Can I directly apply for a B1 driver's license now?
2 Answers
Driver's license B2 can be directly applied for, but B1 cannot be directly applied for. To apply for a B1 license, you must have held an A3, B2, or C license for more than three years, and have no record of accumulating 12 points in the most recent three consecutive scoring cycles before application. Below is the relevant introduction: Order No. 139 of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China, 'Decision of the Ministry of Public Security on Amending the Regulations,' has been adopted at the executive meeting of the Ministry of Public Security and is hereby promulgated, effective from April 1, 2016. Article 14: For the first application for a motor vehicle driver's license, you can apply for a license that permits driving urban buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, or trams.
I've been driving for decades and am very familiar with the driver's license rules. Currently, you can't directly apply for a B1 driver's license. According to China's driving test regulations, the B1 license is for medium-sized buses, requiring you to hold a C1 or C2 license for at least one year before applying for an upgrade. The reason is that B1 vehicles are more difficult to control and pose higher accident risks, making it dangerous for beginners to drive them directly. For example, when I was young, I obtained a C1 license first, drove a small car for a year, and then went to the driving school to apply for the B1 upgrade test. The test includes both theoretical and practical parts. In the practical test, you need to complete field exercises like S-turns and pass a road test to assess your ability to handle real road conditions. I suggest everyone not to rush; first, practice basic driving skills—safety comes first. These policies are in place to protect drivers' safety and prevent major accidents on the road.
