How to get a Chinese Motorcycle License

**jaywidz** · 07-05-2013, 03:04 AM

Originally Posted by euphonius

It's not a rumor. It's a fact that's been documented in MCM, probably in this thread. Xian and Wuhan are on that list.

But that's a different issue. Check out the posts earlier in this thread from a member in Shandong who applied for a C1D but was issued a C1 because a clerk unilaterally assumed that the foreigner had made mistake by appying for a motorcycle endorsement -- "surely no foreigner would wittingly ride a motorcycle in China! It's unsafe!" -- and amended his application to C1 without asking him. Took him months to get it corrected through an appeal process, though I think he finally prevailed. Details anyone?

Jaywidz, if you are in the same position -- applied for a C1D or C1E but were given a C1 -- you might want to explore an appeal.

cheers

I need a valid foreign motorcycle license in order to get C1E and since my license expired and have not got a chance to get it renew yet, I am trying my luck with just C1 for now. Hopefully by the time I have foreign license renew I can get it convert to C1E easily.

**euphonius** · 07-05-2013, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by jaywidz

I need a valid foreign motorcycle license in order to get C1E and since my license expired and have not got a chance to get it renew yet, I am trying my luck with just C1 for now. Hopefully by the time I have foreign license renew I can get it convert to C1E easily.

Sorry, jaywidz, but someone has misinformed you. There are plenty of foreigners who arrive in China without a home-country motorcycle license and get one here -- a C1E or a C1D or in rare occasions just an E or D. There are examples of all of these, some quite recent, in this very thread.

It is LESS HASSLE if you have a license from your own country, as you can avoid the road training and road test portion of the licensing process. But that process is fully open to foreigners in most cities, as long as you don't run into some halfwit clerk who takes it upon themselves to make decisions for you about what class of license to have.

Where did you get the idea that you can't get a motorcycle license in China without having a valid own-country license. This is not true. Please stop repeating it!

As for "trying your luck" in the meantime, if you mean riding a motorcycle with just a C1 license, especially in a heavily policed city like Beijing, luck will do you little good if you are caught. If you've read Lao Jia Hou's crackdown thread, you'll realize that they are looking precisely for scofflaws who choose to "try their luck" without being legal.

cheers
euphonius

**ywaik** · 07-16-2013, 09:17 AM

Called my local traffic ploice DMV and got the usual run around (no test here call Beijing. Beijing says call your local government). But I do remember when I was going to take the test they were setting me up on a D not sure what that means other than I could've driven a three wheeled bike.

**SabineHartmann** · 07-16-2013, 10:11 AM

The C1D is the "highest" motorbike licence you can get. Find a good dealer or friend in your town, who will help you through the process. Alone you will not manage it. (Or not easy manage it) I upgraded my license from C1F to C1D last weeks. I was allowed to skip the school and only make the 2 theoretical tests at the police station and passed with 100% the riding test with my sidecar. Its not a big deal

**euphonius** · 07-17-2013, 12:33 AM

Sabine is correct that the C1D is the most comprehensive motorcycle license, as it licenses you to drive a passenger car (C1) and any two- or three-wheel motorcycle, including sidecars. However, I've read at least one post in MCM from someone who had license that was just a D rather than a C1D. This D only license was good only for two- and three-wheel motorcycles, and did not permit driving of a car.

Precision is important, even in China. Nay, especially in China!

Anyway, all of these issues are covered numerous times in this Getting a License thread, so please take the time to give it a thorough read. It includes lots of information about the changes in licensing implemented nationwide at the beginning of 2013.

cheers
euphonius

**prince666** · 07-17-2013, 11:56 AM

Hi jaywidz and all

Just a update to what happen today ... I try and help people with all the paperwork involved in getting a chinese DL bike or just car. To make sure all is in order, now what i am going to say only applies to UK DL holders .This guy needed a C1E but only had class B on his UK DL for bikes its A or A1 for Uk DL holders, but if you passed a car test (B) before 1st February 2001 you do not need to take training before riding a moped on the road this is shown on your UK DL as category (P)

Mopeds with an engine size of up
to 50cc and a maximum speed of
up to 50km/h.

So with this in mind when we went to the translation office to get the UK DL translated in to chineses i took copy of the DVLA imformation on driving licences on a USB stick you could print it out and take a hard copy but i went down the line with a stick !

down load here
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_067673.pdf

Go to the desk and ask the lady could you translate this UK DL and we need a C1E please ??? The lady looked at the DL and said no car only ... no sorry but it has category P as well . What is category "P" she asked i gave her the stick and asked to open the file to read what category P covers ...

comes back with the chineses translated paperwork to shown car/bike C1E .
Happy days ... i ask was all ok and she said could not open stick???

Now the point i am saying is catergory "p" covers you to ride a 50cc bike back in the UK but it still a bike as far i am concerned and does chinese law on a C1E
states at what CC it becomes a bike coverd under catergory C1E ?

It worked for me and my friend today took it to the police to check said all ok so booked the theory test for C1E with no bike DL for the UK

Maybe we was lucky

**SabineHartmann** · 07-17-2013, 12:26 PM

There is something else to think about.
Here in Suzhou, you only can register a bike in your name, if you have a C1D. Another rule is: 1 Person = 1 Bike registered in your name

**prince666** · 07-17-2013, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by SabineHartmann

There is something else to think about.
Here in Suzhou, you only can register a bike in your name, if you have a C1D. Another rule is: 1 Person = 1 Bike registered in your name

Hi Sabinel

why can you only register a bike in you name if you have C1D why cant you do it with a C1E which is CAR/BIKE , would love to have more then one bike heheh

And i have a bike with a plate and at the time no DL in china and the wife who the bike is in her name ...has no DL for a bike ...

**SabineHartmann** · 07-17-2013, 01:21 PM

I simply repeat what I have learned the last 2 weeks. As always in China, rules/laws can change from city to city. Here, in Suzhou, you cannot register a bike without a DL, and you need a C1D to register a bike. My new love is the BMW G650GS and I needed my DL upgraded to C1D. The C1E was not enough. No chance with a simple C1

And i have a bike with a plate and at the time no DL in china and the wife who the bike is in her name ...has no DL for a bike ...

Lucky you! This is still the advantage to live in a remote place

**braillce** · 07-19-2013, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by braillce

[...]What brings me here is I lost mine this morning, along with my scooter's papers... Shame.

Anyone knows where to go to make new ones?

For the license, 1330 Hami rd, or to the traffic center where I was delivered the license?

[...]

I'll reply myself...

Yes, braillce, even tho u passed ur license in Xinzhuang, you can renew your lost driving license at 1330 Hami rd (hongqiao district) traffic center, it'll take about 2 hours, u need ur Temporary residence registration paper, and passport, and photocopies of all this plus of ur visa. Will cost about 12 RMB unless u find the process too crazy and ask for help to a local guy waiting here for u to do just that for 100RMB...

Originally Posted by prince666

Hi jaywidz and all

[...]This guy needed a C1E but only had class B on his UK DL for bikes its A or A1 for Uk DL holders, but if you passed a car test (B) before 1st February 2001 you do not need to take training before riding a moped on the road this is shown on your UK DL as category (P) [...]
Maybe we was lucky

Nothing lucky here.

Same in France, u get A1 license for 125cc maximum after 2 years of car driving license, if over 21 yo, and after passing a 7 hours training since 1st January 2011, if u got 2 years of drving license before this no need to do the training, also exempt of training are a few other people under weird conditions.

This is to what I owe to be able to ride in China...

Peace