Can I take the Subject 2 driving test if my ID card has expired?
2 Answers
If your ID card has expired, you cannot take the Subject 2 driving test. However, if your ID card is lost or expired, you can use a temporary ID card. If you need to use a temporary ID card due to the absence of your ID card, you must inform the driving test instructor in advance and follow the arrangements made by the driving school. According to Article 19, Paragraph 1 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses," "first-time applicants for a motor vehicle driving license must fill out an application form and submit proof of identity." Therefore, you can take the Subject 2 test with a temporary ID card. However, it is important to note that the validity period of a temporary ID card is three months. You can take the Subject 2 test within this period, but you will not be allowed to enter the test site if the card has expired. Therefore, make sure to take the test within the validity period of the temporary ID card. If the temporary ID card expires due to special circumstances, you should apply for a formal ID card or a new temporary ID card as soon as possible. Subject 2, also known as the small road test, is part of the motor vehicle driving license assessment and refers to the field driving skills test. For small cars (C1 and C2), the test includes five mandatory items: reverse parking, parallel parking, stopping and starting on a slope, right-angle turns, and curve driving (commonly known as the S-curve). In some regions, there is a sixth item: high-speed card collection. According to Article 25 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123), as of June 1, 2021, the stopping and starting on a slope test is no longer required for C2 and C5 license applicants. For large vehicles (AB licenses), Subject 2 includes 16 items: reverse parking, passing through continuous obstacles, curve driving, highway simulation test, width-limited gate, bumpy road, single-plank bridge, narrow road U-turn, stopping and starting on a slope, parallel parking, highway emergency handling, mountain road simulation, right-angle turns, rain and fog weather simulation, highway tire blowout, and tunnel simulation driving.
I remember once when I was taking the Subject 2 driving test, I saw a young guy next to me get stopped by the examiner because his ID card had expired. The test center administrator said valid identification is mandatory for identity verification, and expired documents are completely invalid as it concerns the safety and standardized procedures of the examination site. I thought to myself - driving lessons are so demanding, and after practicing for so long, it would be such a waste to miss the test due to document issues. So I recommend everyone check their ID card validity at least one week before the exam to avoid last-minute surprises. If it's truly expired, go to the local police station to apply for a new one first, or ask if a passport can temporarily substitute (this depends on local regulations). In short, preparing early is the safest approach to prevent a wasted trip.
