How to get a Chinese Motorcycle License

**foxy88** · 05-17-2014, 12:56 AM

Licence.jpg

It's amazing what a polite but persistent and forceful attitude can get you.. Took around 3 hrs of non-stop argument, asking to speak to a higher authority, being told to come back again another day, wait for a phone call, the whole works, but I stuck at it and eventually was left sitting waiting for a good 45 minutes while back-room consultations took place, then taken up to the private upstairs offices so I could chill while continuing to wait.. A few minutes later the door popped open again and I was told to go straight back down to the initial counter, where I was asked to write and sign a stat dec validating my Aus licence. After this it rolled like clockwork, going from one desk to another to pay for the test, get receipts, switch them for other receipts, sit the test (which I was well prepared for from using the 'Drive in China' app, although there are differences between the two which you need to watch out for), and before long I was walking out the door with my fresh warm licence.

Learnt a bit from the whole process- never say never for one, but also that the licence process, at least in Kunming, should be a cakewalk, an hour's work, as long as you have a full motorbike licence from your own country. As I have a provisional, non-motorbike licence, which expires in a few months, things were more complicated. Worked out just fine though

**gjackson4431** · 05-17-2014, 01:42 AM

I had a pretty similar experience in Zhuji actually. I only had an expired car license from the US but I was able to convince the translator that it included motorcycles. The woman looked at that license picture thing but luckily I come from a backwater state and when i got my license they were still using the old laminated piece of paper so they couldn't find a picture of it. I "helpfully" directed her to some pictures and a passage that read something like, "holders of a class C license can operate all class C vehicles, with appropriate...." scroll up to the description of what a class C vehicle is and done.

Despite that, they eventually rejected me because it was expired and the test was only in Chinese. But after 5 months of polite persistence, coming in every other week and offering a new solution or when i ran out of new ideas starting from the beginning of my idea list, I met one young woman there with some english and she (apparently) convinced the bosses, who all knew me and sighed every time i came in wearing my motorcycle jacket and boots, to let me bring a translator. I would also have to take the practical driving test, which i did a couple days ago, and the translator had to be a "professional." I tried to hire one but none would come out to this remote town so the lady helped me out again. The translator ended up being her police officer husband and google translate and after the first 20 questions or so he got tired of typing and just finished it for me :D

I still have one more test to do before I get the license and there still is the problem of the time left on my visa but I think at this point they're just trying to get me out of their hair as quickly as they can. From what I can understand if you go the full driving school route there are four tests that you need to take.

1) Computer test of 50 questions that includes traffic signs, basic road skills and safty questions.
2) Road test: I drove a moped without a clutch or handle bar breaks on a simulated road. Remember to look both ways when crossing the cross walk and look in your mirror when using the turn signal and watch out for stray dogs.
3) Road skills test: This is where you drive up a ramp stop half way and go again (i didn't have a clutch so im not sure what the challenge was supposed to be), drive over a little metal platform, and go around some cones.
4) 2nd Computer test: I haven't done this yet but Im assuming its the more complicated questions like accident prevention, weather conditions, laws and regulations etc. Its another 50 questions.

I used www.chinese-driving-test.com/ to study. The questions were accurate as far as i could tell. There is a very specific order that you have to do all the parts of the road tests so just run around the test ground with someone and let them show you what to do first.

Next week i should take that final test so wish me luck! I might not need it though :D

**foxy88** · 05-19-2014, 01:18 PM

Good luck with that, what day's your test?!

It's a shame they made you wait 5 months, from what I could figure you should be able to rock up and (at least) sign up for the full motorcycle test at once, that's if you're unable to exchange your home licence for a Chinese one. I had a look at www.chinese-driving-test.com/, seemed very similar to the phone app, just not as portable..

China really is a whole heap of little kingdoms somehow patch-worked together, everywhere you go has different rules, written and unspoken, so it seems like it can often be luck of the draw depending on where you happen to be.

**Meiguo-007** · 05-30-2014, 01:19 AM

Thanks for all of the information. I have read through this thread backwards and forwards and it contains a wealth of information, unfortunately the thread is getting unwieldy. I want to maybe start fresh with the following scenarios specific to Beijing since "your results may vary" depending on where you live, what clerk happens to be at the desk of any particular government agency or driving school that day or whether or not someone kicked their dog or crapped in their corn-flakes that morning.

I currently have my C1E by transferring in from a US motorcycle DL endorsement with the single computer examination as many of you have. The fun I am having on my bike has created a real jealously amongst my co-worker Expats from the States and I want to help them with good info to help them and in turn, give me some more riding friends.

Please help with the following scenario and what sequence of events needs to happen:

U.S. Expat, possesses valid U.S. automobile drivers license only and has 1 year renewable visa as the President of a SINO-US joint venture. Wants to obtain a China DL to allow 2 wheel motorcycle riding, preferable at the Laoshan driving school.

Please help with the high points of the process, actual driving school info, how many exams, what type of exams, where the exams are administered, etc. I can provide the resources for the computer study questions with the iphone/Ipad app and how to prepare for that particular exam.

Thanks All

**CJB** · 06-03-2014, 11:38 AM

Hi everyone. First off, let me just say that I made the stupid mistake of naively believing some people who told me that it's okay to drive in China without a license (they do too) and that in the unlikely event that you get pulled over by a cop, you just pay him 200 kuai and then you're good to go.

Soon after hearing this, I saw a Chinese bike I liked and bought it on my girlfriend's name.

I did some thorough research and found out that it's VERY risky to ride without a DL. My license from back home has expired, so I'll have to go through the full procedure of getting a license in China. I went to the licensing office and found out about most of what I need - wasn't entirely clear, but I found out some more about it by reading through this thread. The thing that's worrying me now is my residence permit - It'll expire in 3 months and 10 days from now. Do you think that'll be enough time? (I'll get a new residence permit for another year after this one).

I've been looking at the website www.chinese-driving-test.com and also downloaded that iPhone app 'Drive in China', which seem pretty cool, though some questions' answers are weird: IMAG1002.jpg

**gjackson4431** · 06-03-2014, 12:33 PM

I've read that you have to have 90 days left on your visa but there might be a gray area.. I started the full license process with about 100 days left on my residency visa, my visa expires July 1st and I'll take the last test tomorrow. There is the possibility that they will notice this at the last minute and refuse to give me the license but I doubt it... I'd just try signing up for the test before you hit the 90 day mark. Don't mention the 90 day rule just in case.

**CJB** · 06-03-2014, 02:20 PM

Thanks gjackson, glad to hear it's possible. In that case I'll have to hurry up getting everything in order this week. Good luck with your final test tomorrow! Let us know how it went. Jia you!!

**foxy88** · 06-03-2014, 04:48 PM

Good luck the both of ya's, keep us posted!

**gjackson4431** · 06-04-2014, 09:30 AM

Passed! But I'm not the only one who should be recognized. It was a group effort. I have to thank the police woman who helped me through the whole process and translated for me today. Couldn't have don't it without her. And thanks also to the test administrator for giving me most of the answers before I ran out of time.

Good luck CJB. Remember persistence is often rewarded. Keep us informed.

**CJB** · 06-04-2014, 02:11 PM

Congratulations Gjackson! This calls for celebration!

Now you can ride without any worries! Have you been riding without a license (like I sometimes do) or have you been resisting the temptation until you have it?

There are different offices for different purposes here in Lianyungang, Jiangsu. There's the office I went to first, more centrally located, where you register for a test and pay - this is the one I got some info from. I understand this place is also a driving school. The lady behind the desk there seems reluctant to help and doesn't seem to know much either; it's like trying to squeeze water out of a rock. Then there's a huge, far off place I went to today, almost out of town, where everyone takes tests. Nice people too! I went there to see if it's remotely possible to convert a UK car license I have (still valid!) and perhaps somehow convince them to add motorcycle to it (cheating, as it were - I know someone who did this a few years ago). My employer said I should give it a try. Unfortunately I can't, and my girlfriend called the translator who is supposed to translate the license - and he told her there's no way he'll put motorbike on the translation (she told him the vehicle codes on the license and he looked it up).

Even though with predictable results, it was worth a shot.

I have to get the info page of my passport translated along with the visa(s). I'm not if sure the lady in the office was giving me the right info, but she said we can translate it ourselves. I read from another source that a registered translator has to do this. What did you guys do? Anyway, I also went to the police station today to get a temporary residence confirmation form and now I'm waiting for a letter from my employer. Will keep ya'll posted on how things unfold.