How to get a Chinese Motorcycle License

[gjackson4431]

Thanks! I've been riding for about 6 months now... There have been a couple close calls. The local police started cracking down on unlicensed riders a few months ago and started putting up road blocks. But I got lucky.
I ordered the motorcycle after I signed up for the test the first time in November. The bike arrived on my scheduled test day and when I went up to the testing center, they realized that they only had the test in Chinese... and so the 6 months of begging began.

Your situation sounds a lot like mine. I had to go to Hangzhou, the nearest big city, to get those things translated. They required an official translation... I tricked the translator into putting a motorcycle endorsement on my license :D It was expired though so it didn't help much.

I had to deal with the ladies in the test sign up/driving school place too. They weren't much help. If you hit a brick wall with them, go into the real traffic police station and find someone with lots of diamonds on their jacket. Have all your documents with you, smile and don't give up. I needed the translations of my passport, license, visa, and foreign expert certificate ( i don't know why he had me translate the chinese documents though...)

[prince666]

Thanks! I've been riding for about 6 months now... There have been a couple close calls. The local police started cracking down on unlicensed riders a few months ago and started putting up road blocks. But I got lucky.
I ordered the motorcycle after I signed up for the test the first time in November. The bike arrived on my scheduled test day and when I went up to the testing center, they realized that they only had the test in Chinese... and so the 6 months of begging began.

Your situation sounds a lot like mine. I had to go to Hangzhou, the nearest big city, to get those things translated. They required an official translation... I tricked the translator into putting a motorcycle endorsement on my license :D It was expired though so it didn't help much.

I had to deal with the ladies in the test sign up/driving school place too. They weren't much help. If you hit a brick wall with them, go into the real traffic police station and find someone with lots of diamonds on their jacket. Have all your documents with you, smile and don't give up. I needed the translations of my passport, license, visa, and foreign expert certificate ( i don't know why he had me translate the chinese documents though...)

Well done took me 3 years to sort out my Chinese DL but in those 3 years been stop 4 Time and asked for a Chinese DL and had a small hit with Chinese person on his bike Turn in front of me with out looking 100 % his fault and was hurt police came and in the end For this CASE it was not a issue that I dint have a DL. Insurance paid out knowing I hadn't got A DL as well . Was I lucky YES !!! Should we ride in China with out a Chinese DL NO !! Now I have a Chinese DL life riding just fill right now . But I can understand why people Do ride with out one !!! But it don't make it right ..

[ZMC888]

Well done took me 3 years to sort out my Chinese DL but in those 3 years been stop 4 Time and asked for a Chinese DL and had a small hit with Chinese person on his bike Turn in front of me with out looking 100 % his fault and was hurt police came and in the end For this CASE it was not a issue that I dint have a DL. Insurance paid out knowing I hadn't got A DL as well . Was I lucky YES !!! Should we ride in China with out a Chinese DL NO !! Now I have a Chinese DL life riding just fill right now . But I can understand why people Do ride with out one !!! But it don't make it right ..

Haha, I was illegal 7 years before I got legal. I just has an attitude that was 'I've already passed a fu**ing test to a higher standard than these retards in another country, why do I need to prove this to these idiots' . Been legal for over over 5 years now, only got one because I realized that pretty much every country will force you to do some part of their own test eventually, plus I wanted to be 100% legal and not worry about the petty roadblocks and traffic light cash cow bonanzas.

Also when I first came to China in 2002 the Gong An gave me a credit card type thing which was supposed to be some kind of temporary DL, had no expiry, no one else can drive to save their lives, so I thought 'what the fu**'.

[CJB]

I got all my documents sorted out yesterday and today and I signed up for the first theoretical test. Almost thought I was a circus animal, jumping through all them hoops. So for those who want to get a moto license from scratch, I'll keep updating my progress.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the following is a list of what you need to provide the folks at the drivers license test
sign up office if you're a foreigner looking to take the exams to get a motorcycle license:

- Translation of your passport (translation done by a professional, registered translator and who is recognized by the govt). Cost me Y190
- Registration form of temporary residence - stamped by the police (they have the forms there).
- Copy of your foreign expert certificate - it's the little dark blue book which almost looks like a passport.
- Copy of visa / residence permit which must be valid for at least 90 days before application (copy of passport should also be included with the
translation docs)
- Letter from your employer, stating that you're working there (and will be in the future). This one has to have your employer's stamp on it.

I don't know about other cities, but here in Lianyungang, you can only get signed up for the test at a specific one of the driving schools. It costs 470kuai. (The one I signed up at today only started operating yesterday! They just got a new office location and staff, so they were a little confused and made many phone calls). You pay them, they take a photo of you and give you a form which you have to take to one of various health checkup places - the one they referred me to is located at the testing grounds far away. The 'health checkup' was a laugh - it literally took no more than 3 minutes and costs 8 kuai. They simply took the form I got from the driving school, took another photo of me, printed that photo on the form, and then they told me that I had to look at 2 pictures in an eye testing book and tell them the numbers I saw. This was to proof that that I'm not bind / color blind (little red and green blocks). After they stamped the form, I had to return it to the driving school office in order to finalize the signup process. They gave me a piece of paper stating that I have wait until July 20th in order to take a preparation / simulation exam which I have to pass 95%. After I ace that one, I'll take another 'real' theoretical test. WTF. Now I can only wait.

[egusty3]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share my experience getting a Chinese motorcycle license here in Changzhou (Jiangsu). I already have a USA class "CM" license (good for small vehicles "C" and motorcycles "M")

I initially just got my C1 license because I was naive enough to believe the Changzhou DMV when they told me that they didn't offer motorcycle licenses in Changzhou because motorcycles are banned in most parts of the city. Then I read this forum. And I thought to be more persistent.

So after several phone calls for several hours, I got my girlfriend (who is Chinese) to argue on my behalf. I got different answers sometimes even from the same bureau: 1) I could not get a license at all in Changzhou; 2) I could not get a license in other cities because my residence permit was in Changzhou; 3) I could get a Chinese D or E licence, but would have to forfeit my already-obtained C1 license (I couldn't have C1D or C1E); 4) I could take the written and practical exam (and pay several hundred RMB) to get a C1D or C1E.

Option 4 was the best hope after a day of calling. But I still wanted better (I wanted to just take the written test and get the license). So I went in person today and argued with the help of my girlfriend. Finally, they agreed to cancel my C1 license and let me take the 100-question written exam for C1D. I got a 91! Now am the happy owner of a C1D license. (BTW-- the written exam for C1D seemed to be from the exact same question bank as the C1 exam-- not a single question related specifically to motorcycles; what a silly system, but whatever).

The lesson: don't ever give up when the authorities are making you jump through hoops and do illogical stuff. Argue back (with logic). Ask for supervisors. Give them a reason to let you do what you're trying to do.

Now to buy a bike and figure out the whole license plate issue here in Changzhou....

Good luck.

[prince666]

Hi all,

I just wanted to share my experience getting a Chinese motorcycle license here in Changzhou (Jiangsu). I already have a USA class "CM" license (good for small vehicles "C" and motorcycles "M")

I initially just got my C1 license because I was naive enough to believe the Changzhou DMV when they told me that they didn't offer motorcycle licenses in Changzhou because motorcycles are banned in most parts of the city. Then I read this forum. And I thought to be more persistent.

So after several phone calls for several hours, I got my girlfriend (who is Chinese) to argue on my behalf. I got different answers sometimes even from the same bureau: 1) I could not get a license at all in Changzhou; 2) I could not get a license in other cities because my residence permit was in Changzhou; 3) I could get a Chinese D or E licence, but would have to forfeit my already-obtained C1 license (I couldn't have C1D or C1E); 4) I could take the written and practical exam (and pay several hundred RMB) to get a C1D or C1E.

Option 4 was the best hope after a day of calling. But I still wanted better (I wanted to just take the written test and get the license). So I went in person today and argued with the help of my girlfriend. Finally, they agreed to cancel my C1 license and let me take the 100-question written exam for C1D. I got a 91! Now am the happy owner of a C1D license. (BTW-- the written exam for C1D seemed to be from the exact same question bank as the C1 exam-- not a single question related specifically to motorcycles; what a silly system, but whatever).

The lesson: don't ever give up when the authorities are making you jump through hoops and do illogical stuff. Argue back (with logic). Ask for supervisors. Give them a reason to let you do what you're trying to do.

Now to buy a bike and figure out the whole license plate issue here in Changzhou....


Good luck.

C1/C1D/C1E have all the same question !!
So was it really needed for you to take
The test again!! But TIC
Well done now sort out a bike
And I got a better score on my test 90 !!
Just love the look on the office when I passed
With just 90 she must of said to her self
That was lucky heheh , no luck darling
90 a pass lol

[hinrich_fuchs]

Hello my friends,

I´m an german guy and like to do at the end of THIS month an motorcycle tour from GERMANY to CHINA (Shenzhen). And I still have a lot of problems with VISA documents, how to bring the machine over the boarders and HOW TO DRIVE the machine legally!!! I like to enter China from Kazastan ...

My question´s are:

- how to get the short time (travel) driving licenze (I already have the international licenze)?
- you know how to manage the crossing with motorcycle from Kazastan?
- problems if I like to sell my bike in Shenzhen and take a FLIGHT back to Germany?

Greetings
Hinrich

[bikerdoc]

Hello my friends,

I´m an german guy and like to do at the end of THIS month an motorcycle tour from GERMANY to CHINA (Shenzhen). And I still have a lot of problems with VISA documents, how to bring the machine over the boarders and HOW TO DRIVE the machine legally!!! I like to enter China from Kazastan ...

My question´s are:

- how to get the short time (travel) driving licenze (I already have the international licenze)?
- you know how to manage the crossing with motorcycle from Kazastan?
- problems if I like to sell my bike in Shenzhen and take a FLIGHT back to Germany?

Greetings
Hinrich

Hi Hinrich,

It's possible to ride a foreign plated bike into China, and while not impossible, getting to do so is not particularly easy.

First steps involve arranging a 'Carnet de passage' or simply referred to as a Carnet, basically a bonded amount of money held by an approved organisation (usually a auto-mobile club/association). that then issue you a Carnet document which has to be presented in those borders that accept them.

For Ch!na, you need to arrange and pay for a government APPROVED guide who will navigate with you for the entire route inside mainland Ch!na, the guide uses their own vehicle - where you go, the guide goes. This is a substantial cost, as you pay for that persons time, per day plus all their lodgings etc. You have to submit a ruote plan which needs approval, and it is expected that you stick to the route and schedule. Arrangements have to be made for you to get a temporary Ch!inese issued drivers licence, as IDP (international driving permit) are not valid in Ch!na. Sometimes temporary licence plates are issued which have to be attached to the vehicle/bike for use on roads here. Also a vehicle coming into Ch!na can only venture here by prior arrangement and only for a very limited duration.

There some threads on MCM here about other who have thought, attempted, failed to do a ride inside the middle kingdOm, but some have been successful.

If you need some information I can dig up some contact details with a couple agents who deal with this, but a warning it can be a fairly expensive exercise...

The bike has to exported/transported back out of the country, otherwise you forfeit your bond (Carnet).

You might find some of the other riders who intended to do something similar as yourself in this trip planning and making tracks thread, or check other motorcycle forums e.g. ADVrider, GT-Rider etc.

Personally, I'd recommend riding other places e.g. Thailand, than here, as Ch!na is not particularly motorcycle friendly especially for someone who has never ridden here before, though that can depend on previous experience and intended route.

[prince666]

Hi Hinrich,

It's possible to ride a foreign plated bike into China, and while not impossible, getting to do so is not particularly easy.

First steps involve arranging a 'Carnet de passage' or simply referred to as a Carnet, basically a bonded amount of money held by an approved organisation (usually a auto-mobile club/association). that then issue you a Carnet document which has to be presented in those borders that accept them.

For Ch!na, you need to arrange and pay for a government APPROVED guide who will navigate with you for the entire route inside mainland Ch!na, the guide uses their own vehicle - where you go, the guide goes. This is a substantial cost, as you pay for that persons time, per day plus all their lodgings etc. You have to submit a ruote plan which needs approval, and it is expected that you stick to the route and schedule. Arrangements have to be made for you to get a temporary Ch!inese issued drivers licence, as IDP (international driving permit) are not valid in Ch!na. Sometimes temporary licence plates are issued which have to be attached to the vehicle/bike for use on roads here. Also a vehicle coming into Ch!na can only venture here by prior arrangement and only for a very limited duration.

There some threads on MCM here about other who have thought, attempted, failed to do a ride inside the middle kingdOm, but some have been successful.

If you need some information I can dig up some contact details with a couple agents who deal with this, but a warning it can be a fairly expensive exercise...

The bike has to exported/transported back out of the country, otherwise you forfeit your bond (Carnet).

You might find some of the other riders who intended to do something similar as yourself in this trip planning and making tracks thread, or check other motorcycle forums e.g. ADVrider, GT-Rider etc.

Personally, I'd recommend riding other places e.g. Thailand, than here, as Ch!na is not particularly motorcycle friendly especially for someone who has never ridden here before, though that can depend on previous experience and intended route.

+1 Thailand and Laos all very good rides

[ZMC888]

Hinrich, there is a German guy in Germany that has or had a Chinese registered YBR250 and a 125 that he and his friend rode across last summer, PM me for details. He's selling or has sold the bikes for a reasonable price I think, about 1500 Euros for the YBR250, and less for the 125 if he still has them for sale. If it's possible to buy them this way at least you'd be avoiding some legal problems so could be returning a legal registered and insured bike to China. You of course as the rider would not be legal, but you could claim ignorance, and having vehicle registration a European license and an International Driving license they could take pity on you and not give you too much hassle. Coming in on a German plated bike would be so expensive and annoying I suggest you rethink the plan. Thailand is great, but India is a life changing riding destination if you haven't ridden there already.