Chinese Driving License Classes Explained: C1, C2 and the Rest
Chinese driver’s licenses are divided into classes (准驾车型), each with a letter code. The class on your license decides what you may drive. Driving a vehicle outside your class is a violation, and the traffic police can have the vehicle moved if you cannot show a license that matches.
The classes
The provisions list the classes in this order. The codes are the ones printed on the card.
| Code | Class |
|---|---|
| A1 | Large bus |
| A2 | Heavy tractor-trailer |
| A3 | City bus |
| B1 | Medium bus |
| B2 | Large truck |
| C1 | Small car (manual or automatic) |
| C2 | Small automatic car (automatic transmission only) |
| C3 | Low-speed freight vehicle |
| C4 | Three-wheeled vehicle |
| C5 | Small automatic car for people with disabilities |
| D | Ordinary three-wheeled motorcycle |
| E | Ordinary two-wheeled motorcycle |
| F | Light moped |
| M, N, P | Wheeled special machinery, trolleybus, tram |
| Light trailer | Light tractor-trailer (no letter code given in our source) |
| The classes and their order come from the official text. The letter codes are shown in an attachment that our source | |
| does not reproduce, so confirm them on your own license or at the office. |
Which class do most foreigners need?
For an ordinary car, apply for C1 (manual and automatic) or C2 (automatic only). If you pass a test in an automatic car, you get C2, and your license does not allow you to drive a manual. If you hold C2 and later want to drive a manual car, you apply to add C1 and take Subject 2 and Subject 3.
Converting a foreign license: same class
If you hold a foreign license and convert it, you can apply for the matching Chinese class. If you are too young or too short for that class, you can ask for a lower one. Here is what the rule means in practice:
- A foreign car license generally converts to C1 or C2, with only Subject 1.
- A foreign bus or truck license is different. To convert to a large bus, heavy tractor-trailer, city bus, medium bus or large truck license, you must take all three subjects. For a large bus, heavy tractor-trailer or medium bus you must also have held the matching foreign class for at least two years.
- The French exemption example on the Beijing page lists the Chinese classes C1, C2, D, E and F for a French license with the right categories.
First-time applicants: which classes can you start with?
Someone applying for the very first license can apply for: city bus, large truck, small car, small automatic car, low-speed freight vehicle, three-wheeled vehicle, small automatic car for people with disabilities, ordinary motorcycles, light moped, wheeled special machinery, trolleybus and tram. The classes that you cannot apply for as a first license are the large bus, heavy tractor-trailer, medium bus and light trailer. These can be added later.
Adding a class to your license
If you already hold a license, you can add a class. The general rule: you must not have reached 12 points in the current scoring cycle or the previous one. Some additions also need experience:
| To add | You need |
|---|---|
| Light trailer | Held a small car or small automatic car class for 1 year or more |
| Medium bus | Held a city bus, large truck, small car, small automatic car, low-speed or three-wheeled class for 2 years or more, and no 12-point record in the last two cycles |
| Heavy tractor-trailer | Held medium bus or large truck for 2 years or more (or large bus for 1 year), and no 12-point record in the last two cycles |
| Large bus | Held city bus or medium bus for 2 years, or large truck for 3 years, or heavy tractor-trailer for 1 year, and no 12-point record in the last three cycles |
Changing from a small automatic car to a small manual car (C2 to C1) needs Subject 2 and Subject 3 only. Adding a light trailer needs Subject 2 and the Subject 3 safe-driving knowledge part.
Age limits
Class and age limits are in age and health requirements.
Temporary permits and rental cars
A temporary driving permit for a rented Chinese car covers only small cars (C1) and small automatic cars (C2). See renting a car in China.