
It's not complicated. The conditions for upgrading from C1 to B2 are as follows: You must have held a C1 driver's license for small cars for at least 3 years, with no record of full penalty points in the last three consecutive scoring cycles. You must be between 20 and 50 years old, have not been involved in a traffic accident resulting in death with equal or greater responsibility, have no record of drunk driving, and have not had your driver's license revoked or canceled within the last ten years. C1 is a code for a type of driver's license. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" (Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123), C1 permits driving small and mini passenger cars, light and mini cargo trucks, as well as light and mini special-purpose vehicles. It also allows driving vehicles under the C2, C3, and C4 categories. A B2 driver's license permits driving heavy and medium-duty trucks or large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles. Heavy and medium-duty trucks are mainly trucks, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads. Large, heavy, and medium-duty special-purpose vehicles refer to vehicles equipped with specialized equipment or tools, such as water trucks, concrete mixer trucks, and fire trucks. Article 14 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" states that first-time applicants for a motor vehicle driver's license can apply for licenses covering urban buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo trucks, three-wheeled cars, small automatic transmission passenger cars for disabled persons, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. For those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and wish to add additional license categories, the following can be applied for: large passenger vehicles, tractors, urban buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo trucks, three-wheeled cars, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. Article 15 states that those who already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and wish to add additional license categories must have no record of 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before application. For those applying to add medium-sized passenger vehicles, tractors, or large passenger vehicles, the following additional conditions apply: To add a medium-sized passenger vehicle license, the applicant must have held a license for urban buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo trucks, or three-wheeled cars for at least three years, with no record of 12 penalty points in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application. To add a tractor license, the applicant must have held a license for medium-sized passenger vehicles or large trucks for at least three years, or a large passenger vehicle license for at least one year, with no record of 12 penalty points in the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application. To add a large passenger vehicle license, the applicant must have held a license for urban buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, or large trucks for at least five years, or a tractor license for at least two years, with no record of 12 penalty points in the last five consecutive scoring cycles before application. Students currently enrolled in full-time driving vocational education who have obtained a small car license while in school and have no record of 12 penalty points in the current and most recent scoring cycle before application can apply to add large passenger vehicle or tractor licenses.

Last year, I upgraded my C1 license to a B2, and the whole process took about three to four months. First, you need to meet the requirements: the C1 license must be held for at least one year, you must be at least 20 years old, and you must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the past year. Then, enroll at a local certified driving school and submit a medical examination report—make sure your vision meets the standards. The theory test is similar to the C1 exam, mainly requiring practice questions. The field test is the hardest part, as the B2 license requires 16 test items, especially reversing a large vehicle and stopping precisely on a slope. During practice, I spent five to six hours daily at the training ground. The road test was relatively easier—just pay attention to the length of the truck when driving. After passing all tests, the DMV will merge your license into a B2 booklet, which also allows you to drive C1 vehicles. After getting the B2, driving a small car feels much easier.

As a driving instructor, I recommend focusing on the field test when upgrading to a B2 license. Trainees need to readjust to the wider field of vision and handling of large vehicles—the steering wheel is three times heavier than that of a car, and the turning radius is significantly larger. When registering, bring your ID card and original driver's license, and note that the medical exam includes a color blindness test for color discrimination. For the theory test, practice more with the freight-related question bank, but the real challenge lies in Subject 2, where maneuvers like continuous obstacles and right-angle turns require higher precision. The test vehicle is a six-meter-long truck, and the reference points are entirely different from those of a car. It's best to apply during the winter off-season for faster scheduling, and wear durable clothing during practice, as steering wheel abrasions are common.

Upgrading to a B2 license mainly involves four steps: First, check eligibility - hold a C1 license for at least one year with no major accident records. Second, enroll in a driving school and pay the fee, which currently costs around 7,000-8,000 RMB. Third, pass all exams, with the most challenging being the 16-item Subject 2 test. Fourth, receive the new license. Note: Before enrollment, obtain a no-accident certificate from the DMV. The theory test now includes additional freight safety questions. During practice, focus on mastering the large vehicle-specific "narrow gate passage" test item, as adjusting the rearview mirrors is much more complicated than with cars. It's recommended to practice in the morning as drowsiness is more likely in the afternoon. After obtaining the license, remember that B2 requires annual review, which differs from C1 regulations.


