A Guide for Expats to Apply for Chinese Driving Licenses

Clause 1, Article 16 of the Regulations on the Application for and Use of the Motorized Vehicle Driving Licenses (No. 162 Decree of the Ministry of Public Security) states that:
An applicant applying for a motor vehicle driving license for the first time may apply for a motor vehicle driving license of the permitted type of a city bus, large truck, small vehicle, small vehicle with automatic transmission, low-speed truck, three-wheeled vehicle, small special passenger vehicle with automatic transmission for disabled persons, common three-wheeled motorcycle, common two-wheeled motorcycle, light motorcycle, wheeled machinery vehicle, trolley bus, or tramcar.

Article 20 states that:

Holders of a foreign driver’s license who meet the application requirements and have resided in the issuing country or region for a cumulative period of 90 days or more within one year prior to obtaining the license can apply for a corresponding Chinese driver’s license. Applicants who apply for licenses for large passenger vehicles, heavy tractor-trailers, or medium-sized passenger vehicles should have held the corresponding foreign driver’s licenses for at least two years.

01  Applicants with permanent residence identity cards should apply for the driver’s license at the vehicle management office in their place of residence.
02  Applicants with residence permits should apply at the vehicle management office in the place where their residence permits were issued.
03  Applicants without residence permits but holding valid visas or stay permits should apply at the vehicle management office in the place where the public security bureau issued the accommodation registration certificate.
04  Applicants without foreign driver’s license should register for training at the driving schools located in the public security bureau in their place of residence, or where their residence permits or accommodation registration certificates were issued.

What to Prepare in Advance

For applicants holding valid or expired foreign driver’s licenses:

01 Original valid identity documents: valid passport or other international travel documents, valid visa for a stay of above 3 months or residence permit, and accommodation registration certificate issued by the public security authority; or the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.
02 Original foreign driver’s license and its translation copy certified by a translation agency or notary agency.
03 Physical Condition Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Applicants can get the certificate at vehicle management offices).
For applicants with no foreign driver's license:
01 Original valid identity documents: valid passport or other international travel documents, valid visa for a stay of above 3 months or residence permit, and accommodation registration certificate issued by the public security authority; or the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.
02  Physical Condition Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver (Applicants can get the certificate at vehicle management offices).

01 Go to the vehicle management office with required documents.
02 Take an on-site physical examination (including vision and hearing tests) to get the Physical Condition Certificate for Motor Vehicle Driver.
03 Take a photo.
04 Take a numbered ticket at the service counter.
05 Process relevant documents at the service window.
06 Complete the exam.
07 Obtain the driver's license.

The whole process will take 2 hours or more, 

depending on how fast applicants complete the exam.

01 Suzhou Vehicle Management Office (1 Chiyun Road, Suzhou New District, Monday to Saturday 9:00-11:30, 13:00-17:00)
02 Taicang Vehicle Management Office (11 Changzhou Road, Taicang High-tech Zone, Monday to Saturday 8:30-11:30, 13:00-17:00)
03 Zhangjiagang Vehicle Management Office (2 Yongxie Road, Jinfeng Town, Zhangjiagang, Monday to Friday 8:30-11:30, 13:00-17:00, Saturday 8:30-11:30, 13:00-16:30 / 110 Jintian Road, Jingang Town, Zhangjiagang, Monday to Friday 8:30-11:30, 13:00-17:00)
04 Changshu Vehicle Management Office (6 Fute Road, Changshu Automobile Market, Monday to Friday 8:30-11:30, 12:30-16:30, Saturday 9:00-11:30, 12:30-16:00)
05 Kunshan Vehicle Management Office (66 Qiantangjiang Road, Kunshan, Monday to Saturday 8:30-11:30, 13:00-16:30)
06 Wujiang Vehicle Management Office (Crossroad of Luxiang South Road and Yixin Road, Songlin Town, Wujiang, Monday to Saturday 9:00-11:45, 13:00-17:00).

Applicants holding foreign motor vehicle driving licenses should take the examination on road traffic safety laws, regulations, and relevant knowledge (referred to as “Subject One”).
Applicants applying for licenses for large passenger vehicles, heavy tractor-trailers, urban buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, or large cargo vehicles should take the Subject One examination, and also examinations on field driving skills (referred to as “Subject Two”), and road driving skills and general knowledge on safe and civilized driving (referred to as “Subject Three”).
Applicants with expired foreign driver's licenses or without one should take all three examinations of Subject One, Subject Two and Subject Three.

Holders of driver's licenses issued in France, Belgium, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, and Macau, China can apply for an exemption from the examination. (Only for those who hold valid foreign driver’s licenses within expiration date)

Holders of valid driving licenses (excluding learner's license, provisional driver's license and probationary driver's license) for Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and foreign countries are eligible to apply for a driving license in the Chinese Mainland. Applications using an “International Driving Permit” (IDP) will NOT be accepted.
Source: Suzhou Vehicle Management Office