How Long Does It Take to Upgrade from C1 to B2 Driver's License?
2 Answers
You can take the test after holding a C1 driver's license for one year. If you pass the test, the vehicle management office will issue a new-level driver's license within 7 working days. The following are the conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2: To add a new permitted vehicle type to an existing motor vehicle driver's license, you must have held the license for at least one year and have no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before applying for the new permitted vehicle type. Only then will the vehicle management office approve the application for adding a new permitted vehicle type. C1 is a code for a type of permitted vehicle under 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 refers to a driver's license that permits driving small and micro passenger vehicles, light and micro cargo vehicles, as well as light and micro special-purpose vehicles. It also allows driving vehicles under the C2, C3, and C4 categories. The B2 driver's license permits driving heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles or large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty cargo vehicles are mostly trucks, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads, which fall under the category of heavy-duty trucks. Large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with special devices or equipment, such as water sprinklers, 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 of a motor vehicle driver's license, 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 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 add permitted vehicle types, the additional permitted vehicle types include large passenger vehicles, tractors, 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 apply to add permitted vehicle types, there should be no record of accumulating 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before applying. This applies to applications for adding medium-sized passenger vehicles, tractors, and large passenger vehicles. The B2 driver's license test consists of four subjects: Subject 1 covers traffic laws and regulations related to road traffic, traffic violations, traffic signals, and accident handling for driving motor vehicles. Subject 2 includes operations such as pole tests for large buses, city buses, and tractors, side parking, hill starts, and driving over single-plank bridges. Subject 3 involves preparation for test driving large buses, city buses, tractors, and medium-sized passenger vehicles, including starting, driving straight, changing lanes, and gear shifting operations. Subject 4 covers the operational requirements for safe and civilized driving, knowledge of safe driving in extreme weather and complex road conditions, and handling knowledge in case of accidents.
I just got my B2 license added recently, and the whole process took about three months. First, you need to meet the requirements: the C1 license must be held for at least one year, and no more than 12 points deducted in the last two years, then register for the driving school and undergo a medical checkup. The theoretical study for Subject 1 can be completed in about a week, but the key part is the driving practice. It took almost a month to get proficient in Subject 2's field training—B2 vehicles are much larger than cars, so reversing into the garage and navigating sharp turns require a lot of practice. The on-road training for Subject 3 took another two weeks, and the instructor said braking and gear shifting needed readjustment. By the time I passed Subject 4 and got the license, it totaled around 100 days from registration to completion, which is considered fast. I heard some people took half a year, mainly depending on exam scheduling and practice progress.
