How many passenger seats can a B2 license drive?
3 Answers
B2 license can only drive small blue-plate passenger vehicles with 9 seats or fewer and a vehicle length under 6 meters. The following is the relevant content introduction: 1. Vehicle types permitted by a B2 license: The vehicle types permitted by a B2 license include heavy and medium-duty trucks, mostly such as dump trucks. Also included are large, heavy, and medium-sized special-purpose vehicles, which refer to vehicles equipped with special equipment or devices, such as water sprinklers, concrete mixer trucks, fire trucks, etc. 2. All vehicle types permitted by C4 and M licenses: These include small and micro passenger vehicles (with 9 seats or fewer), three-wheeled vehicles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, and light small and micro steering operation vehicles.
Many people are confused about the types of vehicles that can be driven with a B2 driver's license. When I was studying for my license, I specifically researched traffic regulations. The B2 license primarily qualifies holders to operate heavy-duty trucks, and for passenger vehicles, it only covers models within the scope of a C1 license. Specifically, this means passenger vehicles with no more than 9 seats and a vehicle length under 6 meters. For example, common models like the 9-seater GL8 or Hiace vans are acceptable, but vehicles exceeding 9 seats like the Coaster require an A1 license. It's important to note that the seat count includes the driver's seat. Some vehicles may appear large but actually have a certified capacity of no more than 9 seats, making them drivable. For instance, our worksite's Foton G7, despite having yellow license plates, has a certified capacity of 7 people, and I often use it to pick up workers. Before driving, it's best to check the 'certified capacity' on the vehicle registration to avoid being cited for overloading.
Last week, my cousin just got his B2 driver's license and asked me if he could drive a school bus, which really stumped me. After checking the traffic laws, I confirmed: B2 license only allows driving small passenger vehicles with a maximum of 9 seats. There are two key details to note here: first, the vehicle must have a blue license plate (yellow plates are for medium-sized buses), and second, the vehicle length must not exceed 6 meters. For a practical example, the 9-seater Wuling Hongguang PLUS is allowed, but even an empty 13-seater Jinbei Haishi is off-limits. Some friends remove seats from cargo versions of Transit vans to carry passengers, which is absolutely illegal—getting caught means an instant 12-point deduction. If you really want to drive a medium-sized bus, you need to upgrade to an A1 license, which requires theoretical training and a practical test for large vehicles.
