How to get a Chinese Motorcycle License

**fahni** · 06-27-2011, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by ZMC888

Getting a Chinese Motorcycle License

2. You have a tourist, business, or other non-residential type of visa, and you do not have a motorcycle license from another country; in this case you cannot get a Chinese motorcycle license or temporary license.

Well for all who are not sure if they can get a drivers licence without a residence visa : I am in Beijing on a 6 month F visa and do not have a motorcycle drivers licence from another country. I enrolled at Laoshan last weekend, scheduled my written test today and so far nobody had any objections. So it seems like this can be done. Will of course let the thread know if any problems arise...

**felix** · 06-27-2011, 02:35 PM

Hi Fanhi, please do keep us posted! If you succeed then that will go against what we all thought on this forum! Best of luck!

**euphonius** · 06-27-2011, 02:36 PM

I'll be burning some incense and beating my drum for you. Hoping for more smooth sailing.

Keep us posted.

**robtho** · 06-27-2011, 07:07 PM

I will also be keen to see how you get on with this. I've been in touch with a friend in Yiwu city and he has made enquiries on my behalf and has said that as long as I take lessons that getting a licence should be no problem regardless of visa status.
However the proof of this is will be in the testing.

**Lao Jia Hou** · 06-28-2011, 12:00 AM

To acquire a Chinese DL, your visa has to be >90 days. Registering a bike in your name requires >180 day visa.

It does not matter what type of visa you have - only the duration is important.

And, on any type of visa you also need to have the residence registration. If you have a "Z" entry visa (commonly called the working visa), or a student visa ("X"), the residency registration is likely stamped inside your passport. All other visa types (e.g. "L" and "F") require the small white piece of paper entitled "Registration Form of Temporary Residence" acquired from the local police station.

**fahni** · 06-28-2011, 08:18 AM

Hi there,

I think some confusion stems from the wording on the BJ Transport Management website which states something along the lines that a "residency visa valid more than 90 days" is necessary. According to my understanding only Z,X and the marriage visa are technically residency visa. When I saw the regulations on the website, I almost scraped my plans to register for DL.

Anyway, as I said: so far it seems possible to do it and LJH as one of the authorities on everything Moto in BJ seems also pretty sure.

**Lao Jia Hou** · 06-28-2011, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by fahni

Hi there,

I think some confusion stems from the wording on the BJ Transport Management website which states something along the lines that a "residency visa valid more than 90 days" is necessary. According to my understanding only Z,X and the marriage visa are technically residency visa. When I saw the regulations on the website, I almost scraped my plans to register for DL.

Anyway, as I said: so far it seems possible to do it and LJH as one of the authorities on everything Moto in BJ seems also pretty sure.

Haha - thanks for the compliment (if intended), but I am definitely NOT an authority. I've often contradicted myself because I've discovered that what I believed to be the truth was, in fact, not true. Nevertheless, I keep scratching at the TMB surface, hoping the truth surfaces somewhere.

I received my DL a long time ago on an "F" (lecturing / business), and similarly registered a few cars & several bikes on an "F". I've never had a "Z" or "X", nor have many of my licensed riding friends. I learned that the only "rule" is duration of visa.

People say that the "Z" or "X" is a residency visa but, in fact, it is the exact same as a longer-term "L" or "F" as far as "temporary residency" is concerned. In the old days, a multi-year "F" was available and that was considered the great grand-daddy of visas. But I digress.

All said, the ultimate authority is ALWAYS the person behind the counter on the day you visit the TMB. That's why most China-seasoned people recommend using agents - they have established relationships, and know the ins/outs of how everything works.

Kudos to you for making the effort and getting legal - hope to see you at the bike show this weekend.

**fahni** · 06-29-2011, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Haha - thanks for the compliment (if intended), but I am definitely NOT an authority. I've often contradicted myself because I've discovered that what I believed to be the truth was, in fact, not true. Nevertheless, I keep scratching at the TMB surface, hoping the truth surfaces somewhere.

Kudos to you for making the effort and getting legal - hope to see you at the bike show this weekend.

More an acknowledgment than a compliment...

Would be interested in getting in touch with one of these agents for plating my bike!

Will be at EICMA on Sat and will look out for a guy dressed in black leather riding gear :) Seriously, if you already know that you will be there on Sat, PM me and let's meet up...

**corporal_clegg** · 06-29-2011, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by fahni

Would be interested in getting in touch with one of these agents for plating my bike!

Likewise for me, if anyone knows one in SH, I'm starting to have my doubts on the abilities of the guy I'm buying my bike off. He has givin me a one month wait time to get my bike plated.

He said 现在国三标准的摩托车要到七月份才能上牌，你的情况可以上，在等等。 Dunno if anyone can shed some light onto the credibility of this. I know other shops can 上牌 me in 10 days if I buy their bikes.

**ZMC888** · 06-29-2011, 03:44 AM

Originally Posted by fahini

Well for all who are not sure if they can get a drivers licence without a residence visa : I am in Beijing on a 6 month F visa and do not have a motorcycle drivers licence from another country. I enrolled at Laoshan last weekend, scheduled my written test today and so far nobody had any objections. So it seems like this can be done. Will of course let the thread know if any problems arise...

Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

To acquire a Chinese DL, your visa has to be >90 days. Registering a bike in your name requires >180 day visa.

If this is correct that's cool, most of the information on this sticky was gained as a collective effort between what could be ascertained between Chinabiker, myself and many others trying to read or translate the Chinese, I posted the information because the same question was being asked again and again. I hope you are right! Will update the sticky if the information is incorrect.