China driver license in usa

China driver license in USA. Are you wanting to be able to drive in China in 2024? Curious how to get a Chinese driver’s licensehow to get a Chinese driver’s license? Driving in China is a thrill, but you can’t get behind the wheel unless you have an official China driver’s license. I’ve applied for a Chinese driver’s license twice (motorcycle license & car license) and below I share how you can get one too.

driving licence is a document that gives you permission to drive a car. There are different types (categories) of drivers licenses. The category of your drivers license determines what size of car you are allowed to drive. Your drivers license is legal proof that you have the skills required to safely drive a car on public roads. What this means is that, you would get in trouble if you are caught driving a car on a public road without a drivers license. The words “driving permit” are used in most international documents. It basically means the same thing as 'drivers license'.

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Before I go into how to get a Chinese driver’s license, let me explain one very important policy in China:

You must have a Chinese drivers license in order to drive any vehicle in China.

Period.

Many countries around the world and even throughout Asia accept a license from your home country or even an international driver’s permit (IDP).

Unfortunately, China is not one of those countries.

If you plan to drive a car or motorcycle in China, you need to be between 18-60 years old and will need one of the following two types of China driver’s licenses. I will go into more detail about each of these licenses further down.

• Full Driver’s License (time consuming): This driver’s license is for foreigners visiting China for over three months or plan on staying in China long term as it is good for 6 years. Unfortunately, it takes a few trips (if you’re lucky) to get a full-license as well as passing a 100 question written test.
• Provisional Driver’s License (easier): This driver’s license is temporary and available for foreigners visiting China for up to 3 months. The biggest perk to the provisional driver’s license is you don’t need to take a written test.

Use the links below to jump to a particular section or just scroll down to keep reading.

China Driver’s License

• Is Getting a China License Worth It?
• What Paperwork is Required for a License?
• How to Apply for a Temporary License
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First things first.

Is it even worth it to get a Chinese driver’s license?

China Drivers License: Worth It?

Coming from the perspective of an expat who has enjoyed the freedom of driving my own car and motorcycle around gorgeous parts of China, my first instinct is to say…

Yes! Getting a Chinese driving license is absolutely worth it!

But I realize it’s not that simple.

Every person’s situation, perspective and risk tolerance is unique. And this plays a big role in deciding whether a Chinese license is worth it.

For example, are you willing to overcome the obstacle of:

• Actually Getting the License: It takes time and money. Personally, it took me two weeks of back and forth to get my license.
• Renting/Buying a Car: Buying a car was a huge headache for me and while renting a car in China isn’t nearly as bad, it’s not the simple process you know from back home. Oh, and as for selling your car when you’re finally ready to leave China? Yeah…that was a massive headache too.
• Navigating Chinese Roads: You can’t rely on the English instructions of Google Maps in China since it’s blocked. It took me at least a year to understand Chinese roads without getting utterly confused.
• Finding Parking: The biggest challenge to driving, especially in the bigger cities, is finding parking. It’s frustrating and not cheap!
• Accepting the Liability: If you get in an accident, as a foreigner the blame will likely fall on you. Are you willing to accept this liability?

As you can see, I’m doing everything in my power to convince you that a Chinese driver’s license isn’t as awesome as it might sound.

Ultimately, it’s your choice.

If you’re still determined to get your own license, I recommend that you buy some good travel health insurance for China and then read on for instructions on how to apply.

**NOTE** Everything in this article also assumes you have a current (not-expired) driver’s license in your home country. If your driver’s license is expired, I’d probably pass on getting a Chinese driver’s license as it will take several months, thousands of RMB, and a much more complicated process.

What Paperwork Do You Need for a Driver’s License in China?

Did you ever go to the department of motor vehicles (DMV) in your home country to learn after waiting-in-line for an unspeakable amount of time that you were missing necessary information to get your driver’s license?

It sucks right?

In China, the DMV not only has long waiting times too, but it’s typically always in the outskirts of town.

So to avoid traveling a long distance to only be disappointed that you forgot something, make sure you have the following materials to get a Chinese driver’s license (you’ll need everything below for both the full or provisional driver’s license):