Can I drive a car during the C1 license upgrade period?
2 Answers
During the license upgrade period, if the driver's license is in hand, the driver can operate vehicle types that match the current license. If the driver's license has been submitted, driving is not permitted. Additional information: According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," the following rules apply to license upgrades: If you already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and apply to add additional vehicle types, you must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before the application. 1. To apply for a medium-sized bus license upgrade, you must have held a license for city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, or three-wheeled vehicles for at least three years, and must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the three most recent consecutive scoring cycles before the application. 2. To apply for a tractor license upgrade, you must have held a medium-sized bus or large truck license for at least three years, or a large bus license for at least one year, and must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the three most recent consecutive scoring cycles before the application. 3. To apply for a large bus license upgrade, you must have held a medium-sized bus, city bus, or large truck license for at least five years, or a tractor license for at least two years, and must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the five most recent consecutive scoring cycles before the application.
When I upgraded my license to C1 two years ago, I specifically asked the traffic police, and the answer was that it's completely fine to drive a car. Because during the upgrade training period, your original driver's license remains valid. As long as your permitted vehicle types include C1, you can drive private cars normally. However, you absolutely cannot drive the vehicle type you're currently testing for during the upgrade period. For example, if you're simultaneously upgrading to a motorcycle D license, you can't ride a motorcycle during this time. I know an old Zhang who worked while upgrading his license and still drove to work every day, as long as it didn't interfere with the training schedule. A small reminder: always carry your driver's license and upgrade proof when driving to avoid any confusion during traffic checks.
