
You can take Subject 3 before passing Subject 2. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," after passing Subject 1, candidates can schedule either Subject 2 or Subject 3 road driving tests. There is no fixed order between Subject 2 and Subject 3; either can be taken first. Below is an introduction to the content of each subject: Subject 1: A written test on road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge (Subject 1), answered on a computer. The full score is 100, and a score of 90 or above (including 90) is considered passing. Subject 2: A practical driving skills test (Subject 2) conducted in a designated area, using an actual vehicle. Results are either pass or fail. The test includes five mandatory tasks performed in sequence: reversing into a parking space, parallel parking, S-curve driving, right-angle turns, and hill starts and stops. The full score is 100, and a score of 80 or above (including 80) is passing. Subject 3: A road driving skills test (Subject 3) conducted on actual roads or simulated environments, using an actual vehicle. The full score is 100, with passing scores of 90 or above for large buses, 80 or above for large trucks, and 70 or above for other vehicle types. Subject 4: A written test on safe and civilized driving knowledge (Subject 4). The full score is 100, and a score of 90 or above (including 90) is passing.

As someone who has been through the driver's license test before, let me share the arrangements after failing Subject 2. After failing Subject 2, you can indeed directly take Subjects 3 and 4—that's exactly what I did. However, there are two key time points to note: you must wait at least 30 days after passing Subject 1 before you can schedule Subject 3, and after each failure, you have to wait 10 days to retake. Once you pass Subject 3, Subject 4 can be taken immediately, often on the same day. In my case, I failed Subject 2 three times in the retakes, but since I had already met the time requirement for Subject 3, I went straight to practicing for it. Just make sure to complete all subjects within the three-year validity period and don’t waste any retake opportunities. If your driving school instructor insists on practicing Subject 2 first, you can firmly request to practice Subject 3 instead—the current allows it.

I got my driver's license last year. I failed the first attempt at Subject Two but started practicing Subject Three the following week. There's no strict rule on the exam sequence—you can register for Subject Three anytime 30 days after passing Subject One. I was in a hurry back then, so I directly asked my coach to adjust the training plan. During the day, I squeezed in time to practice the retake content for Subject Two while working, and at night, I trained with the coach on Subject Three's lighting and gear shifting. Surprisingly, I passed Subject Three before Subject Two and immediately took the Subject Four theory test. The most amazing part was passing the Subject Two retake on the first try later, getting my license half a month earlier than my peers. However, policies vary slightly by region, so it's best to check the booking rules on the Traffic 12123 app.

When I was getting my driver's license, it took me two attempts to pass the second subject (Subject 2). After failing, I asked my instructor if I could take Subject 3 first, and he said it would be fine as long as 30 days had passed since passing Subject 1. That was indeed the case, and I started practicing for Subject 3 the day after failing. Just a reminder here: the 10-day interval for retaking the test is counted from the day of failure, but scheduling Subject 3 is not affected. Subject 4 is even simpler, and you can schedule the test anytime. Just be mindful of the three-year validity period—all subjects must be completed within this time. Like my colleague, who failed Subject 2 three times but had already passed Subjects 3 and 4, he focused on retaking Subject 2 and still got his license in the end.

As a driving instructor, I often encounter students asking this kind of question. It is entirely possible to take the subject three and four tests after failing subject two, provided two conditions are met: first, at least 30 days have passed since passing subject one; second, there are available slots for subject three scheduling. In such cases, I would advise students not to obsess over subject two. For example, they can practice subject two reversing during the day and subject three road driving at night. Some students fail subject two four times but pass subject three road test in one go, then focus on subject four theory test the next day before retaking subject two. They successfully obtain their license within three months. The only thing to note is that there must be a 10-day interval between each failed test before rescheduling.

I was really anxious when I failed the second driving test (Subject 2), so I specifically went to the DMV to ask about the procedures. The staff told me that failing Subject 2 doesn't affect taking Subject 3 or 4, as long as the time requirements are met: you can take Subject 3 30 days after passing Subject 1, and the 10-day retake interval only applies to the same subject. Later, I directly switched to Subject 3 training, practicing for two hours every day after work, with a focus on straight-line driving during weekends. Three weeks later, I passed Subject 3 and 4, and then went back to retake Subject 2. This arrangement turned out to be more efficient, especially since the Subject 4 question bank can be reviewed anytime without waiting for all road tests to be completed. In the end, I got my driver's license only 10 days later than originally planned.


