Can I drive a motor vehicle during the driver's license renewal period?
3 Answers
Driving a motor vehicle during the driver's license renewal period is not allowed, otherwise it may be treated as driving without a license. Renewal materials: Bring two copies of ID card, two recent 1-inch color photos without headgear, original ID card, original driver's license, and a medical examination certificate from a county-level or above hospital (free medical examination is also available at the vehicle management office). Penalties for expired driver's license If the driver's license has been expired for less than one year, the driver can renew it at any time, but driving on the road will result in a fine of 200 yuan. If the driver's license has been expired for more than one year without renewal, the traffic management department will cancel it according to the law. If the expiration period is less than three years, the driver must retake and pass the subject one exam to restore the driving qualification. Driving on the road during this period will result in a fine ranging from 200 to 2,000 yuan. If the driver's license has been expired for more than three years, it will be completely canceled. The driver must retake the driver's license exam if they want to drive again. Otherwise, driving on the road will be treated as driving without a license, resulting in a fine of 2,000 yuan and administrative detention for up to 15 days.
I specifically asked a traffic police friend about this. Even if your driver's license is just one day overdue, driving counts as unlicensed driving, and you'll face points deduction and fines if caught. Some people think 'it's just a few days past expiration, no big deal,' but the system will flag it immediately. I've seen someone who borrowed a car to pick up their kids during license renewal get fined 1,500 RMB and had to retake the written test—what a waste! My advice: start the renewal process 90 days in advance. Nowadays, the 12123 app makes online renewal super convenient. If you really need a car, just take a taxi or hire a driver—no need to take the risk.
Last year, while helping my father-in-law with his license renewal, I did some research. The process is quite fast, but the interim period without a valid license is absolutely no time to touch the steering wheel. The law clearly states that the original license becomes invalid during the renewal process, and traffic police won’t care whether you’re in the middle of renewing it or not. Once, while waiting in line at the DMV, the guy in front of me got caught driving during his renewal period—his license was directly revoked, and he had to retake the test. Nowadays, renewing your license through the 12123 app with home delivery takes just three to five days. If you’re in urgent need of a car, it’s much better to ask a family member for a ride than to risk getting a ticket.
