Can a blue license plate with 9 seats be driven with a C license?
2 Answers
C1 driver's license can drive. The following is the relevant introduction: C1 driver's license: C1 driver's license is a type of motor vehicle driver's license code. The driving level of a C1 driver's license includes (all models of C2, C3, C4) driving small and micro passenger cars, light and micro trucks, light, small, and micro special operation vehicles, etc. The test subjects include traffic regulations and related knowledge, field driving, road driving, and safe and civilized driving knowledge. Driving requirements: According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses", the driving scope of a C1 driver's license includes small and micro passenger cars and light and micro trucks; light, small, and micro special operation vehicles; small passenger cars with a seating capacity of less than or equal to 9 people. According to this standard, a C1 license cannot drive vehicles with more than 9 seats.
I've been a driving instructor for many years and often encounter students asking this question. Simply put, a C1 driver's license does allow you to drive 9-seater blue-plate vehicles because blue plates represent small non-commercial vehicles, and 9 seats fall exactly within the C1 license's permitted range. Regulations state that C1 license holders can operate small passenger vehicles with no more than 9 seats, including many small vans and MPVs. However, the key is to check the vehicle type on the registration certificate to confirm it's a small passenger vehicle and hasn't been modified. For example, I've personally driven a friend's 9-seater MPV with blue plates without issues, but if the vehicle is modified to have 10 or more seats, that would be illegal - a C1 license wouldn't suffice, and you'd need to upgrade to a B1 license. For beginners, I recommend not overloading the vehicle as overcapacity can easily lead to tire blowouts or loss of control - safety first.
