Can I upgrade from C1 to B2 without taking the exam?

[SanSerenity]

An exam is required. If passed, the vehicle management office will issue a new-level driver's license within 7 working days. Below are the detailed conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: To add a new permitted vehicle type to an existing motor vehicle driver's license, the holder must have held the license for at least one year. Additionally, there must be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points from the current scoring cycle to the most recent scoring cycle before applying for the new permitted vehicle type. Only then will the vehicle management office approve the application. C1 is a code for a type of permitted vehicle under the driver's license. According to 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 specialized operation vehicles. It also allows driving vehicles under the C2, C3, and C4 permitted vehicle types. The B2 driver's license permits driving heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles or large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles are mostly trucks, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads, which fall under the category of heavy trucks. Large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special devices or tools, such as water sprinklers, concrete mixers, fire trucks, etc. 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 vehicle types include city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. For those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and wish to add permitted vehicle types, the additional permitted vehicle types include large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized 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, light 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 permitted vehicle types, there must be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before applying. This applies to applications for adding medium-sized passenger vehicles, tractors, and large passenger vehicles. The B2 driver's license exam 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 operations such as pole tests for large buses, city buses, and tractors, side parking, hill starts, and driving over single-plank bridges. Subject 3 includes preparation for test driving large buses, city buses, tractors, and medium-sized passenger vehicles, as well as operations like starting, driving straight, changing lanes, and shifting gears. Subject 4 covers safe and civilized driving requirements, safe driving knowledge in extreme weather and complex road conditions, and handling knowledge in case of accidents.

[ORylee]

I've been driving for over a decade with a C1 license and handle cars with ease, but wanting to directly upgrade to a B2 license for heavy trucks? No way. The law mandates that license upgrades require retaking all tests, including the theoretical traffic rules written exam (Subject 1), practical operations like reversing into parking spaces in confined areas (Subject 2), and on-road driving tests (Subject 3). Safety is paramount—large vehicles have greater mass, stronger inertia, and are harder to control; reckless driving increases accident risks. A friend tried shortcuts and got warned by traffic police for high risks. My advice: enroll early in driving school, practice several days weekly, and retake tests if needed. Investing time in skill-building beats cutting corners—protecting yourself and others. Insurance won’t cover you if accidents happen due to negligence.