It is not difficult to get a driver’s license in China, but you can only drive with a Chinese-style certificate. It is called 机 j j jīdòngchē jiàshǐzhèng or 驾照 jiàzhào for short. It is valid for 6 years and only on the territory of mainland China.
In 2020, foreigners whose visa allows them to stay in China for 90 days or more without leaving are allowed to apply for a driver’s license (WU). As a rule, these are holders:
temporary residence permit 居留许可 jūliú xǔkě. A residence permit is issued for the following types of visas: working, family and student.
business visa (type M) with an entry corridor of 90 days.
If you already have a driver’s license
You must pass only a theoretical exam. To obtain a Chinese WU , you will need:
Notarized translation of a foreign passport.
A notarized translation of an existing driver’s license.
Certified translations can cost up to 300 yuan ($45), they are made in notary offices of the 公 gōngzhèng chù.
A copy of a valid visa.
The document confirming the place of residence is 居住证明 jūzhù zhèngmíng.
It is issued at the local police station.
Color photos, 4 pcs.
The cost is 30 yuan ($4).
Medical certificate 身体条件证明 sh shēntǐ tiáojiàn zhèngmíng.
The medical examination costs 20 yuan ($3). In large cities, you can go directly to the department of vehicle management, where you will go to give the documents. If they do not have such an opportunity, then you will be given a list of suitable hospitals. It should be a city-level hospital, a shìqūxiànjí yǐshàng yīyuàn. At the hospital reception, specify that a medical examination is required to obtain a driver’s license.
Theory Exam
The theoretical exam consists of 100 questions, you need to answer at least 90 correctly. There are 900 questions in the exam database in total.
The exam can be taken in Chinese, English or Russian. The English test is not translated perfectly, which can confuse during the exam. The translation in Russian is even worse. Most foreigners in China usually take the exam in English.
There are various mobile applications to prepare for the theory. We recommend downloading Laowaidrive (there are tickets in Russian) or Drive in China. They are free in the basic version, available on iOS and Android.
Submission of documents
Before passing the theory, make an appointment at the Department of Vehicle Management. Pre-registration is carried out through the official WeChat account.
Find the account you need through the WeChat search. To do this, enter the name of your city and add the word 交警 jiāojǐng — this is the Chinese traffic police. For example, in Dongguan, enter a莞交警 DōngguǎN jiāojǐng. Sign up for an account, go to the transaction processing section. yèwù bànlǐ. The interface of the accounts may differ, but you need an item that will most likely be called 驾驶证业务预约 jiàshǐzhèng yèwù yùyuē.
It is better to clarify the need for an appointment to submit documents in other provinces and cities in local offices.
When you come to submit documents, you will fill in all the necessary information that will be displayed in the rights. Therefore, please note that the license number of the driver’s license matches the number of your passport. This is important because the permanent license number is linked only to the passport.
During the recording, you will be able to choose a suitable date for the exam and pay its cost — 50 yuan ($ 7.6). The theoretical exam is given 45 minutes. It is carried out on a computer, the program will announce the result immediately. If you have passed, then you can return to the same day and get your license.
If you didn’t pass the first time, you can retake it on the spot. Other attempts are paid.
If there is no time for exams, but you want to drive
A temporary residence permit can be obtained both with a residence permit and with a short-term visa. They are tied to it and will not act when it expires. The maximum period of validity of temporary rights is one year.
To obtain a temporary VU, passing exams is not required. You will need:
1. Translate WU into Chinese and certify him.
2. Bring a translation of the VU, a photo for the rights and your passport with the current visa to 车管管 chēguǎnsuǒ and submit documents for a temporary VU. Pre-registration may be required.
3. Wait for the WU to be ready. The registration will take an hour.
An important difference between temporary and permanent rights: they allow you to drive only a rented car. They are perfect for a tourist.
If you don’t have a driver’s license
Foreigners without driving experience need to be trained at the jiàxiào driving school. Almost every city has them. Even in small counties, you can find a suitable school by asking friends, or via the Internet. Just don’t choose dubious driving schools that have a race track on the roof.
The training process takes 3 months, and the cost varies: $ 600-1000. Studying at a driving school will prepare you for theory and practice. All the formalities and the application for the exams will be taken over by the school.
If you have a Chinese license, but no car
Car rental services are available in China. The most popular are eHi (一 y yīhāi zūchē) and CAR (神州州 shénzhōu zūchē). There are offices of companies at airports. To rent a car, you will need to install the right application: from the app store or find it inside the WeChat and Alipay mini-programs.
To make a lease, you will need a license, a bank card and a passport. The approximate cost of rent per day: from 74 yuan ($12). The service fee is approximately 70 yuan. Insurance is optional, the most common costs 50 yuan. You pay for gasoline yourself.