Xinyi Driving Guide

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Probationary Driver Rules in China: The First 12 Months After You Get a License

Last verified against sources: . Rules change, so please confirm with your local vehicle administration office.

Every new Chinese driver has a 12-month probation period (实习期), starting the day the first license is issued. This applies to foreigners too if the Chinese license is their first car or motorcycle license in China. The rules below come from the Ministry of Public Security’s licensing provisions, effective 1 April 2022.

Does the probation period apply when I convert a foreign license? The provisions say probation starts after you first obtain a car-class or motorcycle-class license. Whether your office counts a converted license as a first license is a question to ask them, because our sources do not say.

Timeline of the 12 month probation period. New drivers must display a probation sign, may not tow trailers or drive certain vehicles, need an experienced driver beside them on expressways, and lose the class if they reach 12 points.
The 12-month probation period at a glance.

How the period works

The probation sign

While on probation, you must stick or hang the standard probation sign on the rear of the vehicle.

What you may not drive

During probation you may not drive:

You also may not tow a trailer.

The expressway rule

If you drive on an expressway during probation, you must be accompanied by a driver who has held the same class of license (or one that includes it) for at least three years. This is a major difference from what many foreigners expect.

For a small automatic car for people with disabilities, the accompanying driver may hold any small automatic car class or higher.

Driving in breach of the probation restrictions (the vehicle limits, the trailer ban and the expressway rule) is punishable by a fine of 20 to 200 yuan under the provisions.

What happens at 12 points during probation

If your violations during probation reach 12 points, the class you were on probation for is cancelled. You lose the qualification and would have to apply again. Compare this with an ordinary driver, who is held, studies and retests. See penalty points.

When probation ends

After 12 months the probation sign is no longer required and the extra restrictions end. The license itself is valid for six years from issue, with the 10-year and long-term renewals described in the validity guide.

Quick checklist for new drivers

Practice

The mock exam has questions on probation and penalty points in the “Licensing and penalties” topic.

Frequently asked questions

Does the probation period apply to foreigners? The rules apply to every driver who obtains a car-class or motorcycle-class license in China. Whether a converted foreign license counts as your “first” license is a question for your office, because the sources do not address it.

Can I remove the probation sign early? The sources say the sign must be displayed during the 12-month period. They do not describe a way to shorten it.

What does the sign look like? The provisions refer to a standard design set out in an attachment to the regulation. Ask the vehicle administration office where to get the correct sign.

What if I add a new class to my license while on probation? You start a new 12-month probation period for the new class. When driving the vehicle class you already held, the probation restrictions do not apply.

Can I drive a motorcycle on probation? Yes, but motorcycle classes have their own probation period and the same requirement to display the probation sign.

Does driving a rented car or a friend’s car change anything? No. The probation rules depend on you as the driver, not on who owns the vehicle. You must still follow the restrictions, including the expressway rule.

Sources

Our text is an original summary and translation. If it differs from the Chinese original, the original prevails. See the disclaimer.