Getting a license in Harbin

I haven't been able to find much info about Harbin here, so I thought I would contribute my experience.


If I was just going to be riding in the city, I wouldn't bother getting a license since they don't really care here. But since I am planning to ride to Xinjiang, I want to get all of the legal stuff as covered as possible, since you never know if the cop at the roadblock is going to smile and let you continue, or use any possible excuse to take your bike.

After doing as much research as I could, (which usually turns out to be useless) I got all of the necessary documents taken care of, pictures taken and translated.

I have a 1 year residence permit, and a valid American (Arizona) drivers license so technically this process should be doable. I'm not holding my breath though.

1.Translated American license-100RMB
2.Translated Passport-100Rmb
3.Took Photos-10RMB
4.Got proof of residence from police station-Free
5.Made several photocopies of each-3RMB

Today I went to the drivers license testing center, which is conveniently located far outside the city, and started the process.

6.Taxi ride-30rmb

After waiting a while, I was able to talk to the man working behind the desk. I had heard from other foreigners who had their licenses transferred that this guy was a dick. They were right. After staring at my license for a long time, he told me it was fake, because a. It was vertical format and the picture on his computer of an AZ license was horizontal, and b. The expiration date was too long and he did not believe it. (it expires in 2054,AZ licenses are valid for a long time)

After that, he told me that the translation of my License and passport did not have my chinese name, and thus I could not get a Chinese license. I had an official document from the police station that had my both my real name and Chinese name, but he said that did not matter and my license and passport must also have it. I asked him if my American license and passport do not have my Chinese name, than how could the translation possibly have it? He told me it didn't matter, they must have a Chinese name.

After that he told me to leave and fix the translation, then ignored me. So I never found out if they have an English test or not. Since its Harbin I assume they don't. He also didn't answer when I asked if there was anything else I need to fix before next time. So he's probably waiting for me to come back so he can find something else wrong and send me away again.

7. Taxi ride home empty handed-40RMB (the license place is in the middle of nowhere and taxi's don't usually go there, so the ones that are there know you have no other option, and take the opportunity gouge anyone who needs a ride)


So far: 283RMB, lots of hours, and no progress.

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

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If I was just going to be riding in the city, I wouldn't bother getting a license since they don't really care here.

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Stop right there. They will care very much the minute you are in an accident, and you will care even more if you have no license because the odds are now very good that you will go directly to jail. I'm not making this up.

(snip)

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

After waiting a while, I was able to talk to the man working behind the desk. I had heard from other foreigners who had their licenses transferred that this guy was a dick. They were right. After staring at my license for a long time, he told me it was fake, because a. It was vertical format and the picture on his computer of an AZ license was horizontal, and b. The expiration date was too long and he did not believe it. (it expires in 2054,AZ licenses are valid for a long time)

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To be honest, I wouldn't have believed that either. Wow.

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

After that, he told me that the translation of my License and passport did not have my chinese name, and thus I could not get a Chinese license. I had an official document from the police station that had my both my real name and Chinese name, but he said that did not matter and my license and passport must also have it. I asked him if my American license and passport do not have my Chinese name, than how could the translation possibly have it? He told me it didn't matter, they must have a Chinese name.

After that he told me to leave and fix the translation, then ignored me. So I never found out if they have an English test or not. Since its Harbin I assume they don't. He also didn't answer when I asked if there was anything else I need to fix before next time. So he's probably waiting for me to come back so he can find something else wrong and send me away again.

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Yes, this guy is a dick. An epic dick.

But China's Vehicle Management Bureaus are standardizing nationwide, and I'd take decent odds that they do have the computerized testing system offering multiple languages, including English. Your problem is that you are in China, in a system designed for Chinese, but not Chinese yourself. Why isn't your passport in Chinese? It's no excuse that you are American. Your challenge, then, as everywhere in China, is to to muster up official documentation that links your American name and passport number to your Chinese name, assuming you have one. Once you have a document that shows a Chinese name that is clearly and officially associated with your American name and passport number, you'll be able to proceed.

I'd suggest you go back to your police station, where you register your residential address, and be friendly, and offer cigarets and tell some funny stories, and make them laugh, then ask them for a Temporary Residence Registration form that includes both your American name and passport and residence permit details, along with your Chinese name. There's a space on the form for this; all they have to do is key it in. Then they print it out, put a little red police chop on it, and you are good to go. Then go back to the translation place, ask for a new translation of your driver's license, and make sure that you show the police document and insist that the translation "translates" your American name as whatever your Chinese name is. Then of course a nice red chop on that. So you'll have two documents that show that Steve Roundeye is precisely the same person as 张圆眼 or whatever your Chinese name is.

Then go find Epic Dick and bring him some ciggies and tell some jokes about how fun it was going to all the trouble, then get on with your license.

Harbin does not sound like the most enlightened locale in China.

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

So far: 283RMB, lots of hours, and no progress.

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Actually, that's not bad at all. You could be in Shanghai, where a license is similarly cheap, but a license plate costs north of 70k rmb.

Hang tough!

I made sure to include my Chinese name 王肥 on my residence registration at the police station, because I knew I would need it, but I didn't expect to need it on my license translation. Its interesting how an official document signed and stamped from the police is not enough proof for them. But then again, I am in China. Next time I'll go to a notary and get them to sign a paper that has both my English and Chinese names. Then I'll get the translation place to add it to my passport and license, and then I'll go back to my friend at the DMV with four different things including both my Chinese name, some cigarettes and jokes, and see what the next problem he can find to send me away for is.

I have a feeling he might still tell me my license is fake, in which case I'll be screwed, because its real, and I can't to anything to change the expiration date. If after one or two times he still doesn't let me through, I'll have to go to a different city to get the license (if thats even possible) or just give up.

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Actually, that's not bad at all. You could be in Shanghai, where a license is similarly cheap, but a license plate costs north of 70k rmb.

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The plate is a whole different pain in the butt in Harbin. They don't give plates anymore here, since bikes are technically banned. I've talked to a lot of people and they all say there is no chance. They all have fake plates or bikes that were registered before the ban. If I can't make a sketchy deal with a cop to help me get a real plate, I'll have to try to get it registered in the name of a friend from a different city.

I think it will boil down to cigs, jokes, and lots perseverance and luck to get any of this done.

sounds like" welcome to my world" here's my experience http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...se-in-XinjiangShanghi and Beijing are far different to NW/north China they all live in a sheltered workshop.

Trust me this guy is a dick but a dick with power,power to say yes or no to you getting a license.

A packet of smokes and some jokes aren't even come close to this guy giving you a license.

If you don't have a license from your home country you just have to do the practical part of the test as well as the written test

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Originally Posted by zhu

If you don't have a license from your home country you just have to do the practical part of the test as well as the written test

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Zhu makes a good point. If they don't accept your Arizona license, you do still have the option of saying, OK, let's start a Chinese license from scratch. You'll have to schedule a practical test with all the other newbie drivers/riders. It's just time and hassle and a bit of expense.

cheers

as euphonius says a time and hassle yes but you dont need to do the "training" course
you can just rock up and do the test
which involes riding around a few cones and stopping in front of the examiner without running over his feet

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If you don't have a license from your home country you just have to do the practical part of the test as well as the written test

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Thats true. Reassuring to know its not a huge roadblock if I can't get the angry man at the DMV to believe it is real. Taking the riding test has got to be easier than proving my license is valid if this guy doesn't like the one I have.

In the last few days I've talked to several other foreigners who have had their licenses transferred at the same location. The guy who is responsible for the transfer is legendary here. I've talked to 3 people and none of them have been able to get the guys approval of their paperwork in less than three trips. I guess this guy likes sending foreigners all over the city. If he doesn't like the papers you hand him he just tosses them on the counter then ignores you.

I'm off the the translator to revise my papers, then to a notary, then hopefully tomorrow will be take two at the DMV.

Yesterday I went back to the translator (who was awesome and super helpful) and got my chinese name put on my license translation. I was going to go to a notary to put my Chinese and English names on paper and get an official stamp, but when I found out that it would cost 300rmb I decided to skip that.

I got lucky today and the guy was in a much better mood. Still not the most pleasant to deal with, but after looking at the new transition (and probably him realizing I would be coming back every day until he let me pass) he asked another guys opinion and accepted my papers. He still had an issue with the license, because It didn't specify if it was for cars or two or three wheeled motorcycles, but I told him I didn't care about anything beside two wheeled motorcycles and he said ok and let me pass on to the next stage, the theory test. I was extremely surprised to only have to go to this guy twice, as everybody else I had talked to went at least 3 times. I beat the record! haha.

Harbin has no English test, and when I asked them if they did they laughed. I don't think many foreigners have tried get a motorcycle license here... So now the next big hurdle is finding somebody who can take the test, aka "translate" for me. There are tons of students I know who could take the car test for me, but I think the motorcycle test has some different questions too, right?

They told me I could take the test next Tuesday. They did not say a time, so I'm not sure what they mean by it, but I'll show up next Tuesday and see.

Today:
Taxi-39RMB
Getting some paper stamped-10RMB
Getting some other paper stamped-100RMB
Taxi-37RMB

Total:469RMB, 6 days, one step down and one to go.

Satisfaction is always greater when the path is strewn with obstacles, as with your Epic Dick up there.

Harbin should be using a standard universe of questions, about 1,500 in all, I think, and these thankfully all derive from the national traffic law, not the myriad tinpot fiefdom laws that, in the most egregious examples, contradict the national laws that explicitly permit motorcycles on expressways (albeit without pillion and limited to 90kph and no high-heel shoes permitted and hands must never leave the controls...).

The questions are available online, in bilingual format, and the links for these are buried somewhere in MCM. Google or Baidu might be faster.

It's definitely worth going through the questions once or twice in advance of the test, unless you are planning to wuss out entirely and let your "translator" proffer all the answers. There are some questions that defy logic, but thankfully 99% of questions do have answers that make unambiguous sense. But with a universe of 1500 questions, that still means 15 that can throw you for a loop, and you need to score 90 points or higher out of 100. You'll improve your odds by going through the questions, and you'll also learn all kinds of interesting things about the traffic law, like the high-heel shoe rule, referenced above, and how tall your cargo can rise (2m) and how far it can protrude from the front, back or side of your bike (15cm front and back, unless I misremember; no recollection of the side limit).

To be safe, you'll want your "translator" to be a highly bilingual motorcyclist with a legal license, procured in a legal manner (i.e., via test). Needless to say, most motorcyclists in China have neither a license, nor an accurate knowledge of the national motor vehicle laws.

I got only 89 on my first try, then hit 92 on my second. I think your payment gets you three tries before you have to pay again.

Good luck on Tuesday!

good news that you went along with it, and great you have first obstacle removed.

Be careful at this stage.They should have given you a specific time when this computer test is held in my case three set times a day on certain days.The first time they gave me a time to do the test funny enough no one was there and they said "today's testing had been cancelled come back next week"

Be careful if they provide "an official translator" You have the right to choose your own translator but in my case when I turned up with my translator they refused her and said I had to use their translator who spoke basic English at best and at one stage we were arguing over the answers.He the translator made me fail the test and he was a cop.

They know well in my case they knew there was an English version of the test they just didn't want the hassle of a foreigner riding driving on the roads and the problems if said foreigners had/caused an accident.

Easier if foreigner rides illegally then foreigner can be blamed if there is an accident whether their in the right or wrong.At least where I live.

Good luck harbinsteve it can be done I know one guy who plugged away at them for 18months before he got his license here.

Knowing what I now know I would have gone about getting my license a different but more costly way.

"The greatest pleasure in life :goodtime:is doing what people say you cannot do." :deal:--Walter Bagehot :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by bigdamo

Be careful if they provide "an official translator" You have the right to choose your own translator but in my case when I turned up with my translator they refused her and said I had to use their translator who spoke basic English at best and at one stage we were arguing over the answers.He the translator made me fail the test and he was a cop.

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Aweful experience, but deadly effetive against 'stubborn' man.

My city is far smaller and less important than Harbin, yet many foreigners have gotten licences here. It seems Harbin people would much rather foreigners not get Chinese driving licenses.

What kind of bike can you ride up in Harbin anyway? Isn't it frozen over for 9 months a year? I've been up there once and I remember taxi drivers drift more than drive.

No seriously, show us your gear and steed.. shame if you can't get your license in this summer.

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Be careful at this stage.They should have given you a specific time when this computer test is held in my case three set times a day on certain days

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Yeah, I asked the guy for clarification about that and he just ignored me. Nobody else I asked seemed to know. The dest in a different building, so I think they just didn't care, since it wasn't their responsibility.

As for the translator, I decided to take advantage of Chinese students' talent of being able to memorize thousands of multiple choice questions for tests, and hired a student from a nearby university to "translate" for me. According to the internet, since I am only doing the D license, and not the one for cars also, the test pool should have 420 questions. (as of May 2012)

So, If I am lucky, when I show up on Tuesday I will have a chance to take the test, and hopefully pass. If not, at least I will be able to gather some information for the next time.

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No seriously, show us your gear and steed.. shame if you can't get your license in this summer.

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Here is the first "bike" I had in Harbin:
Attachment 7689
It is a 2 stroke. I liked that one cause it was bulletproof. Just pedal to start, pop the clutch and it would fire right up. -30 outside, no problem. Sit for a month without riding it, no problem.

But, it was kinda slow and couldn't carry any friends, so I upgraded:
Attachment 7690
Its decent. Gets great mileage, can carry one or two extra people, and handles ok in the snow. I have to kick start it in the winter, and every single piece of hardware is a different size, but overall its good. I've been riding that for the last 7 or so months.

For the trip I'm planning to the west, I plan to get a 150-250, maybe endure-style. I wan't something with a big gas tank and most mechanics are familiar with/parts easy to get. If anybody has any suggestions, please let me know.

As for the winter in harbin, here are a few:
Brake pedal:
Attachment 7691
A tree:
Attachment 7692
Snow: (pulled over while riding to take this one)
Attachment 7693
Not a good pic, but the only one I have of the winter riding clothes:
Attachment 7694
The key is to have no skin exposed.

All in all, I figure as long as a 40 year old woman can sit outside and sell newspapers or sweep the street for 10 hours in that kind of weather, I have no excuse not to ride my motorcycle.

Sooooo...

In very Chinese fashion, the information I had been told about the test (aka, there was no English test, and that I would have to bring a translator to take it in Chinese) was completely opposite of what it really was. I arrived with my translator, and they told me she could not enter. Then they said of course they had an English version, and I would take the test in English. My translator just looked at each other and shrugged, there was nothing we could do, and I had wasted her time bringing her there. So I took the test (without having studied, because I thought it was going to be in Chinese) and got an 84. They told me I have to wait one week before I can try again. There was a few "English" questions that I could not understand. One of my favorites was asking about the steering wheel of the motorcycle. haha.

At least I've learned 2 valuable things: Harbin has an English test, and the class "d" motorcycle test only has 50 questions out of a pool of 420 total.

Also, they said they do not have a book of the English test questions, and I would have to find them online. I'm not having any luck.Does anybody have a link to the English motorcycle questions? The only one I can find also has the car questions, which I do not need.

Taxi there-27
Taxi back-30

Total: 556 RMB, 13-ish days.

At least your making head way.

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

All in all, I figure as long as a 40 year old woman can sit outside and sell newspapers or sweep the street for 10 hours in that kind of weather, I have no excuse not to ride my motorcycle.

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40 year old woman or locals have been living in -25c winter weather probably all their life.I've seen locals here ride their bike/Ebike/motorcycle with no gloves no scarf light jacket no helmet in -25c doesn't seem to affect them.Me I'm getting frost bite after 30 minutes fully kitted up in proper winter clothes walking around.

Man you must be keen to ride when it gets that cold not to mention the snow and ice on the road.It scares me driving in a car in those conditions and I had snow tyres on the car.Drove a car in snow and ice here last winter with normal summer tyres never doing that again never.

One more step down. Passed the theory test. The last step (hopefully, but don't wanna count the chickens before they hatch) is to go back on Friday and pick up the license.

The internet system (which is connected to the computer testing) was flaking out there today, so it was pretty much a riot. Outside the testing room were hoards of people waiting to be let in. I waited about 2 hours, then I took the advice of a Chinese friend "见缝插针，They don't know what to do about foreigners, just walk in" I felt kind of bad about the people outside, but figured our karma was about even, after all the hassle I've been through. I walked in and after another 30 or so minutes of them restarting the computers over and over because of the net issues, I was able to start. The test was easy this time, now that I had actually prepared for the English exam (BIG thanks to Euphonius for sending the question bank) but 75% of the way through the computers froze. It wouldn't advance to the next question. All of the test takers started yelling at the overseer. I kept clicking and nothing happened. After 10 minutes of nothing, except a lot of angry test takers, it unfroze, but my clicking had somehow made it advance a few questions. Due to the weird computer issues, today nobody was able to change an answer they had input, so the four "d" s in a row I had input(2 of which were wrong) were not able to be changed, but luckily it all worked out in the end. I feel bad for the guys working in that office today, they were getting yelled at all day and didn't even have time for lunch because of all the computer issues.


Taxi there-25
Taxi back-23

Total: 604 RMB, 20-ish days.

Success! Got the license today. It was eerily too easy. I just walked in, they had a pleasant attitude, had no line to wait in, and picked it up and then left. I was there less than 5 minutes. I had to pinch myself to make sure it was reality. Much different than the 4 previous times I had been there.

Taxi there-25
License-10RMB
Taxi back-25

Grand total: 664 RMB (almost all spent on taxis) and about 4 weeks.

excellent news. congrats! now you're part of the way there. just got to find yourself some wheels, then the fun really begins!

Steve, thank you for all the info on here. I know this is an old post, I just started a new one regarding Harbin and then came across yours.

Can I just ask:
1) Do you know the address for the Foreign Affairs Office to get my licence translated or do I need to go to the Drivers Licence Testing Centre?
2) In terms of documents that I need translating is that my passport and UK licence?
3) After getting the documents translated do I go to the Public Security Bureau Traffic Department with: Passport & Translation (with both my English and Chinese name), Licence & Translation (with both my English and Chinese name), Residence Permit, Passport Photos, A load of photocopies of each?

I wonder if Epic Dick still works there......

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1) Do you know the address for the Foreign Affairs Office to get my licence translated or do I need to go to the Drivers Licence Testing Centre?
2) In terms of documents that I need translating is that my passport and UK licence?
3) After getting the documents translated do I go to the Public Security Bureau Traffic Department with: Passport & Translation (with both my English and Chinese name), Licence & Translation (with both my English and Chinese name), Residence Permit, Passport Photos, A load of photocopies of each?

I wonder if Epic Dick still works there......

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1. Any place that does translation can do it. Just make sure they have the official stamp thing. If its some student doing it out of their basement or something they won't accept it.
2. Its China so nothing is ever constant, but when I did it I translated my drivers license (front and back, make sure they translate the motorcycle endorsement or you'll be taking an extra trip to the translator) and my passport. When they translate the passport make sure they translate the name into Chinese as well. The drivers licence system can not handle English names.
3. In theory that should be all you need. They might come up with a load of extra bullshit for you though. Depends on who is working probably. I wouldn't be surprised if epic dick is still there, I think he's been working there for a long long time.

Good luck. Are you in Harbin at the moment?

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

1. Any place that does translation can do it. Just make sure they have the official stamp thing. If its some student doing it out of their basement or something they won't accept it.
2. Its China so nothing is ever constant, but when I did it I translated my drivers license (front and back, make sure they translate the motorcycle endorsement or you'll be taking an extra trip to the translator) and my passport. When they translate the passport make sure they translate the name into Chinese as well. The drivers licence system can not handle English names.
3. In theory that should be all you need. They might come up with a load of extra bullshit for you though. Depends on who is working probably. I wouldn't be surprised if epic dick is still there, I think he's been working there for a long long time.

Good luck. Are you in Harbin at the moment?

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I have a trip planned to the Foreign Affairs Office for my Residency Permit so I'll get them to do it while I am there.

I'm about 1 1/2 hours out of Harbin in a smaller town called Wuchang. I'll be making weekly trips into Harbin on my day off (Monday) if you are still around and have a spare hour or two to meet up that would be great.

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Originally Posted by HarbinSteve

1. Any place that does translation can do it. Just make sure they have the official stamp thing. If its some student doing it out of their basement or something they won't accept it.
2. Its China so nothing is ever constant, but when I did it I translated my drivers license (front and back, make sure they translate the motorcycle endorsement or you'll be taking an extra trip to the translator) and my passport. When they translate the passport make sure they translate the name into Chinese as well. The drivers licence system can not handle English names.
3. In theory that should be all you need. They might come up with a load of extra bullshit for you though. Depends on who is working probably. I wouldn't be surprised if epic dick is still there, I think he's been working there for a long long time.

Good luck. Are you in Harbin at the moment?

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I have a trip planned to the Foreign Affairs Office for my Residency Permit so I'll get them to do it while I am there.

I'm about 1 1/2 hours out of Harbin in a smaller town called Wuchang. I'll be making weekly trips into Harbin on my day off (Monday) if you are still around and have a spare hour or two to meet up that would be great.