How long does it take to upgrade from a C license to a B2 license?

[LaBeckett]

It takes more than three years. The following are the conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: Hold a C1 small car driver's license for more than 3 years, with no full-point record in the last three consecutive scoring cycles, aged between 20 and 50 years old, no record of causing a fatal traffic accident with equal or greater responsibility; no record of drunk driving; and the driver's license has not been revoked or canceled within the past ten years. C1 is one of the driver's license classification codes. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123), C1 refers to a driver's license that allows driving small and micro passenger vehicles, light and micro cargo vehicles, as well as light and micro special-purpose vehicles. It also permits driving vehicles classified under C2, C3, and C4. A B2 driver's license allows driving heavy and medium-duty trucks or large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty trucks are mainly trucks, such as the large trucks commonly seen on the road carrying construction waste, which belong to heavy-duty trucks. Large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special equipment or tools, such as sprinkler trucks, concrete mixer trucks, 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 following vehicle classifications can be applied for: 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 apply for an additional vehicle classification, the following can be applied for: large passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers, 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 wish to apply for an additional vehicle classification, there should be no record of accumulating 12 points in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before the application. For applications to add medium-sized passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers, or large passenger vehicles, the following additional conditions must be met: For adding medium-sized 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 driver's license for more than three years, with no full-point record in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before the application. For adding tractor-trailers, the applicant must have held a medium-sized passenger vehicle or large truck driver's license for more than three years, or a large passenger vehicle driver's license for more than one year, with no full-point record in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before the application. For adding large passenger vehicles, the applicant must have held a city bus, medium-sized passenger vehicle, or large truck driver's license for more than five years, or a tractor-trailer driver's license for more than two years, with no full-point record in the last five consecutive scoring cycles before the application. Full-time driving vocational education students who have obtained a small car driver's license at school, with no full-point record in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before the application, can apply to add large passenger vehicles or tractor-trailers.

[MacLucy]

From my experience working at a driving school, the entire process of upgrading to a B2 license mainly depends on several factors. You must first hold a C license (usually referring to a C1 car driver's license) for at least one year before applying—this is a mandatory requirement and cannot be skipped. Next, you need to enroll in a driving school for training, which includes theoretical study (traffic regulations), field practice (basic skills like reversing and parking), and road test training. If everything goes smoothly, the training and exams take about 3 to 6 months. I’ve seen the fastest case where someone completed it in two months, but that requires an uncrowded school schedule and daily practice; slower cases can take up to half a year due to exam scheduling delays or multiple retakes (e.g., failing the road test once means waiting for a rescheduled test). I recommend planning your time as soon as you enroll to avoid delays that affect overall progress. On average, a safe estimate is 4 to 5 months from enrollment to receiving the new license. Don’t forget the medical check-up and fees, which vary but don’t impact the timeline.

[DeIker]

I just completed upgrading my driver's license from C1 to B2, which took me 5 months in total. I feel the duration could be optimized but is difficult to shorten significantly. I enrolled late last year, having held my C1 license for over 2 years, which met the eligibility requirement. The first step was registering and filling out forms at the driving school, followed by a one-week wait before starting the theoretical class. After just one week of study, I took the Subject 1 test. The most challenging part was the field training—practicing three times a week for two months before feeling confident enough to take the Subject 2 test. The road test was passed on the first attempt, but it took another month to receive the license after passing. Multiple factors contributed to the delays: the driving school was overcrowded with students waiting to book training sessions, the summer heat reduced practice frequency, and my busy work schedule limited me to weekends only. The total cost was around 4,000 RMB, with training fees being the major expense. A friend completed the process in four months by choosing a highly reputable driving school and preparing for the theory test in advance using mock questions. Therefore, the actual duration varies by individual. The key is selecting an efficient driving school and avoiding procrastination—aiming to complete it within 4 months is ideal.

[StHannah]

Getting a B2 license upgrade takes at least three to four months at the fastest, and up to six months at the slowest. You must have held a C1 license for at least one year before applying, which is the basic requirement. After that, you'll enter the training period: a few days for theory, a few weeks for field practice, and a few more weeks for road test preparation—totaling generally over three months. However, there are risks: failing an exam means waiting two extra weeks for a retake; long queues when driving schools are busy; or personal schedule conflicts delaying progress. Cost isn't a major time factor—the key is checking local school schedules in advance and enrolling during off-peak seasons with fewer students to save time. Having consulted for many, I'd say four months is a safer average. Don’t rush the entire process; ensure passing exams on the first try to avoid prolonging the timeline and disrupting life routines.