Do I need to take an exam to upgrade from C1 to B2?
4 Answers
Yes, an exam is required. The following are the conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: You must have held a C1 driver's license for small cars for at least 3 years, with no full-point records in the last three consecutive scoring cycles, be between 20 and 50 years old, have not been involved in a traffic accident resulting in death with equal or greater responsibility, have not driven under the influence of alcohol, and have not had your driver's license revoked or canceled within the last ten years. C1 is a code for a type of 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, and light and micro special-purpose vehicles, and also allows driving vehicles under C2, C3, and C4 license types. A B2 license allows driving heavy and medium-duty trucks or large, heavy, and medium special-purpose vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty trucks 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 special-purpose vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special equipment or devices, such as water trucks, 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, 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 vehicles 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 driver's license and wish to add additional vehicle types, the permitted additions 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, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. Article 15 states that those who already hold a driver's license and wish to add additional vehicle types must have no full-point records in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before application. For adding medium passenger vehicles, tractors, or large passenger vehicles, the following additional conditions apply: For adding medium passenger vehicles, the applicant must have held a city bus, large truck, small car, small automatic transmission car, low-speed cargo vehicle, or three-wheeled car license for at least three years, with no full-point records in the last three consecutive scoring cycles. For adding tractors, the applicant must have held a medium passenger vehicle or large truck license for at least three years, or a large passenger vehicle license for at least one year, with no full-point records in the last three consecutive scoring cycles. For adding large passenger vehicles, the applicant must have held a city bus, medium passenger vehicle, or large truck license for at least five years, or a tractor license for at least two years, with no full-point records in the last five consecutive scoring cycles. Full-time driving vocational education students who have obtained a small car license while in school and have no full-point records in the current and most recent scoring cycle before application can apply to add large passenger vehicles or tractors.
Yes, upgrading from a C1 to a B2 license definitely requires taking exams. I personally had a C1 license and went through the upgrade process two years ago. You can’t skip any steps—you have to relearn driving knowledge and skills. First, you need to register at a driving school and fill out forms, and you must be at least 21 years old. Then, you’ll take a theoretical written test, which is harder than the C1 exam, covering rules for large vehicles, load standards, and more. Only after passing the written test can you proceed to the field test, which includes tasks like reverse parking and hill starts, followed by an actual road test to handle complex traffic situations. The whole process took me about three months, with reverse driving skills being particularly nerve-wracking to practice. But think about it—without learning safety rules for driving large trucks, overtaking on highways can be extremely dangerous. I recommend finding a reliable driving school and following through the entire process—don’t cut corners here, as driving involves lives.
Exams are mandatory, that's the iron rule. The driving school system has strict procedures: the theoretical part requires passing a question bank, covering specific regulations for trucks; the skills test checks the precision of reversing and curve operations; finally, the road test simulates real driving. The reason is simple: B2 vehicles are larger with greater inertia, making them prone to rollovers without professional training. I've checked the laws before—driving without passing the additional test counts as unlicensed driving, resulting in fines, points, and insurance denial. It's recommended to prepare in advance, bringing your ID card and old driver's license to register. The entire process takes about two months—don't find it troublesome, safety is more important than anything.
Definitely need to take the exam, don't underestimate this change. Driving a B2 vehicle feels completely different, with significant differences in starting and braking. After registration, you'll need to study both theory and practical skills. The theory test covers an upgraded version of traffic rules; the field test includes basic maneuvers like reversing. You can only get your license after passing. I've seen people try to skip the exam and end up having their licenses revoked. Simply put, safety first—take the exam properly.
