Can an A3 driver's license be upgraded to an A1 driver's license?
2 Answers
An A3 driver's license can be upgraded to an A1 license. You only need to already possess an A3, B1, or B2 driver's license and meet certain conditions to upgrade to an A1. According to Article 14 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" and the "New Regulations on Streamlining Administration and Delegating Power, Improving Regulation, and Upgrading Services," applicants who wish to add the large passenger vehicle driving category must meet one of the following conditions: Have held a city bus or medium-sized passenger vehicle driving license for at least two years. Have held a large truck driving license for at least three years. Have held a tractor driving license for at least one year. In addition to meeting one of the above conditions, applicants must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in any of the last three scoring cycles before applying. The following circumstances disqualify applicants from upgrading to an A1 license: According to Article 16 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," the following individuals are not eligible to apply for large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, or large trucks: Those who have caused a fatal traffic accident and bear equal or greater responsibility. Those who have driven under the influence of alcohol. Those whose driver's licenses have been revoked or canceled within the past ten years. Conditions for upgrading to an A1 license: Height: At least 155 cm. Vision: Uncorrected or corrected visual acuity of at least 5.0 on the logarithmic visual acuity chart. Color vision: No red-green color blindness. Hearing: Able to distinguish the direction of sound sources with each ear at a distance of 50 cm from a tuning fork. Upper limbs: Both thumbs must be intact, and each hand must have at least three other fingers intact, with normal limb and finger movement functions. Lower limbs: Both lower limbs must be intact with normal movement functions, and the length difference must not exceed 5 cm. Torso and neck: No movement dysfunction. Age: Between 22 and 60 years old.
I specifically consulted a veteran driving instructor about this. Upgrading from an A3 to an A1 license is no easy task. The A3 license is for urban buses, while the A1 is for large coaches—the vehicle classes are completely different. Traffic regulations mandate several strict requirements: you must be at least 26 years old, hold a B1 or B2 license (which permits A1 vehicles) for at least 5 years, or hold an A2 license for at least 2 years. Additionally, you must have no record of accumulating 12 penalty points during this period and must complete 88 training hours at a designated driving school. Many assume transitioning from a bus driver to a coach driver is straightforward, but the license upgrade process is mandatory.
