Can I Change from Manual to Automatic Transmission for the Driving Test?
2 Answers
You can change from manual to automatic transmission for the driving test. Below are the specific details about the C1 manual transmission driver's license: 1. Eligible Vehicle Types: The C1 driver's license is one of the codes for motor vehicle driver's licenses. According to the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses,' the C1 license allows driving small and micro passenger vehicles, light and micro cargo vehicles, as well as light, small, and micro special-purpose vehicles. Small passenger vehicles must have a seating capacity of 9 or fewer. Based on this standard, the C1 license does not permit driving vehicles with more than 9 seats. 2. Test Subjects: The test includes four subjects: traffic laws and related knowledge, field driving, road driving, and safe and civilized driving common sense.
This issue actually depends on your current progress. If you're still in the theoretical learning phase and haven't started practical training, simply contact the driving school front desk to complete a C2 license change procedure—it usually costs around 300-500 RMB as a handling fee. However, if you've already taken the manual transmission Category 2 test and want to switch to automatic transmission, it becomes much more complicated—you'll need to retake all exams from Category 1 onward, with all items evaluated according to automatic transmission standards. In my years of instructing, many students who switched mid-course did so because they struggled with hill starts—automatic transmissions are indeed easier without clutch operations. But remember this after switching: driving a manual transmission car with an automatic-only license counts as unlicensed driving, so consider future vehicle choices carefully.
