Is There a Time Limit for Subject One?
2 Answers
The exam has a time limit of 45 minutes. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses," candidates can take the Subject One exam twice on the same day. If they fail the first attempt, they can retake it for free. If they fail the second attempt, the Subject One exam is terminated, and they can only reschedule the exam after ten days. Subject One, also known as the theoretical driving test or driver theory exam, is part of the motor vehicle driving license assessment. The exam covers driving theory basics, road safety laws and regulations, local regulations, and related knowledge. The test is computer-based. The Subject One exam consists of 100 questions, including single-choice and true/false questions, each worth 1 point, totaling 100 points. If a candidate answers 11 questions incorrectly, the system will automatically submit the exam and end the test. Subject One exam content: Driving license and motor vehicle management regulations; road traffic conditions and regulations; 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 passenger and freight vehicles; specialized knowledge for wheeled self-propelled machinery, trams, and trolleybuses. Subject One exam precautions: Candidates should dress appropriately—no slippers allowed. Electronic devices and bags are prohibited in the exam room. Bring your ID card and queue to enter the waiting hall. Observe the instructions and procedures on the large screen. Before entering the exam room, store personal belongings in a locker. In the exam room, the identity verification desk will assign a seat. Once seated, begin the exam. Ensure the camera is aligned with you and follow exam rules. If you fail the first attempt, you can retake it the same day. If you fail again, you must pay to reschedule. After the exam, queue to collect your score report and sign it. Unsigned reports are invalid. There is no limit to the number of times you can reschedule the Subject One exam. Each subject can be taken once, with one retake allowed if you fail. If you skip the retake or fail it, the exam is terminated, and you must reschedule. In contrast, Subject Two and Subject Three allow only five attempts. Subject Two and Subject Three exams can be rescheduled after ten days. If you fail the Subject Three safe driving knowledge test, your passing score for the road driving skills test remains valid. The driving test consists of three subjects: Subject One, Subject Two, and Subject Three. Subject One refers to the road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge exam. Subject Two refers to the field driving skills test. Subject Three is divided into two parts: road driving skills and safe driving knowledge. The safe driving knowledge test is conducted after Subject Three, so it is commonly referred to as Subject Four. However, the official terminology (as per the Ministry of Public Security Order No. 123) does not include the term "Subject Four."
Recently, many friends preparing for their driver's license exams have been asking me if there's a time limit for Subject One. I specifically checked the latest exam regulations and found that Subject One does indeed have a time limit—the entire test is fixed at 45 minutes. The exam system automatically starts counting down from the moment you click 'Begin Exam.' There are a total of 100 questions, including true/false and multiple-choice types, giving you roughly 20 seconds per question on average. Personally, I recommend focusing on improving your question-reading speed during preparation, especially for traffic sign questions, which tend to consume the most time. Remember to bring a watch; although the test center has a large screen displaying the countdown, checking the time yourself feels more reassuring. Here's a practical tip: if you encounter a question you're completely stuck on, skip it temporarily and prioritize completing all the questions first. When time's up, the system will automatically submit your test, and any unanswered questions will be marked as incorrect, which can be a significant disadvantage.
