Can I directly apply for an A2 driver's license?
2 Answers
You cannot directly apply for an A2 driver's license. The conditions for applying for an A2 license are as follows: Applicant's physical conditions: Must be between 24 and 50 years old. Height must be at least 155 cm, and uncorrected or corrected visual acuity must reach 5.0 or above on the logarithmic visual acuity chart. If height, vision, or age requirements are not met, you cannot obtain an A2 driver's license. Driver's license holding status: Must have held a B1 or B2 driver's license for at least three years, or an A1 driver's license for at least one year. Additionally, there must be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in any of the last three scoring cycles prior to application. If you have accumulated 12 points, you cannot apply.
When I wanted to get my A2 driver's license, I thought I could just sign up directly, but it turned out I couldn't. Generally speaking, the A2 license is for driving large trailers, which is a high-level license and requires basic driving experience. You need to first obtain a Class B license, such as B1 or B2, hold it for at least three years, and be at least 21 years old before you can apply for an upgrade test. This is called a step-by-step progression, and the traffic authorities designed it this way mainly for safety considerations—large vehicles are risky to operate, and lack of experience can easily lead to accidents. I personally went through this process, starting with a C1 license for small cars, driving for four years before upgrading to B2, and accumulating road experience made it much easier to take the A2 test later. I often hear driving school teachers say that directly taking the A2 test is like skipping a grade—it's unsafe and against the rules—so they recommend starting from a lower level, both to learn the skills and ensure public safety.
