
According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses," the validity period of the study driving certificate is three years, but the expiration date must not exceed the upper age limit for application. There are age restrictions for obtaining a driver's license, and the age requirements vary for different types of licenses. Article 11 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses" stipulates that applicants for a motor vehicle driving license must meet the following requirements: Applicants for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled, or light motorcycles must be between 18 and 70 years old. Applicants for low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, or wheeled self-propelled machinery must be between 18 and 60 years old. Applicants for city buses, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams must be between 20 and 50 years old. Applicants for medium-sized buses must be between 21 and 50 years old. Applicants for tractor-trailers must be between 24 and 50 years old. Applicants for large buses must be between 26 and 50 years old. Students receiving full-time driving vocational education who apply for large buses or tractor-trailers must be between 20 and 50 years old. Subject 1, also known as the theoretical driving test or driver's theory test, is part of the motor vehicle driving license assessment. The test content includes driving theory basics, road safety laws and regulations, local regulations, and related knowledge. The test is conducted on a computer with a time limit of 45 minutes. Subject 1 consists of 100 single-choice and true/false questions, each worth 1 point. If a test-taker answers 11 questions incorrectly, the system will automatically submit the test and end the session. Subject 1 test content: Driving license and motor vehicle management regulations; road traffic conditions and regulations; road traffic safety violations and penalties; road traffic accident handling regulations; basic knowledge of motor vehicles; local regulations; knowledge of braking systems and safety devices for large and medium-sized buses and trucks; specialized knowledge for wheeled self-propelled machinery, trams, and trolleybuses. Subject 1 test precautions: Test-takers should dress appropriately, no sandals are allowed, electronic devices and bags are not permitted in the test room, bring an ID card, and queue to enter the waiting hall. Observe the precautions and procedures on the large screen, and store personal belongings in a locker before entering the test room. Upon entering the test room, the identity verification station will assign a seat. After finding the seat, begin the test. Ensure the camera is aligned with you and follow test discipline. If you fail the first time, there is a retake opportunity on the same day. If you fail again, you must pay to reschedule. After the test, queue to collect the score report and sign it. Unsigned reports are invalid. Subject 1 appointment: Test-takers can make online appointments via the mobile app "Traffic Management 12123" (V2.8.1B437 for iOS 15 or above, or V2.8.1B274 for Android 12 or above). On the app's homepage, select "58 Car Test Appointment" and fill in the required information as prompted. For Subject 2 and Subject 3, there are only five test attempts allowed. Subject 2 and Subject 3 tests can be rescheduled after ten days. If the Subject 3 safe driving knowledge test is failed, the previously passed road driving skills test results remain valid. There are three subjects in the driving test: Subject 1, Subject 2, and Subject 3. Subject 1 refers to the road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge test; Subject 2 refers to the field driving skills test; Subject 3 is divided into two parts: road driving skills and safe driving knowledge. The safe driving knowledge test is conducted after Subject 3, so it is commonly referred to as Subject 4. However, the official term (as per the Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123) does not include "Subject 4."

I just got my driver's license last year. My instructor specifically reminded me that after passing Subject 1, I had to complete all the remaining subjects within three years. The validity period of the driver's license exam starts from the day you pass Subject 1, a full 36 months. If you don't finish within that time, all previous results become invalid. I remember when I was learning to drive, there was a fellow student in my batch who kept delaying and forgot about the deadline, ending up having to pay again to retake Subject 1—it was heartbreaking. I recommend enrolling in a reputable driving school; they'll help you plan your exam schedule, and you can usually get your license within a year or so. Although the driving test policies are strict, they make sense—they encourage people not to give up halfway.

As a veteran driver with ten years of experience, I've seen many people stumble due to the time constraints. After passing Subject One, you must complete Subjects Two, Three, and Four within three years—this is a strict requirement for the driving test. Even one day over the deadline means starting all over again. Among the students I've taught, the fastest got their license in three months, while the slowest took two and a half years just to pass Subject Three. The key is to avoid the peak periods during winter and summer vacations and book your tests in advance, especially for Subject Three, where appointments often involve long queues. Last-minute cramming won't work; driving skills need time to develop, and practicing two to three times a week yields the best results.

A friend inquired at the DMV when taking the driving test and received a clear reply: after passing Subject 1, all remaining tests are valid for three years. The specific date can be found on the Learning to Drive Certificate, which shows the deadline. I recommend setting a reminder in your memo three months in advance to start preparing intensively. There are many retake opportunities for Subject 2 and Subject 3, but don’t slack off because of this. Last year, someone in the neighborhood next to mine was too busy with work and forgot about the test, remembering only three days before the three-year deadline. As a result, they couldn’t schedule Subject 4, and the 5,000 yuan tuition went to waste. In case of special circumstances like pandemic lockdowns, some areas allow extensions—remember to keep proof of such situations.


