How to get your driving license in China
Yesterday I got my Chinese driving license!

My brand new driving license.
The procedure is quite straightforward (well, as straightforward as Chinese bureaucracy can be!) if you already have a driving license from another country: you only need to do a computer test. I have a driving license from Spain so I could do it. If you don’t have a driving license and want to get one in China you will need to go to the driving school and do the actual driving exam.
I am going to explain what I had to go to get my Chinese driving license. I obtained it in Suzhou and it is possible that the procedure is slightly different in other cities. That’s what we love of Chinese bureaucracy! In every city they understand the regulations differently and you can never be completely sure of what you need to do! But let’s get to the point:
How to get your driving license in China
Where do you have to go? To the Vehicle Administration Office (车管所). In Suzhou it is located in Tayuan Lu (塔园路). This is their website.
Which documents will you need?
– Valid passport with a residence permit (I don’t think you can get the driving license with a tourist visa) and photocopies of the personal data and residence permit pages.
– Driving license from another country and photocopies of both sides of it.
– Chinese translation of the driving license from another country. In Suzhou the translation must include your Chinese name and the explanation of the type of driving license that you hold in another country.
– Temporary residence registration form (境外人员临时住宿登记信息表), that is the paper that you get from your local police station when you register there.
– Three passport size pictures. Well, they’re not really passport size but smaller. You can get them directly in the Vehicle Administration Office (I paid 10 RMB for 15 pictures).
– Physical examination certificate: you can also get it in the Vehicle Administration Office before doing the exam.
What do you have to do?
1. Study the exam questions. It is possible to take the exam in English and the translation is more or less ok. You can find the exam questions in the Chinese Driving Test website. It is a very useful resource and you can study the questions in the Study section and then make mock exams in the Test section. I also have a word file written by Kevin Munk, an expat in Shenzhen, with the 902 questions that can be asked in the exam (if anyone needs it I can send it by email). I recommend that you read all the questions and do some mock tests before the actual exam. You can start studying three or four days before the test and it will be ok. If you don’t study beforehand you will probably fail as there are questions regarding regulations and norms and these can be different from your home country.
In the actual exam you will have 45 minutes and 100 questions. You have to answer correctly at least 91. If you finish and fail before the 45 minutes end, you can try again.
2. Prepare the documents. The most complicated one will be the Chinese translation of your driving license. My suggestion is that you ask directly in your city’s Vehicle Administration Office which translation agency they work with. I had a translation from a Chinese notary public and they didn’t accept it (their reason was that the translation didn’t include my Chinese name). I had a second translation done by the agency they recommended and I didn’t have any problem. Maybe they get a commission? Probably. But in Suzhou it is compulsory that the translation includes your Chinese name and an explanation of the type of driving license you have. My Spanish driving license is B type, that means I can drive vehicles weighting less that 3,500 kg and having less than 9 seats. Without these two things clearly stated in the translation you won’t be able to take the test (yes, I had to go twice…).
3. After all the documents are ready and you have studied the questions, you go to the Vehicle Administration Office. It is better to go early in the morning as they process everything related to vehicles and there’s a lot of people going there. Also, from 12 to 1 all the clerks go to have lunch and the work accumulates in the afternoon.
4. Have your picture taken if you didn’t bring the passport sized pictures from home.
5. Have your physical examination done. You need to pay 8 RMB and the “examination” is almost a joke: a lady will ask you how tall you are, make you read a number (to check if you are color blind) and ask you to show your hands (to check you have two?). If you wear glasses you won’t have to pass the eye test. The examination takes around 10 seconds and you will get a paper like this:

It says my vision, hearing and limbs are perfect. But how can she know? She didn’t check my glasses, or my hearing, or even touched my limbs.
6. Go to the information desk and ask for a number.
7. Sit down and wait for your turn.
8. When it is your turn, go to the designated clerk and give her your documents. She will probably say that you missed something, or that there is something wrong, or that you need even more photocopies, or she will give you wrong information. Don’t panic. Chinese clerks are evil by nature. You can beat her! Just smile and don’t lose your patience.
9. After the evil clerk has checked that everything is right, she will fill your data in the computer and give you a printed document. With that paper you have to go and pay 40 RMB and you can directly take the exam.
10. The exam is done in a small room with several computers. There is no schedule, you just arrive and do it. There is a webcam pointing at your face the whole time. After you’re done and if you got more than 91 points, you will get a paper like this:

Including pictures of your face while you were doing the exam! Maybe to check that you didn’t change places with someone else?
11. With that paper you go to clerk number 24. After 20 minutes you will get your brand new Chinese driving license. Voila!
Explained like this it doesn’t sound too complicated but remember, bureaucracy is never easy in China! I wasted Wednesday morning in the Vehicle Administration Office and had to go back again on Friday with the right translation. On Friday I spent there like 4 hours because I arrived a little before lunch time and they all went away for an hour.
But I got it! I can officially drive in China!
Remark for non-Chinese speakers: all the conversations and procedures described were conducted in Chinese. I don’t think anyone in the Vehicle Administration Office could speak English. If you don’t feel safe speaking Chinese, or if you are scared by Chinese clerks who will pretend they don’t understand you because you are a foreigner, bring a Chinese friend or colleague. Even if you can speak fluently they will be helpful, as they are used to argue with evil clerks!
So far most “foreigner” I know living in China got a Chinese colleague to do actually the test for them, the administrations in those cities didnt care (that was until two years ago, could have changed of course also). Furthermore I really wonder why doing those driving license test if most rules/ laws are never really enforced by the police (who is also not driving according to the law).
I just hope that someday (soonish) the law enforcment when it comes to driving will be stricter in China, just for basic safety reasons.
Yes, before the test was only in Chinese so everybody did as you say. But the regulations changed (I think last year) and now the tests are translated, so you have to take the exam by yourself!
I couldn’t agree more with you. I had to laugh when I was reading questions like “What do you do if someone tries to cut the line?” and the options were: you allow him to pass to ensure safety, you get closer to the car in front to not let him pass, you honk… if you check the reality no one is following the norms!
Can you please send me the word file that you used to study for the test. I am also in SIP and plan to do the test. My email address is dennisadrianne@yahoo.com. Thank you so much for your help and the name or wechat id for the agent who did the D/L translation .
hi marta, nice to meet you. congrat! on getting your driver license. hope to see more blogs from you. it is very interesting to read something different and refresh, telling stories from a foreigners’ point of view.
Thanks for your kind words, Joey! I’ll try my best!
恭喜恭喜 Marta! How does it feel to know you can officially drive in China? Your post made me look forward to the day when I’ll get my license here too… ;-)
It feels scary, haha. I intend to drive as less as possible! :D
Thanks a lot for this post! My husband want to do the driving licence and the information on your article are the best we got! :)
Good luck to him! Let me know if you need the word file with all the exam questions :)
Hi Marta,
I just found this through a google search. I’m an American expat living in Suzhou and I know you posted this a year ago but I would love to get that file that you studied from for the test. Also, where was the translation agency that they finally accepted, if you remember! I should probably just go there and ask myself… A task for next week!
Any help would be fantastic!
My email address is nathan.paine@gmail.com
Thank you for your helpful post!
-Nathan
Hi Nathan! Please check your inbox :)
You’re so quick!! Thank you so much!
Hi Marta,
could you please forward the word file to me too?
timo.auracher@gmx.de
Your Blog is fantastic :)
BTW, where are you living?SIP?
Thanks for your help- Timo
Hi Timo, please check your inbox!
Yes, I live in SIP :)
Hi,
Can a foreigner who converted their license into China driver license drive directly on the highway right after getting the license??
Bcoz as I know, Chinese need to wait for 12 months and they can’t drive on highway during the probation.
Thank you!
Hi Xi, I had not heard about that 12 month rule before. I don’t think it applies to foreigners who convert their license because supposedly they already have experience driving. For sure no one told me I couldn’t drive on the highway. If it’s a foreigner getting their first license in China, then they will need to follow the same rules as Chinese beginners.
Hi Marta. Great blog. Could you please send that word file please. Trying to remember 900 answers seems tough though. Any advice?
Thank you.
Hi, I will send you the file now. It is not that hard in fact, most of the questions are “common sense”, you will see :) For the rest, the only thing is reading them several times and trying to memorize the answers. I suggest reading all the questions a couple of times and then doing the mock tests in the website I linked in the post.
What is the road test process? I heard it’s 2 days one at night and one day time?
Sorry, I have no idea how the road test is. As I already had a driving license from Spain I did not need to do the road test in China, only the written exam.
Hi Marta,
This is a very informative post, thank you! I will be taking the test in about a weeks time and hope you could share the file with me!
Thank you!
Hi Robert, please check your inbox! and don’t forget to do mock tests in the website I mentioned! :)
Thank you so very much for this very useful post! Gave me so much information and I am feeling so much better prepared! I am planning to take the test in a couple of weeks or so.. Can you please send me that file you mentioned? I would be so very grateful! I am checking out the website right now, will be very helpful as well!
Ceciliasjoberg@hotmail.com
Have a great day!
Hi Cecilia! Please check your inbox :)
Hi Marta, Please send me the file at aksruchi@gmai.com. Your post is very informative.
Thanks in advance.
Hi! Please check your inbox :)
Hi marta – thanks for writing such an informative blog! I’ve finally plucked up the courage to drive in China and plan to complete the test next week in wuxi.
Would you mind sending me the word document as well please?
Thanks in advance Abs
Hi Abs, I think the mail was sent but check it please! The internet is a bit crappy xD
Hey could you please send me the word document? :) As a fellow Suzhou Resident I would like to get the driving license procedure started. :)
JohannesScheufele@icloud.com
Sent! ;)
Got it thank you very much :) If we ever run into each other first drink is on me. :)
Hello Marta, Would you mind sending me the file?
Thank you…
vivisabrina@yahoo.com
Sent!
Hello Marta, what a great blog about the driving license. I am moving to Suzhou very soon & will need to drive. Will you please forward me all the questions. Many Thanks
Ronan
ronanwatts@gmail.com
Sent!
Hi Marta, I am planning to take the exam. Could you please forward me the word file to my email? Thank you very much
rapidforums@gmail.com
Sent!
Got it. Thanks : – )
Hi Marta
Thats an awsumly written blog, very informative. And I must say, explaining the whole process so neatly must have encouraged many people apply for the China DL, including me.
I will be applying soon, can you please send me that questionnaire file for the test on sharadkanchan83@gmail.com
Will see you soon on Suzhou roads, cheers.
Thanks
Sharad
Sent! :)
Hi Marta,
would you be able to send met the file too? My email is jurriaan_knobel@hotmail.com
Regards,
Jurriaan
Sent! :D
Hello. Would you be kind enough to send me a copy? Jack.pinkerman@gmail.com. Thanks!
Sent!
Hello Marta I live in dongguan I’m planning to get Chinese driving visa here kindly send a copy .. Hope here has An exam written in English 🙂Thank you very much ! God bless you!🙂
Hello Marta, Thanks very much for the information in the blog. It was really clear what to do. I’m not sure if you still read this, but I was hoping you would be able to help me with getting the question bank that you mentioned. If it’s available, would you please let me know how to get it?
Kind regards,
Frank
Hi Frank, I just sent the document with the questions to your email.
Dear Marta,
I also would like to take my driver license test in Suzhou now. Could you please kindly email me your question bank too? Thanks a lot for your help. My email address is:
weissnich888@yahoo.de
Thanks
Paul
Sent!
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Hello Marta,
Im also taking the driver license test in Suzhou, could you please send me the question bank?
cw.dasilva00@gmail.com
Sent!
I’m planning on taking the test next week! Could you send me the Word doc as well…I’m at markdavidmitchell@yahoo.com
Sent!
Hi Marta,
I am working on the translation part of the guide that you provided above. Thank you for being very detailed. When you have time, could you forward me a copy of the question bank to joshuamedendorp@gmail.com. Thank you :)
Sent!
Great blog. I need a temporary driving licence to drive my own motorbike in China for few days. ( I am not from china) .
Problem is I am Color blind. I have driving liscense of my own country. Will it be difficult to get a driving liscense for me?
Uh, I have no idea, to be honest. When I did the driving test they checked if I was color blind. But I am not sure if it is possible to get a temporary license…
Thanks for your immediate response. Your blog’s really helped me. :) :)
Lol funny albeit useful info u gave in the writeup thanks
Thanks for this great information sharing. Hopefully I will not meet devil clerk. :P
Appreciate you can share me the driving test questions written by Kevin Munk. huiim.bay@icloud.com
Sent!
ok, I failed today 86 point. can you please email me the questions?
knops1@gmail.com
Sent!
Hi Marta,
Thanks so much for the information sharing. I have to do the test in English. Could you please send me the test questions to my email at andrew_yong@ymail.com
Thanks again
Sent!
This blog post was super helpful. I got my license today and only just passed so I’d suggest people take it seriously. Laowaidrive the app is great and has an affordable translation service. I also recommend having a Chinese speaker to help because it was a bit confronting today with the less than friendly clerks … well the reception was tough, the others were nicer.
Thank you for the info and congrats!
Thanks for this info. I am preparing to write the exams next week. Can I take the exam on the weekend since I work Monday to Friday? Kindly send me a mail with the reading file for the exams. chrisalvj@yahoo.com