Rejected in Japan, Accepted in Germany: How Useful Are Chinese Driver’s Licenses Abroad?

Rejected in Japan, Accepted in Germany: How Useful Are Chinese Driver’s Licenses Abroad?
Nov 25, 2014 By eChinacities.com

Editor’s note: Are you one of those people who never got a driver’s license from your home country and have settled in China, wondering if you’ll ever be qualified to sit behind the driver’s wheel? Have you been toying with the idea of obtaining your first-time driver’s license in China but aren’t quite sure if it’s a wise idea? If the answer is “yes”, you’re not alone.

More and more foreigners in China are deciding to take the Chinese driver’s test and as the translated article below points out, there are quite a few countries that accept it abroad, provided you bring along a notarized translation. In fact, obtaining a driver’s license in China as a first-time driver is generally quite easy and theory tests are available in English. So, if you’d like to drive both in China and abroad but have not been back in your home country long enough to first obtain a license there, perhaps it’s time to consider taking the plunge in China!

Rejected in Japan, Accepted in Germany: How Useful Are Chinese Driver’s Licenses Abroad?
Photo: Melanie_Ko

On November 18, South Korea’s State Council passed a new act that allows Chinese tourists on Jeju Island to rent and drive cars, a decision that has sparked debate among Koreans. Those against the decision objected based on the fact that China and Korea had not signed a relevant agreement concerning the use of Chinese driver’s licenses and that the decision to let those with a Chinese license drive in Jeju was “premature.” Koreans also put forth that China was not a member of the United Nation’s Convention on Road Traffic and questioned whether other countries would open their doors to those with Chinese driver’s licenses as well. 

In the United States, each state has a different law regarding the use of Chinese driver’s licenses. Most states in the western region of the US recognize Chinese driver’s licenses. According to the Global Times the large number of Chinese tourists in California impacted the state’s law. In California, a license can be used from any country if the driver is over 18 years old. However, in the east, drivers need to provide notarized copies of their driver’s license.

How useful is a Chinese driver’s license abroad?

Canada is a federal state, but its provinces fall under the United Nation’s Convention on Road Traffic. In most provinces in Canada, Chinese drivers fall under the same guidelines as other foreign drivers. Chinese tourists must have had a valid Chinese driver’s license for at least six months. For permanent residents of Canada, Chinese driver’s licenses can be used for three months. Chinese students with valid student visas are able to drive with their Chinese driver’s licenses. If permanent residents have more than two years of driving experience in China, they can take a test on traffic rules and directly obtain an official Canadian driver’s license. 

Chinese driver’s licenses cannot be used in Japan. In Japan, only Japanese driver’s licenses, international licenses and Taiwanese licenses are recognized. Chinese citizens who want to obtain a Japanese driver’s license must hold a long-term residence visa. The Japanese driver’s test is also difficult for Chinese citizens because there are different traffic laws in Japan and China. For example, in Japan people drive on the left with the steering wheel also on the left, the opposite to China.

Chinese driver’s licenses can be used for one year in the United Kingdom. Hong Kong driver’s licenses are recognized and can be used freely in the UK. In the United Kingdom cars also drive on the left hand side, so Chinese people usually need to take time to adapt to driving there. A reporter from the Global Times recently took a driving test while working in the United Kingdom. He said that the first part of the exam was theoretical. It included multiple-choice questions and video clips in which the test-taker had to identify potential hazards. The UK’s Daily Mail reported a story in which a London woman took the driving test 110 times spending 3410 Pounds. She never passed the theoretical section of the test. 

Chinese driver’s licenses are accepted in Germany. A federal DMV worker told the Global Times that for Chinese drivers to drive in Germany they must carry a driver’s license and a copy of the notarized German translation or a certified document from the German Embassy. The driver’s license can be used for six months. If a Chinese citizen has a residence permit that is valid for more than 12 months, then they must attend a driving school in Germany to receive their driver’s license. The test to obtain a German driver’s license is known as the world’s most difficult license test. There is a vision test, eight hours of first aid training, fourteen theoretical courses and twelve driving lessons, which include highway driving and night driving. Moreover, the test is very expensive. A Global Times reporter reported spending over 2000 Euros on the test. 

In New Zealand, tourists or students that hold a Chinese driver’s license can use it as long as they obtain a translation that is certified by the New Zealand Department of Transportation’s translation agency. Chinese citizens can use their driver’s licenses in New Zealand for one year after entering the country. Many Chinese people still use their Chinese licenses after living in New Zealand for multiple years because obtaining a New Zealand license is rather difficult. Candidates must have lived in New Zealand for two years until they can obtain their learner’s permit. With this permit, they can only drive while accompanied by a licensed driver. Candidates drive with their learner’s permits for six months and then are eligible to apply for a “restricted” driver’s license. After another six months, they can apply for their test to receive a regular license. This difficult process has stopped many Chinese citizens living in New Zealand from obtaining a New Zealand driver’s license.

Source: guancha.cn

Warning:The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: Chinese driver’s license abroad first time driver’s license in China

7 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

edwardcottam

Hi can i use my chinese license to hire a car in the uk on my hoilday next year please help my name is in chinese not english 1612566853@qq.com

Dec 28, 2014 10:04 Report Abuse

eyecoin

Mine works renting cars in the US

Dec 01, 2014 22:07 Report Abuse

dom87

It is true German driver licenses are hard to obtain. But if you spend more than 2000 Euro on the test then you failed more than once or you are a very shitty driver. I paid in total 1100 Euro. Since China works like quit pro quo, I am not allowed to drive here with my German license, even though our traffic rules are much stricter...

Nov 28, 2014 10:28 Report Abuse

SJDBurgess

I have both a British and as of this a year a Chinese driving license. My Chinese girlfriend joined me on a road trip down Route 66, starting from Chicago. The hire company (Hertz) accepted her Chinese license and she helped them translate her details, which took 5 minutes. Good to know how useful her license is in other parts of the world.

Nov 26, 2014 11:43 Report Abuse

Kaiwen

HaHa. Chinese Drivers Licence, not worth the plastic they are written on. I can't even imagine the reaction of the traffic police in other countries if they witnessed the driving standards here.

Nov 25, 2014 09:22 Report Abuse

Mateusz

China has driving standards?

Nov 27, 2014 16:48 Report Abuse

bill8899

Good to know.

Nov 25, 2014 07:53 Report Abuse