Can I Take the Subject 2 Test Without an ID Card?
4 Answers
You cannot take the Subject 2 test without your ID card. However, if your ID card is lost or expired, you can use a temporary ID card. If you don't have an ID card and need to use a temporary one, 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 their identity proof." Therefore, you can take the Subject 2 test with a temporary ID card. Additionally, it's important to note that the validity period of a temporary resident ID card is three months. You can take the Subject 2 test within this validity 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 document. If the temporary ID card expires due to special circumstances, you should promptly apply for a formal ID card or a new temporary ID card. Subject 2, also known as the small road test, is part of the motor vehicle driving license assessment. It refers to the field driving skills test. For small vehicles (C1 and C2), the test items include five mandatory components: reversing into a parking space, parallel parking, stopping and starting on a slope, right-angle turns, and curve driving (commonly known as the S-turn). Some regions also include a sixth item: highway 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), starting from June 1, 2021, the slope stop and start test is no longer required for C2 and C5 license applicants in the Subject 2 test. For large vehicles (AB licenses), the Subject 2 test covers 16 items. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses," the 16 items for AB license Subject 2 tests include: reversing into a parking space, passing continuous obstacles, curve driving, highway simulation test, width-limited gate, bumpy road, single-plank bridge, narrow road U-turn, slope stop and start, parallel parking, highway emergency handling, mountain road simulation, right-angle turns, rain and fog weather simulation, highway tire blowout, and tunnel simulation driving.
As a veteran driving instructor, I often get this question from students. Not having the original ID card is indeed troublesome since exams now require ID scanning and facial recognition. However, in special cases, you can apply for a temporary ID card, which can be obtained on the same day and is accepted for exam entry. If your ID is lost and there's no time for a replacement, remember to bring your original household register and residence permit as backup, and it's best to inform the driving school in advance. Last year, one of my students forgot their ID and rushed to the police station for a certificate, only to find out that the exam center accepted temporary IDs but not certificates—wasting a trip and missing the exam. So, applying for a temporary ID in advance is the safest option. Don't forget to prepare two one-inch white background photos for the replacement process.
When my ID card expired right before the second driving test, I went to the DMV three days in advance for a replacement and it was still in time. A driver's license test requires ID verification, but a temporary ID has the same validity as a permanent one. When applying for a replacement at the police station, make sure to specify it's for a driving test—they know to expedite the process. Remember to bring the payment receipt and collection voucher; if the temporary ID isn't ready in time, these can help prove your situation. Test center staff are very strict—I once saw someone trying to use a social security card get turned away. It's really not worth the risk.
As exam venue staff, we encounter candidates who forget their ID cards every day. Scanning an ID card is a mandatory requirement, and a temporary ID is acceptable as long as it can be entered into the system. Three reminders: 1. The temporary ID must have a photo and QR code; 2. Expired household registration books cannot be used; 3. Screenshots of electronic IDs are invalid. We’ve seen people try to use a driver’s license for the Subject 2 test, which is both amusing and frustrating. We recommend arriving at the venue two hours early. In case of emergencies, you can visit a nearby police station to get a replacement—there’s a police station right next to the South City exam venue.
