Can You Practice Subject 2 Without Passing Subject 1?

[AmirMarie]

No. According to Article 31 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses": The vehicle management office shall accept applications that meet the conditions for a motor vehicle driving license and arrange examinations according to the scheduled date. The examination sequence shall proceed in the order of Subject 1, Subject 2, and Subject 3. Only after passing the previous subject can one take the next subject examination. Only after passing the Subject 3 road driving skills test can one take the safety and civilized driving knowledge test. Article 32: For first-time applicants for a motor vehicle driving license or those applying to add a permitted driving category, the vehicle management office shall issue a driving skills examination permit within one day after passing Subject 1. Article 33: For first-time applicants for a motor vehicle driving license or those applying to add a permitted driving category, applicants scheduling the Subject 2 examination must meet the following conditions: 1. For small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and tram permitted driving categories, schedule the examination at least 10 days after obtaining the driving skills examination permit; 2. For large buses, tractors, city buses, medium-sized buses, and large truck permitted driving categories, schedule the examination at least 20 days after obtaining the driving skills examination permit.

[Mildred]

Generally, you cannot directly practice Subject 2 without passing Subject 1, as the driver's license test follows a sequential order. As someone who started as an instructor, I often remind students: pass the Subject 1 exam first, which is the theoretical part covering traffic rules and road safety. If you don’t even understand this, practicing reversing into a garage or parallel parking can easily lead to accidents. Driving schools require passing the theory test before the system unlocks access to field training. When I first trained newcomers, I saw a few overly eager students trying to practice secretly, only to be caught and warned by the school. My advice is to focus on preparing for Subject 1, do more question bank exercises and app mock tests, and only proceed to Subject 2 practice after passing. This way, you’ll pick up practical skills faster and more safely. Don’t worry about taking it slow—building a strong foundation greatly helps with driving techniques and can save time on later corrections.

[JoannaLynn]

I was also curious about this when I was learning to drive, so I asked my instructor if I could practice Subject 2 first. He told me that I had to pass Subject 1 first. Subject 1 tests basic traffic knowledge, such as the meaning of traffic lights and road rules. If you don't understand these and get behind the wheel directly, you might make mistakes on the training ground, hit obstacles, or cause minor accidents. The driving school's process is very strict—if you don't pass Subject 1, your file won't move to the Subject 2 stage. I remember burying myself in practice questions for a week, and only after passing Subject 1 did I start practicing reversing. It felt more confident to handle practical operations after understanding the theory. The whole driver's license process goes more smoothly if you follow the natural progression—don't skip steps to avoid delaying your learning progress.

[LeRosalie]

As a veteran driving school employee, I often explain this rule: You cannot practice for Subject 2 without passing Subject 1. The examination system requires passing the theoretical Subject 1 before proceeding to field training. This is because Subject 1 verifies whether you have mastered safety basics, such as avoiding rear-end collisions or correctly handling intersections. Allowing you to practice driving directly could make the driving school liable. Nowadays, with intelligent management systems, you cannot book practice sessions without passing Subject 1. I recommend focusing on reviewing the theoretical part promptly, using the Driving Test Treasure App to assist in exam preparation, and then concentrating on training after passing.