How long does it take to upgrade from a C1 to a B2 driver's license?
2 Answers
You can upgrade from C1 to B2 after one year of holding a C1 license, and from C1 to B1 after three years. The upgrade can only be processed at the location of your household registration. Below are the conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: To add a new permitted vehicle category to your existing motor vehicle driver's license, you must have held the license for at least one year. Additionally, there should be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before applying for the new category. Only then will the vehicle management office approve the application. C1 is a code for a type of permitted vehicle category in the 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 mini passenger vehicles, light and mini cargo vehicles, as well as light and mini specialized operation vehicles. It also allows driving vehicles under categories C2, C3, and C4. A B2 license permits driving heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles or large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles are mostly trucks, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads. Large, heavy, and medium-sized specialized operation vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special devices or tools, such as water sprinklers, concrete mixers, and fire trucks. Article 14 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" states that first-time applicants for a motor vehicle driver's license can apply for categories such as city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger vehicles for disabled persons, 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 add a new permitted vehicle category, the additional categories can include 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 those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and apply to add a new permitted vehicle category must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before applying. This applies when applying to add medium-sized passenger vehicles, tractor-trailers, or large passenger vehicle categories. The B2 driver's license examination consists of four subjects: Subject 1 covers road traffic laws and regulations related to driving motor vehicles, including road traffic rules, traffic violations, traffic signals, and accident handling. Subject 2 involves practical operations such as pole tests, side parking, hill starts, and single-side bridge crossings for large passenger vehicles, city buses, and tractor-trailers. Subject 3 includes driving preparation, starting, straight-line driving, lane changes, and gear shifting operations for large passenger vehicles, city buses, tractor-trailers, and medium-sized passenger vehicles. Subject 4 covers safe and civilized driving requirements, safe driving knowledge in extreme weather and complex road conditions, and handling procedures in case of accidents.
When I first obtained my C1 driver's license, I waited for over a year before upgrading to a B2 license because the regulations required holding the license for at least one year and ensuring no record of exceeding 12 penalty points during that period. After enrolling, I attended driving school training, where I learned skills for operating medium-sized vehicles, such as reverse parking and driving with loads. Both the theoretical and practical exams were challenging. After passing, I felt my driving scope expanded, making it easier to find truck driving jobs. I recommend always driving safely and avoiding violations to ensure a smooth license upgrade. Also, remember to regularly check your driver's license status to avoid expiration issues.
