Can I upgrade from C1 to B2 after one year?

[VonHector]

When the C1 driver's license has been held for one year, you can take the test. If you pass the test, the vehicle management office will issue a new-level driver's license within 7 working days. The following are the conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: If you hold a motor vehicle driver's license and want to add a new permitted driving category, you must have held the license for at least one year. Additionally, within the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before applying for the new category, there should be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points. Only then will the vehicle management office approve the application for the new driving category. C1 is one of the codes for permitted driving categories under the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123). C1 permits driving small and micro passenger vehicles, light and micro cargo vehicles, as well as light and micro special-purpose vehicles. It also allows driving vehicles under categories C2, C3, and C4. The B2 driver's license permits driving heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles or large, heavy, and medium special-purpose vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles are mainly trucks, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads, which fall under the heavy truck category. Large, heavy, and medium special-purpose vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special devices or tools, such as water sprinklers, concrete mixer trucks, and fire trucks. Article 14 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" states that for first-time applicants of a motor vehicle driver's license, the permitted driving categories include city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger vehicles for the disabled, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, lightweight motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. For those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and wish to add a new permitted driving category, the additional categories include large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium passenger vehicles, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, three-wheeled cars, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, lightweight motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. Article 15 states that for those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and apply to add a new permitted driving category, there should be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before the application. This applies to applications for adding medium passenger vehicles, tractors, and large passenger vehicles. The B2 driver's license test consists of four subjects: Subject 1 covers road traffic laws and regulations related to driving motor vehicles, including road traffic rules, traffic violations, traffic signals, and accident handling. Subject 2 involves practical tests for large passenger vehicles, city buses, tractors, etc., including stake tests, side parking, hill starts, and driving over a single-plank bridge. Subject 3 includes preparation for driving tests, starting, driving straight, lane changes, and gear shifting for large passenger vehicles, city buses, tractors, and medium passenger vehicles. Subject 4 covers safe and civilized driving requirements, safe driving knowledge for extreme weather and complex road conditions, and handling procedures for accidents.

[LaTucker]

After holding a C1 driver's license for one year, you are theoretically eligible to apply for a B2 license upgrade! As a C1 driver who just hit the one-year mark, I've been planning this recently. The requirements include being at least 21 years old, passing a physical examination, and having no major traffic violations, such as not accumulating 12 penalty points within a year. You need to register through a driving school for the application, with costs around 5,000 RMB. The test consists of theory and practical exams—the theory part (Subject 1) is straightforward, but Subject 2 (reverse parking) requires extensive practice. The advantage of a B2 license is that it allows you to drive large trucks, enabling you to take on logistics or transportation jobs for higher earnings. I started preparing a month in advance by clearing any violation records and honing my driving skills. As soon as I hit the one-year anniversary, I’ll take action immediately, looking forward to mastering large vehicle operations soon.

[Finley]

As someone with years of driving experience, I remember that after holding a C1 license for one year, you can indeed upgrade to a B2 license. I've done it myself. At that time, I first confirmed that I was at least 21 years old, passed the physical examination, and had a clean accident record. The upgrade process was straightforward: enroll in a driving school, learn B2 driving skills, and take the test, which is more challenging than the C1 test, especially the field operation part (Subject 2), where precise reversing is required. Once passed, you can drive trucks over 4.5 tons, which opens up more job opportunities, but the cost is significant, ranging from about 4,000 to 7,000 yuan. I recommend assessing your financial situation carefully, as driving larger vehicles carries higher risks. During training, ask your instructor for tips frequently. One year isn’t too long to wait, so don’t rush into signing up on impulse—make sure it fits your lifestyle.