Is Passing Subject 3 Required Before Taking Subject 4?

[MacLiam]

Passing Subject 3 is mandatory before taking Subject 4, as Subject 4 is part of Subject 3. Subject 3 consists of two parts: the road test and the theoretical exam. Below are the relevant details: 1. Regulations: The vehicle management office must arrange exams according to the scheduled test center and time. After passing Subject 1, applicants can schedule Subject 2 or the road driving skills test for Subject 3. In some regions, applicants may simultaneously schedule Subject 2 and the road driving skills test for Subject 3, and upon successful scheduling, they can take these exams consecutively. After passing both Subject 2 and the road driving skills test for Subject 3, applicants can participate in the Subject 3 safety and civilized driving knowledge test on the same day. 2. Subject 4 Content: Requirements for safe and civilized driving operations, knowledge of safe driving under adverse weather and complex road conditions, handling methods for emergencies such as tire blowouts, and knowledge of post-accident procedures.

[DeJuniper]

From what I understand, you indeed need to pass Subject 3 before taking the Subject 4 exam. It's somewhat like a video game—Subject 3 (road test) is the practical level, while Subject 4 (theory) is the final rules test. The exam system automatically links the scores, so if you fail Subject 3, the booking platform won’t even show the option for Subject 4. However, there are study techniques now—you can start practicing the Subject 4 question bank half a month before taking Subject 3. Many students use apps like 'Driving Test Treasure' to prepare simultaneously. My cousin recently learned this the hard way—he thought he could book both exams at the same time, only to realize after failing Subject 3 that his study progress was completely delayed. My advice is to spend half an hour daily reviewing Subject 4 questions while practicing for Subject 3. That way, you can book the Subject 4 exam immediately after passing Subject 3, which is the most efficient approach.

[LaVincent]

The driving test process works like this: You must pass the actual road driving test (Subject 3) before becoming eligible to take the safety theory exam (Subject 4). When I worked as an assistant at the driving school, I saw many confused trainees trying to take Subject 4 early for convenience. Actually, the DMV system has strict requirements - the computer automatically locks permissions. Last time while helping the instructor organize files, I found a trainee who passed Subjects 2 and 4 but got stuck at Subject 3, causing all previous results to become invalid. This design makes perfect sense - testing someone on safe driving theory without actual driving experience is like reading recipes without ever cooking - the depth of understanding is completely different. Knowing this rule earlier would allow trainees to use weekend time at the driving school's study room to prepare, enabling immediate testing after passing Subject 3.

[DiMarcus]

Yes, Subject 4 is the theoretical exam paired with Subject 3 (road test), which only unlocks after passing the practical assessment. I learned this the hard way when getting my license—failing Subject 3 twice before passing, only to discover the Subject 4 question bank had 1,700 questions. Later, my instructor shared a strategy: During Subject 3 training, use lunch breaks to practice 100 questions daily on your phone, balancing study without disrupting driving practice. Now, the process is more flexible—some regions allow taking Subject 4 immediately after passing Subject 3 on the same day. Note that policies vary slightly by location; certain Shandong driving schools permit early logging of Subject 4 study hours, but exam access still requires passing Subject 3. Last week, a friend used this method and received their license just seven hours after clearing Subject 3.

[VanJocelyn]

Absolutely necessary. The four subjects of the driver's license test are like building a house: Subject 3 (road test) is the topping-out project, and Subject 4 is equivalent to the final inspection. I've seen the most tragic case of a student who scored above 95 in every Subject 4 mock test but had all their previous results reset after failing Subject 3 five times. During practical operations, I discovered a loophole trick: although the test center's system strictly enforces the sequence, study time can be sneakily advanced. It's advisable to start mixing in Subject 4 video lessons during the Subject 2 phase, and the 'Traffic Management 12123' APP question bank from the DMV can be practiced anytime. Last year, when I helped my daughter get her driver's license, I had her do specialized exercises on her phone during breaks between practice sessions. She passed Subject 4 the day after clearing Subject 3, and the entire process took only five months.