At What Age Can You Obtain a Driver's License?
3 Answers
You can obtain a driver's license if you are between 18 and 70 years old. However, since there are various types of driver's licenses, the age requirements may differ accordingly. A driver's license is a legal document issued by the relevant authorities to individuals who have legally learned to drive motor vehicles, mastered traffic regulations and driving skills, and passed the required examinations, permitting them to operate specific types of motor vehicles. According to Article 11 of the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses' (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 71), the age requirements for applying for a motor vehicle driver's license are as follows: For small cars, small automatic transmission cars, and light motorcycles, applicants must be between 18 and 70 years old. For low-speed trucks, three-wheeled vehicles, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, or wheeled self-propelled machinery, applicants must be between 18 and 60 years old. For urban buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams, applicants must be between 21 and 50 years old. For tractor-trailers, applicants must be between 24 and 50 years old. For large passenger vehicles, applicants must be between 26 and 50 years old.
My eldest child wanted to get a driver's license last year, but was told he had to wait until he turned 18. He was only 16 at the time and was extremely anxious. Later, I looked up the regulations and found that for ordinary small car licenses like C1 and C2, you must indeed be at least 18 years old to apply. This age requirement is set by traffic laws to ensure drivers have sufficient physical and mental maturity to handle complex road conditions and reduce accident risks. Before learning to drive, you also need to pass a medical examination and a theory test, which can actually be quite a character-building process. By the way, if you're applying for a motorcycle license, the minimum age requirement might be lowered to 16, but only for light motorcycles. In any case, patience is key here—don't try to apply early or it'll be a waste of effort. Safety should always come first. I'd suggest parents and children plan the driving learning schedule together, getting familiar with traffic rules early on so they can start quickly once they turn 18.
I went to get my driver's license right after turning 18, and it felt so thrilling! For a regular car license, you must be at least 18 years old to apply. I prepared for a long time and signed up for the C1 license on my birthday. During the lessons, my instructor kept emphasizing that the age requirement makes sense—young people react quickly but are less stable and more impulsive. It's safer to drive when the brain is more mature. However, if you're in a hurry, you can first get a motorcycle license; you can apply for a light two-wheeled license at 16. Now that I've passed, I drive my friends around, and looking back, it was worth not rushing to break the rules. During my training, I practiced parallel parking a lot—safety first! Don’t complain about the wait; if you’re underage, you can’t force it. Just wait patiently.
