5 . To drive or not to drive? That is the question for many foreigners living in China. 1 If you don’t want to give up the convenience of driving by yourself in the mainland of China, the information below will be quite helpful.
If you have a driving license issued by your home country, you can apply for a temporary driving license and drive in China without having to take related tests. The temporary license can be valid for three months at most. 2 Carry the two driving licenses together in case traffic police ask you to show them.
3 As long as you have a residency permit and a driver’s license from another country, you can get a Chinese driver’s license (valid for 6 years) just by passing a written exam in Chinese, English, Spanish, French, German or Arabic, which consists of answering 100 multiple choice questions, and lasts 45 minutes. The process and the exam take place in the traffic police department in the city you live in and you may need a prior appointment. You pass by getting more than 90% of answers right. 4
If over 18 with a temporary or permanent residency permit but without driver’s license from another country, you also have the chance to get a driver’s license in China. To do this, you’ll have to pass four exams. Each exam can be taken twice. 5 There are some driving schools which specialize in foreigners or accept foreigners. Some even allow you to bring along a translator. It normally takes 2 to 3 months and 3,000 to 8,000 yuan depending on the driving school and the city.
| A．The valid period cannot be extended. |
| B．In case you fail, you can try a second time. |
| C．Applying for an official license is rather complicated. |
| D．But It’s up to you to decide whether to apply for it or not. |
| E．It’s strongly recommended that you sign up for a driving school. |
| F．Most find it hard to survive Chinese traffic without actually taking the wheel. |
| G．Once you plan to stay long in China, better obtain an official driving license. |
