Holders of a valid driving license (excluding learner's license, provisional driver's license and probationary driver's license) for a foreign country are eligible to apply for a driving license in the PRC (corresponding to the type of motor vehicle you intend to drive). Applications using an "International Driving Permit" (IDP) will NOT be accepted.
3-Step Registration
What to Prepare in Advance
►The original and a copy of your identification document;
►One Driver's Physical Condition Certificate issued by hospitals of county level or higher and recognized by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission;
►Your driver's license. If your driver's license is not in the Chinese language, you must also provide a translation;
►Five one-inch color photos, bareheaded and against a white background;
►For residents of China's mainland, it is still required to present your passport, or either the Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau or the Mainland Residents Taiwan Pass.
Locations & Office Hours
Jingbei Branch of the Vehicles Management Office (VMO): near the North Vehicles Detection Field, Machikou Village, Machikou Town, Changping District, Beijing
General Office of the VMO: No.18, East Rd. of the South 4th Ring, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Foreign Affairs Department of the VMO: No.18, East Rd. of the South 4th Ring, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Jingchao Branch of the VMO: No.1, North St. of Beiluoying, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Jingnan Branch of the VMO: No.28, Luhua Rd. of Huangcun Town, Daxing District, Beijing
Jingfeng Branch of the VMO: Xingyuan Road, Fengtai District, Beijing
Jinghai Branch of the VMO: inside the Haidian Driving School, No.69, Bei'anhe Village, Haidian District, Beijing
Jingshun Branch of the VMO: Anfu Street, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing (north-east of the Anfu St. and Huosi Rd. crossing, 700 meters west of Houshayu Station of Metro Line 15)
Time
8:30 – 6:00, Monday through Friday;
9:00 – 4:00, weekends (except national holidays)
Telephone: (8610)12122
Qualification Criteria
The applicant may apply for a driving license in China corresponding to the type of motor vehicle license that he or she originally possesses. If failing to meet the required conditions for such an application—such as age or height—the applicant may voluntarily downgrade the type of vehicle for their China driving license application; otherwise, it will be denied.
Beijing residents with driving licenses issued by foreign countries, Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan, or foreigners living in Beijing, must meet the following conditions to qualify for a driving license application.
I. Age Restrictions
(1) Small-size vehicles, small-size vehicles with auto transmission, light motorcycles: minimum age 18, maximum age 70.
(2) Low speed freight vehicles, three-wheeled vehicles, three-wheeled motorcycles, two-wheeled motorcycles and other utility vehicles: minimum age 18, maximum age 60.
(3) Buses, mid-size passenger vehicles, large freight vehicles, trolleys or tramcars: minimum age 21, maximum age 50.
(4) Tractors: minimum age 24, maximum age 50.
(5) Large-size passenger vehicles: minimum age 26, maximum age 50.
II. Health restrictions
(1) Minimum height
Large-size passenger vehicles, tractors, buses, large freight vehicles, trolleys: 155cm;
Mid-size passenger vehicles: 150cm.
(2) Vision restrictions
Large-size passenger vehicles, tractors, buses, mid-size passenger vehicles, large freight vehicles, trolleys or tramcars: natural or corrected vision minimum: 5.0 logarithm.
Other types of vehicles: natural or corrected vision minimum: 4.9 logarithm.
(3) No red/green color blindness.
(4) Hearing: Both ears must be able to determine the direction of sounds from 50 meters away
(5) Upper limbs: Two hands with thumbs and at least three other fingers. Upper limbs and hands can motion normally.
(6) Lower limbs: Normal range of motion. To apply to drive a manual transmission vehicle, lower limbs cannot be more than five centimeters different in length. To apply to drive an auto transmission vehicle, the right lower limb must be in good condition.
(7) Torso and neck: Normal range of motion must not be obstructed.
III. Those with the following conditions are not permitted to obtain a driving license:
(1) Heart disease, epilepsy, Meniere's disease, hysteria, vertigo, mental illness, mental retardation, as well as diseases associated with the nervous system and other illnesses or diseases that may hinder safe driving.
(2) Users of addictive drugs or addictive medicines that affect one's mental state.
(3) Those whose driving license has been revoked within three years of the date of application.
(4) Those whose driving license was revoked for fleeing the scene of a traffic accident.
(5) Those whose driving license was canceled by force of law within three years of the date of application.
(6) Other conditions relating to P.R.C. laws and regulations.
After exams have been passed, the applicant is required to receive for no less than half an hour being educated on proper driving practices, traffic safety, and traffic accident cases. Then the applicant will participate in an oath-taking ceremony. The VMO issues the license to successful applicants on the day of the ceremony.
Timeline and Fees
Administrative charges for issuing the driving license: CNY ¥10 (per license);
Examination fee for Subject One: CNY ¥50 (per person, per instance)
Points for Attention
If the applicant has a driving license (C1 level) issued by Belgium or the United Arab Emirates, he or she may be exempt from exams. In this case, a PRC driving license would be issued directly.
If the applicant is a member of a foreign embassy or consulate in China, or a representative of an international organization stationed in China, he or she should be granted a Chinese driving license within five working days (of acceptance) by the relevant authorities, according to the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.
All exams must be finished within a three-year period of the VMO's acceptance of one's application.