How to Restore an A2 License After Downgrade?

[Denise]

Generally, after an A2 driver's license is downgraded, it can only be restored by retaking the required exams: If you wish to drive vehicles permitted under Class A or B licenses again after a "downgrade," you must apply for a license upgrade. According to the new "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," the time required for an upgrade is longer than before, making it more difficult to obtain a higher-level license. If you want to upgrade after a downgrade, the driver must retake the upgrade exam administered by the vehicle management department. For example, to upgrade from a C1 license to a B1 license, you must have held the C1 license for at least three years and have no full-point violations in the two most recent scoring cycles before applying for the upgrade. If you are found guilty of drunk driving by traffic authorities, you will lose the opportunity to upgrade. Therefore, drivers considering downgrading from a B1 or higher license to a C1 license should carefully evaluate whether the downgrade is necessary. The A2 license permits the operation of tractor-trailers, which can tow heavy or medium full trailers or semi-trailers. Here, it's important to clarify what a trailer is. Trailers are divided into two types: full trailers and semi-trailers. A full trailer bears its total weight independently, while a semi-trailer shares part of its weight with the towing vehicle. Only drivers with an A2 license can operate such tractor-trailers; even those with an A1 license are not permitted to drive them. To downgrade an A2 license, visit the local vehicle management office with your ID card and driver's license. Note the following: 1. Downgrading an A2 license results in either a B1 or B2 license. The A2 license covers tractor-trailers, the B1 license covers medium-sized buses, and the B2 license covers large trucks. Other vehicle types permitted under an A2 license include: B1 (medium-sized buses), B2 (large trucks), C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed trucks), C4 (three-wheeled cars), and M (wheeled mechanical vehicles). Article 68 of the new traffic regulations states: If a driver holding a large passenger vehicle, tractor-trailer, city bus, medium-sized bus, or large truck license commits any of the following violations, the vehicle management office must revoke their highest-level driving privileges and notify the driver to complete the downgrade process within 30 days: 1. Causing a fatal traffic accident with equal or greater responsibility, without constituting a crime. 2. Accumulating 12 penalty points in a single scoring cycle. 3. Failing to undergo inspection for three consecutive scoring cycles. The full name of a driver's license is a motor vehicle driver's license, also known as a "driving permit," which is required by law for operating motor vehicles. Driving a motor vehicle requires specific skills. Without these skills, reckless driving can lead to accidents, and unlicensed individuals are generally prohibited from driving on public roads. For those who have mastered safe driving techniques, the document allowing them to drive legally is the "driver's license," which serves as a "permit." The authorization to drive is granted through the issuance of a driver's license, indicating that obtaining one is a formal process overseen by specialized authorities. Internationally, a driver's license is defined as "a document issued by competent authorities permitting the holder to drive a motor vehicle." In China, a driver's license is defined as a legal credential issued to individuals who have studied and mastered traffic laws and driving skills, passed the relevant exams, and are authorized to operate specific types of motor vehicles.

[JaydenLee]

After my A2 license was downgraded last time, I thoroughly researched the process. It was mainly because I had all my points deducted for speeding. First, I had to apply for reinstatement at the DMV, but I had to wait a full year to be eligible. During this period, I couldn’t have any further violations, or the waiting period would reset. I also had to retake the written test (Subject One) and the road test (Subject Three), especially focusing on practicing large vehicle operations for the road test. By the way, remember to bring your medical report and ID when applying. If the downgrade was due to drunk driving, you’d also need to complete a full-point education course first. The whole process took about two months, and now I’m extra careful about speed limits—I really don’t want to go through that again.

[McCaden]

Encountering an A2 license downgrade emergency, my friend just completed the reinstatement process. He said the most crucial part is maintaining a clean driving record for one year, starting from the day of the downgrade. During this period, even parking violations should be avoided, as there aren't enough points to deduct. Then, you need to retake the exams. For the theory test (Subject 1), just practice with mock questions, but for the road test (Subject 3), serious preparation is required, with emphasis on large vehicle U-turns and parallel parking. When he went for the test, he noticed many people got stuck at the medical check-up stage, as the vision or color blindness tests must be passed. Most importantly, never drive a tractor before obtaining the new license, as getting caught would count as unlicensed driving and cause more trouble. The entire process cost about 3,000 RMB and took half a month.

[Salvador]

I learned this the hard way when trying to restore my downgraded A2 license. First, you must wait 12 months after downgrading before applying, during which maintaining a clean driving record is crucial. You'll need to retake the exams - the theory test (Subject 1) now includes additional content on safe and civilized driving. The road test requires using a tractor head, with special attention to hill parking and nighttime light usage. Preparing documents is quite troublesome: you need a medical examination from a hospital, an accident-free certificate from traffic police, and three white-background photos. I recommend booking exams in advance via the 12123 app to avoid long queues. Total costs including exam and processing fees amount to around 2,000 yuan.

[MichaelLynn]

I have experience in restoring the A2 license. That year, after being downgraded due to overloading, it took me over half a year to sort it out. The most crucial part is the 'cooling-off period' which must be a full year—without meeting this requirement, the DMV won't even accept your application materials. The exam itself isn't particularly hard, but the process is tedious. For the written test (Subject 1), you need to go through all 1,700 questions in the question bank. A special warning from my own road test mistakes: failing to check the blind spot when changing lanes will deduct points immediately, and rolling back more than 30 cm during hill starts means an automatic fail. When preparing your documents, remember that your ID card copies must include both front and back, and the medical examination form must be issued by a county-level hospital. After passing the exams, it takes about a week to get your new license—it's best not to take any long-haul transport jobs during those days.