Can a C1 License Drive a Tricycle?
2 Answers
C1 driver's license can drive tricycles, but not tricycle motorcycles. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses", the C1 license allows driving the following vehicles: small and micro passenger cars as well as light and micro trucks; light, small, and micro special-purpose vehicles; small passenger cars with 9 or fewer seats. The C1 license can drive C2, C3, and C4 models. C1 Permitted Vehicle Types: The driving scope of a C1 license includes small and micro passenger cars, light and micro trucks; light, small, and micro special-purpose vehicles; small passenger cars with 9 or fewer seats. C1 License Prohibited Vehicles: Large buses, tractors, city buses, medium-sized buses, large trucks, ordinary tricycle motorcycles, ordinary two-wheel motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery vehicles, trolleybuses, and trams. Additionally, a C1 license cannot drive vehicles with more than 9 seats or trucks with a total length exceeding 6 meters.
I've been driving small cars for years with a C1 license, and when I first bought a car, I also thought about getting a three-wheeler. A C1 license indeed doesn’t cover regular three-wheeled motorcycles, like those small cargo trikes with a sidecar—they require a specialized D license because their design is entirely different, with an unstable center of gravity that makes them prone to tipping over. A friend of mine learned this the hard way: he drove a trike without understanding the license requirements, got pulled over by traffic police, fined 500 yuan, and almost had his license revoked. Now I see things clearly: every type of vehicle requires the right license—don’t cut corners and drive recklessly. Safety comes first. Before driving, check the vehicle classification, ask at a local driving school about how to get a D license, and invest the extra time—it’s worth it. Never let ignorance endanger yourself or others; the risks on the road are no joke.
