Drivers China
China does not accept a foreign or international driving permit
China does not recognize any other driver’s license except for the Chinese one. To rent a car in China, you should first get a Chinese driver’s license. The latter can be subdivided into two types:
Need a Bluetooth Driver for your accessory? If you are having Bluetooth trouble, updates should be available through Microsoft's Windows Update service. If drivers were not downloaded automatically by Windows Update, use Device Manager to refresh the driver from Windows Update, or contact the device manufacturer. By the end of 2018, the national Bureau of Statistics of China has data showing that the number of private vehicles in China reached 189 million, and according to China National Tourism Administration, the number of drive tourists in China has reached 3.5 billion, accounting for 63.2% of the total number of domestic tourists. The statistic shows the number of drivers in China from 2009 to 2019. In 2019, approximately 397.53 million people were able to drive in China.
- temporary license (for the duration of your visa, but not more than 90 days). At each entry, you should get it once again;
- permanent driving license (for 6 years). It is to be granted if you have a residence permit (e.g. if you are a student).
How to apply for China provisional driver’s license
Step 1. To applyfor a Chinese driver’s license, foreigners driving in China should provide the following documents:
- a national driving license translated into Chinese and notarized. The latter is not obligatory if a translation is made by the licensed translation agency;
- international driving permit;
- a passport, a visa, and a hotel reservation;
- a certificate of temporary registration of a foreigner (to be completed and sealed by a hotel clerk upon request of the hotel guest).
Step 2. Since a certificate of temporary registration of a foreigner should be certified at the police station, you can’t get it directly at the airport. Foreigners driving in China have to check in first and then go to the nearest police station.
Step 3. Tourists driving in Chinashould go through the medical check. It takes about a quarter of an hour and includes visual examination, an eye test as well as testing distinguishability of colours (what if you are color-blind?).
You can getall copies (scanned pages) of documents as well as your driver’s license photos on site. However, you will have to pay extra money. The price is about $8 (50 yuans).
Once your China provisional driver’s license is ready, traffic enforcers give you a driver’s license manual (written in English with lots of graphic tips).
Foreigners in China should keep in mind that driving can be another challenge since the traffic here is a real nightmare. According to Statista.com, in 2016 China’s main national highways had reached an average traffic volume of 24,468 vehicles per day. Moreover, rental cars are not allowed to leave a particular administrative area (unfortunately!).
If red tape is not a problem for you, you can go to the rental agency.
How can foreigners driving in China rent a car?
What you need to know
Tourists driving in China may start facing the problems at once if their driver’s license expires next month or even earlier. Some (mostly large) companies refuse to provide you with a rental car if you stay in the country over a short period. However, small rental agencies that don’t have so many clients usually don’t pay attention to the expiry date of your international driving permit in China.
We recommend tourists driving in China to book a car beforehand since prices here vary considerably according to the season and a day of the week. That is why the earlier you book the desired service, the more you save!
The costof car rental in China, as elsewhere, depends on the class and brand of the car, its engine capacity, type of transmission, etc.
Make sureyou have carefully inspected the car. Otherwise, you will be asked to pay for the costof any scratches and dents, etc. if you fail to prove they have already been there.
To rent a car in China, you should provide your temporary license. Then you should pay the deposit ($700 to $1,500) in cash or by credit card. The deposit amount will be blocked on your card until you return the car.
Foreigners driving in China should draw up and pay for a car insurance policy together with signing a rental contract. In China, car insurance premiums cost not more than $10 per day. However, tourists driving in China will have to pay another $80 in case of traffic penalties. If you drive carefully and do not violate local traffic rules and regulations, you will get your money back.
Read the contract carefully since in most cases employees at rental agencies may include additional service options in the contract.
Thus, do not be in a hurry. Keep calm and well-organized when driving Chinese roads. Statistics is implacable: in 2009, a total of 67,759 individuals died from road traffic crashes in China. Of the 67,759 road traffic deaths in 2009, more than three-fifth (40,886) occurred in rural areas. So, please be careful and obey the traffic rules and regulations of the country you are in.
Want more? Click here to discover useful tips on how to save money on car rentals while abroad.
How to rent a car in China if you have US driver license
American? We recommend you, first of all, to make sure that you have the right documents for driving in China. US citizens are usually required to have a valid passport and a US driver’s license. We suggest you applyfor the International Driving License (IDL) to be on a safe side.
If you want to rent a car in China, you should know that Americans who have a US driver license can apply for a temporary Chinese driver’s license. The temporary China provisional driver’s license can be valid for three months at the most. American tourists driving in China should use it together with their US driving permit and always carry these two licenses with them.
If you have US driver license and you plan to stay in China for a long time, we recommend you to get an official Chinese driver’s license. First, you should take your foreign driving license and valid ID cards and bring them to the automobile management bureau. Then fill in the driving license application form, go through the medical check and finally attend a traffic regulation test. If you have successfully completed all the tests and procedures, you can get official China provisional driver’s license.
Alternative ways to rent a car in China
If you don’t like red tape, you can rent a car with a driver. Driver hire service is widely available. Foreigners can easily find a local driver. If a driver speaks your language, that will be awesome. However, keep in mind that you will have to pay the cost of the fuel, highway toll, etc, as well as driver’s food and accommodation and translation services. Prices in this segment vary significantly — from $15 to $300 per day.
Tourists driving in China should not forget to apply for the International Driving Permit. Click the following link for more information on IDLs. Rent a car in China to discover culture and life of this magnificent country.
Concerns of Consumers for Car Rental
Source: ResearchInChina
To get driving licenses for China, you should go through lots of procedures. However, we recommend you to stay positive and enjoy the country with your International driving permit!
The Chinese Motor Vehicle Driving License (simplified Chinese: 机动车驾驶证; traditional Chinese: 機動車駕駛證; pinyin: Jīdòngchē Jiàshǐzhèng) is the legal driving license within China excluding the two special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). In these two territories separate driving license must be obtained from their respective traffic authorities. It is issued, ratified and regularly inspected by the traffic administrative department of the public security organ.[1] Minimum age varies from 18 (for cars) all the way up to 26 (for large buses) in the country.
Learner's licenses, although granted, have little effect, as most training takes place within the confines of specially-designed training areas inaccessible, on paper, to the general motoring public. Previously, expressways were inaccessible even for holders of a normal driver's license if they did not possess the license for a full year; however, such a regulation has now been invalidated. Drivers with licenses less than a year old, however, are still considered 'intern drivers' or 'new drivers' (Chinese: 实习司机; pinyin: shíxí siji), and certain limitations apply to them (examples: Display a uniform label on the car when they are driving, containing a person who has three-year driving experience sit in front passenger seat while driving on highway). The PRC considers the driving license, under a new law, an administrative license (Chinese: 行政许可; pinyin: xíngzhèng xuke).
Some areas do not issue motorcycle licenses or three-wheeler licenses any more. This promotes driving without a license, a fake license or an illegally purchased license.
Types of license[edit]
| Type | Name | Chinese | Age of application | Other categories included | Intl. Eqs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy passenger vehicles (20 passengers or more) | 大型客车 | A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, M | |||
| Semi-trailer trucks | 牵引车 | B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, M | |||
| City buses (10 passengers or more) | 城市公交车 | C1, C2, C3, C4 | |||
| Middle passenger vehicles (10-19 passengers)[2] | 中型客车 | C1, C2, C3, C4, M | |||
| Heavy goods vehicles | 大型货车 | C1, C2, C3, C4, M | |||
| Light motor vehicles, campers (9 passengers or less)[2] | 小型汽车 | C2, C3, C4 | |||
| Automatic transmission light motor vehicles | 小型自动档汽车 | ||||
| Low-speed goods vehicles | 低速载货汽车 | C4 | |||
| Three-wheel motor vehicles | 三轮汽车 | ||||
| Small passenger cars with automatic transmission for people with disabilities | 残疾人专用小型自动挡载客汽车 | ||||
| Ordinary three-wheel motorcycles (over 50cc / 50km/h) | 普通三轮摩托车 | E, F | |||
| Ordinary two-wheel motorcycles (over 50cc / 50km/h) | 普通二轮摩托车 | F | |||
| Light motorcycles (50cc / 50km/h or less) | 轻便摩托车 | ||||
| Wheel type automobiles | 轮式自行机械车 | ||||
| Trolleybuses | 无轨电车 | ||||
| Trams | 有轨电车 |
Driver's Licenses From China
References[edit]
Bad Drivers China
- ^Law of the People’s Republic of China on Road Traffic Safety-中华人民共和国道路交通安全法-www.lawinfochina.com
- ^ ab''B'型证都能开哪些车？_汽车_天涯问答'. wenda.tianya.cn. Retrieved 2016-09-30.