
You can renew your license at the vehicle management office. In addition to applying for renewal at the vehicle management office, you can also apply for renewal through the following methods: Renewal via the "Traffic Management 12123" APP. Download the "Traffic Management 12123" APP, then select Service Center -- Expiry Renewal Service -- Fill in the required information. The new license is usually delivered by mail. Visit the "Police-Medical-Post" service point at a postal office to process the renewal. The entire process, from registration to medical examination and new license production, takes only half an hour. Currently, only a few cities offer this service, such as Hangzhou. Renewal and inspection must meet the following conditions: Holders of large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium passenger vehicle, or large truck driver's licenses must have no demerit points in the current scoring cycle, or holders of other types of driver's licenses must have fewer than 12 demerit points in the current scoring cycle; Holders of large passenger vehicle, tractor, city bus, medium passenger vehicle, or large truck driver's licenses who have demerit points in a scoring cycle, as well as holders of other types of driver's licenses who have been involved in a traffic accident resulting in death and bear equal or greater responsibility without having their driver's license revoked, must have completed the inspection education; The applicant must have no pending road traffic safety violations or traffic accidents; The applicant's physical condition must meet the driving license requirements; The driver's license must not be under circumstances such as being seized, detained, suspended, revoked, canceled, or annulled by law.

I recently helped a friend with an out-of-town license renewal, and it was actually quite convenient. With the nationwide processing policy now relaxed, there's no need to make a special trip back to your hometown. First, remember to go to a designated hospital for a simple driver's physical exam, mainly checking basic items like vision and color perception. Then prepare three things: your soon-to-expire driver's license, original ID card, and a one-inch white-background ID photo. Just go to the local DMV service hall where you currently reside, and the staff will give you a form to fill in basic information and pay a 10-yuan processing fee. Take a photo at a self-service kiosk or manual window for identity verification, and your new license will be ready in about half an hour. It's recommended to avoid peak hours on Mondays or at the end of the month—the whole process takes just half an hour, so no more worries about the hassle of renewing your license while working away from home.

Last month, I just renewed my hometown C-license in Hangzhou. First, I went to the community hospital for a physical examination, which cost only 20 yuan. Armed with my ID card and old driver's license, I headed straight to the vehicle management office and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could complete the process on a self-service machine. After swiping my ID card to confirm the information and retaking the electronic photo, the machine directly printed out the receipt. When paying at the counter, the staff reminded me that any traffic violation fines on the driver's license must be cleared first—fortunately, I had already checked this on the 12123 APP. The best part was receiving the new license on the spot, with a seamless transition to the 10-year validity period. The whole process was smoother than expected, and the current policies are indeed much more user-friendly now.

Changing your C license in a different location boils down to four key steps: medical check-up, visiting the service counter, submitting documents, and waiting for license collection. For the medical exam, you must go to a county-level or above hospital—small clinics won't be accepted. While nationwide networking has made the process easier, remember you can only apply within 90 days before your license expires, so don't wait until the last minute. You'll need recent white-background photos; it's recommended to use the DMV's self-service photo booth to avoid extra trips to a photo studio. At the counter, double-check your mailing address—some cities may offer on-the-spot collection or home delivery. The entire process takes no more than two hours now, far more convenient than traveling back to your hometown like we did a decade ago.

Last year, I encountered some minor issues when renewing my driver's license in Shenzhen. First, I found out that the medical report was only valid for three months, so I had to rush to the hospital to redo it. When I brought my photos, they said I needed a digital receipt, so I had to retake them at the photo studio in the vehicle management office. The most troublesome part was when the system alerted me that my ID card address didn't match the registered address on my driver's license. The staff had me sign a change record form. I recommend checking your status in advance on the Traffic Management 12123 App to handle any violations or annual review issues early. Also, remember to wear glasses with the correct prescription for the medical check-up—if you're nearsighted, failing the vision test on the spot is easy.


