Can the Issuing Location of a Driver's License Be Changed?
3 Answers
Yes, you can change the issuing location of your motor vehicle driver's license. You need to visit the vehicle management office or the traffic management department of the public security authority at the original issuing location to complete the transfer-out procedures for the motor vehicle. After obtaining the transfer-out documents, you can then complete the transfer-in procedures in another region, thereby completing the transfer of the driver's license issuing location. Below is an introduction to the process: Driving school registration time: When applying for a motor vehicle driver's license at a driving school, the registration process takes about half an hour to complete. After registration, you will wait for the driving school's notification to undergo a physical examination. Once the physical examination is completed, you will participate in the study for the first subject of the driver's license. After meeting the required study hours, you can take the exam. Other subjects should be completed in the same order. There is no need to repeat the physical examination within six months. Time to obtain a motor vehicle driver's license: Under normal circumstances, it takes about 45 days to obtain a motor vehicle driver's license, with the maximum time not exceeding three years. This period starts from the completion of the first subject exam of the driver's license. If this time limit is exceeded, the eligibility for the driver's license exam will be canceled, and you will no longer be able to take the exam.
I recently transferred my driver's license from my hometown to Shanghai, and the whole process was simpler than expected. I just needed to bring my ID card, driver's license, and a white-background ID photo to the local vehicle management office in the new city and fill out an application form. The staff told me this procedure is called 'driver's license transfer,' and there's no need to change the original issuing location. They issued me a new license on the spot, with the issuing authority now showing as Shanghai. The only things to note are that the original license must be valid and free of any outstanding violations. Nowadays, this service is extremely convenient—most cities can issue the new license immediately, and you don't even need to provide a residence permit. After the transfer, there's no impact on the license's annual review, and it actually makes handling violations in different locations more convenient.
For friends looking to transfer their driver's license, I recommend going directly through the DMV transfer process. You'll need to bring the original driver's license, original ID card and its copy, and fill out a motor vehicle driver's license application form. The DMV will verify your information, and as long as there are no unpaid fines or a record of 12 demerit points, you can usually get your new license on the spot. The whole process takes less than an hour, and the fee is only ten yuan. Remember to check the working hours of the local DMV in advance and avoid peak times like Monday mornings to save time. If your driver's license is about to expire, it's more cost-effective to renew it at the same time.
