How long after the driver's license expires do you need to retake the test?
2 Answers
If the driver's license has expired for less than one year, you can go to the vehicle management office to normally handle the annual review and renewal; if it has expired for more than one year but less than three years, you can take a theoretical test, and upon passing, you can reapply for the driver's license; if it has expired for more than three years, you need to re-register for training and pass all subjects of the test. Driving a motor vehicle during the period when the driver's license is expired is not allowed, otherwise it can be treated as driving without a license, with corresponding fines and possibly up to 15 days of detention. Article 56 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 139) stipulates that if a motor vehicle driver has not accumulated 12 points in any scoring period during the six-year validity period of the motor vehicle driver's license, they will be issued a motor vehicle driver's license with a ten-year validity period; if they have not accumulated 12 points in any scoring period during the ten-year validity period of the motor vehicle driver's license, they will be issued a motor vehicle driver's license with long-term validity.
I just went to renew my driver's license last week and learned about the time limits from the staff. If your license has expired for less than a year, you can simply go to the DMV for a medical check-up and photo to get a new one without any tests. If it's been expired for more than a year but less than three, you'll need to retake the written test (Subject 1) to reinstate it. My neighbor's license was expired for a year and a half, and now he's studying for the test every day. If it's been over three years, the license is directly canceled, and you'll have to start from scratch with Subject 1, which is time-consuming and costly. So it's best to renew it three months in advance—set a reminder on your phone. If it does expire, don't panic; first check how long it's been expired and prepare for the required tests. By the way, some places allow online applications for extensions, but the maximum delay is three years.
