Printable View
Does anyone know how to get an international drivers licence, from a Chinese licence? Because i don't think you can use one abroad without translation.
I heard you can have a translation in a specific language, but an international one is usually in multiple.
This is an excerpt from Wikitravel:
"You cannot drive with an International Driver's Permit (IDP) in mainland China; China has not signed the convention which created IDPs. You need a Chinese license to drive in China. (Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan issued licenses are not considered Chinese licenses.)"
This probably implies the reverse of getting an IDP from a Chinese license is not offered anywhere.
That said, I did use my Chinese Driver's license to rent a car in the States once. I forgot to bring my US drivers license on my way back to my home in the States but needed to take care of some business in California during the stopover. My Chinese drivers license without translation was accepted by the rental company. However I am not sure how the cops would handle this foreign license as I did not get the chance to find out. :naughty:
Cheers!
Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
Can i ask what country abroad are you thinking of using your chinese DL
My wife is Chinese and she uses here Chinese license in Texas, USA no problem. My insurance company took it when I put her on it as a driver. We have had zero issues using it just as I use my Texas license in every country I have been in except China. Of course I have never tried to drive in North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, or anyplace in Africa so this is my caveat.
Ch!na is not a signatory to 1968 Vienna convention so consequently Ch!na does not have the ability to provide international driving permits (IDP). Many more countries today recognise mainland Ch!na issued drivers license, though they shouldn't, given the widespread fraudulent activities concerning the same (fakes, those issued through guanxigang etc). More over even those obtained through legal means, a safe or competent driver it does not make... take a look around...
Aside from which if China does not recognise and allow the DIRECT use of legally obtained drivers license from an overseas jurisdiction for short term use (as provided by most overseas jurisdictions), then the same courtesy should be afforded the Ch!nese.
Tit for tat...
All that aside, there are online sales of IDP's that a friend used for something like US$25 plus postage, and he was sent a plastic IDP tied into his Ch!nese D/L with a period of 'validity' of 5 years. Ironically many jurisdictions issue IDP's valid for 12 months and are a small booklet containing several pages, a photo of the holder, and is slightly larger than a passport. And of note, a IDP does not equal a D/L as some people assume.
Hi Centralmoto
Like all of us here from abroad find driving in China challenging! your biggest challenge when driving abroad we be YOU ... There are very big difference in driving er,um manners yes thats the best word .....
well good luck
I think it depends on the country you are intending to use your Chinese driving license. For Austria and Germany I got the following official information.Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
A non EU, non Vienna 1968 treaty member country (e.g. China) driving license is valid for people without residence in the EU for temporary visits of up to 183 days. An IPD or a notarized translation to German as well as a temporary residence card in the EU has to be carried along with the DL. Presumably, but not confirmed, this is valid within all EU member countries + Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
Got a hint from the German authorities: To avoid translations to multiple languages (costly and time consuming), have the Chinese DL translated to English by an official translation office, notarized and authorized by the embassy of Great Britain or Ireland.
Holders of DLs from Andorra, Hongkong, Monaco, Newzealand, San Marino, Switzerland and Senegal do not need to carry translations or IDPs.
Staying over 183 days in the EU requires EU residence and in that case the national DLs are valid (as above) for 183 days and have then to be transferred into an EU DL in the country of residence.
To my knowledge, there is no organization in China to issue IDPs.
I'm from the EU, i have no big interest in driving a motorcycle there or in other western countries.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
I have a Chinese licence, i like driving in China but would also like to do some side trips to the neighbour countries. Especially Russia & some of the Stan countries.
Should be OK but getting out and in with your car/motorcycle might be a different story.Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
Go on line. There are american companies who will give you an international driving license. They are valid now for three years. In fact many countries do not need chinese licenses to be accompanied by an international driving license but hell. for the sake of a few dollars it's worthwhile.
Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
I just transferred my China license to a ten year Hong Kong license with classification: "1-car, 3-motorcycle & 22-motor tricycle". cost: HK$900
Time: 3/4 mths - slow response from the ML license authorities to verify the validity of my China license.
Required: postal address in HK, a passport (or HK ID card) and a residential address if different from your HK postal address.
Once you get it, you can get the IDP for HK$80
That's great! What did they do with your Chinese licence? They take it or you have 2 licenses now?
What about the postaddress, i think everyone can rent a mailbox in HK.
NO HK ID card = NO IDP http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/com...1(2012.08).pdfQuote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
-
Philippines is a "great country" to get IDP & DL done.
http://bbs.qoos.com/viewthread.php?t...=1#pid63530233
http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/t...convention.pdf
I know a few mainland Chinese friends studying in England, converted there's to a HK drivers license then subsequently to a UK drivers license and he's from Shanghai so wouldn't own a HK ID card at all think a agency did it for him but now there is a bigger crackdown on this as there have been allot of people doing this whilst having no right hand drive experience and driving in the UK leading to accidents.
Kennon
I just rode to Mongolia with only a Chinese license. Rode across the entire country (including Ulaanbattar) and wasn't once asked to see my license, including while crossing the border on my motorcycle. I imagine the stan countries are similar, although the international license is probably the best bet for avoiding any potential issues.Quote:
I'm from the EU, i have no big interest in driving a motorcycle there or in other western countries.
I have a Chinese licence, i like driving in China but would also like to do some side trips to the neighbour countries. Especially Russia & some of the Stan countries.
Got two now, i'm not sure that a PO box would work, i used a colleagues address..Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
cool, was it easy to get your bike accross the border? Did you use the ATA carnet?Quote:
Originally Posted by HarbinSteve
I see, well i also guess it's only an option if you live very close to Hong Kong, like Shenzhen, so if you need to show up, don't need to travel 2000 km.Quote:
Originally Posted by Noel
for sure, i live here in Shenzhen and got my bike in Huizhou. i only got the HK license for those times i'm out of China and wish to rent a bike for a few days...Quote:
Originally Posted by centralmoto
I did not use a carnet. It was a real clusterfu#^. When I asked at the border, there was talk of needing a 通行证, but they told me I didn't need anything except my Chinese registration to get back in. This was at a really small border crossing, and they must not have had many people crossing with vehicles. Anyhow, getting back into China was a huge mess/wast of time. So, if you are planning to cross borders, get some sort of international carnet. From what I've hear, China doesn't really do those. But who knows, anythings possible.Quote:
cool, was it easy to get your bike accross the border? Did you use the ATA carnet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarbinSteve
ATA chinese carnet link : http://www.atachina.org/
You would need a "carnet de passage" for a motor vehicle, which is different from an ATA carnet.Quote:
Originally Posted by prince666
Carnet de passage neither issued nor accepted in China.
You can use a Chinese Lic to drive or ride in Australia...though a Chinese bike Lic if translated correctly would have a capacity limit due to the size bikes limited in China...China was the only country to not sign the International Permit agreement back in the 50's I believe ..weird as it is ..I am a motorcycle Trainer and Testing Officer here yet cannot legally ride in China when I travel every couple of years..and an International permit is merely a translation of your current Lic into the language you are visiting !
Guys, hope someone knows/can clarify: I have a chinese driving license and planning to ride across US this autumn. What steps do I need to make to get an IDL or IDP? Do I need one?
Thanks!
The question you need to ask yourself ,can you get a IDL or a IDP from with in China!! from what I can read these are not available !! So I would think a Chinese DL is ok to use in the USA . What I can say for sure it's ok to drive all over the EU ,Thailand and Loas , I hope this clears up a few pointsQuote:
Originally Posted by Bakas
Have a good day
Mixed stuff on the net. Some people say you need to translate your chinese DL into english and you good to go, some say if your chinese DL has some english writing on it ( mine does, but for example, class C1E in other parts of the world allows you to drive a truck up to 7,5 tons and my chinese DL is for car + bike) you are good to go. I guess its gonna be just nailing it without having all documents clean, just like I did Kunming - Chengdu and across India. Let me know if anyone has more recent info/experience with this.
A Chinese license should not count for the slightest thing outside China. The Chinese license is corrupt from top to bottom on every level. The same goes for India and many other countries. This corruption means that drivers with those licenses cannot be trusted to drive safely on roads with decent driving standards. The fact that Chinese driving licenses are accepted by other countries to use to drive for various periods of time from 3 months up to a year in other countries or converted to another national license is a huge oversight by these countries, hopefully over time these loopholes can be closed or these corrupt developing countries increase their driving standards and issue and accept IDPs.
True that, but my only concern is how will cops on the other side of the pond react to chinese DL.
If the Country is ok with a IDP and you have a translation of it stamped by an Interpreter ...all should be good..
..
Ditto... +1Quote:
Originally Posted by ZMC888
:thumbsup: