specific purpose it is intended for.
Then the source benefit Benefit ↓
Lending, renting, or transferring one’s resident ID card to another person results in a warning and a fine of up to 200 yuan. Using someone else’s ID card or an ID card obtained fr…

In plain terms

Lending, renting, or transferring your resident ID card to another person results in a warning and a fine of up to 200 yuan. Using someone else’s ID card or an ID card obtained fraudulently carries a fine of 200–1,000 yuan or detention for up to 10 days. In situations requiring real-name registration—such as buying train tickets or checking into hotels—using a forged or someone else’s ID card may, in serious cases, lead to criminal penalties including detention or surveillance.

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One tap. A few questions first.

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Editorial cartoon · Chapter 9One tap. A few questions first.

Original illustration with Chinese lettering; the English dialogue is below. Humour is a reading aid, not evidence.

English dialogue
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Cost: what it takes

No expense involved. If someone asks to borrow it, simply refuse. If a copy is required, clearly note on the copy what specific purpose it is intended for.

Benefit: what the source reports

Lending, renting, or transferring one’s resident ID card to another person results in a warning and a fine of up to 200 yuan. Using someone else’s ID card or an ID card obtained fraudulently carries a fine of 200–1,000 yuan or detention for up to 10 days. The same penalties apply to buying, selling, or using forged or altered ID cards. Many situations legally require presentation of identification; using forged, altered, or stolen documents in such cases can lead to criminal sentencing. Such documents include ID cards, passports, social insurance cards, and driver’s licenses. Penalties may include detention (short-term imprisonment) or surveillance (restrictions on movement without imprisonment), often combined with a fine; in some cases only a fine is imposed nationwide.

Conditions, limits and disagreements

Lending your ID card could allow it to be used to register a company or open bank accounts; the consequences of such actions are described in Sections 8.28 and 8.8 (do not serve as a nominal legal representative or lend your bank card to others). Using someone else’s ID card to buy train tickets or check into hotels falls under activities requiring valid identification per law. No official case examples were found for this provision. When using internet cafés, always present your own ID; cafés must verify and record ID details, retaining records for at least 60 days for inspection by police and cultural authorities. Any activity performed on a computer using someone else’s ID is legally attributed to that person.

Original references

Original bibliographic titles and links are preserved; some titles are in Chinese.

全国人大常委会 (2011). 居民身份证法(2011 年修正,第十六、十七条). https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/203777/index.html(北京市公安交通管理局转载);全国人大 (2020). 刑法(根据刑法修正案(十一)修正,第二百八十条之一). https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/11033925/index.html;国务院 (2002). 互联网上网服务营业场所管理条例(国令第 363 号,第二十三条). http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2002/content_61788.htm

Medical, legal, financial and policy conditions vary by person, place and time. Policy material primarily concerns mainland China; check the cited document and current local requirements.