How many years is the validity period of a vehicle operating license?
3 Answers
The validity period of a vehicle operating license is 6 years. According to the "Regulations on the Administration of Road Transport Practitioners": The validity period of the qualification certificate for road transport practitioners is 6 years. Road transport practitioners should apply for a renewal at the original issuing authority 30 days before the expiration of their qualification certificate. Replacement or modification: If the qualification certificate of a road transport practitioner is lost or damaged, they should apply for a replacement at the original issuing authority. If a road transport practitioner changes their service unit, they should apply for a modification of the qualification certificate at the transportation authority or road transport management agency.
I've been driving heavy trucks for over a decade, so let me explain the operating certificate validity period in detail. For regular freight vehicles, you basically need to renew the certificate every five years now, but annual inspection and stamping are required. I just went through the annual inspection last week - brought the original vehicle license, insurance policy, and operating certificate, and got it done in half an hour at the administrative service center. A special reminder: always check the expiration date on your documents. A fellow trucker got fined 2,000 yuan for being just three days overdue - that's a heavy loss. It's best to do the annual inspection two months in advance. Nowadays you can even make appointments through apps, which is much easier than the queuing we had to endure in the old days.
Last year, the instructor during the vocational qualification certification training specifically mentioned this. The validity period of a general cargo transport operation license is up to six years, but enforcement may vary by region. Our coach said it's four years in Jinan, and vehicle re-inspection is required each time you renew the license. The key is to prepare the materials three months before expiration. Don’t be like my senior who waited until the last day, only to find the system was under maintenance and couldn’t process the renewal, resulting in suspension of operations. I recommend setting a reminder on your phone and keeping copies of your vehicle license, insurance policy, and last annual inspection report in a document folder.
