What are the consequences of driving a C1 vehicle with a C2 license?
2 Answers
Driving a C1 vehicle with a C2 license will result in a deduction of 12 points and relevant fines. According to the "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations," Article 1 stipulates that if a motor vehicle driver commits any of the following violations, driving a motor vehicle that does not match the permitted vehicle type will result in a 12-point deduction. The "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates: 1. Driver's License: To drive a motor vehicle, one must legally obtain a motor vehicle driver's license. The application for a motor vehicle driver's license must meet the driving license conditions specified by the public security department of the State Council; after passing the examination, the corresponding category of motor vehicle driver's license will be issued by the traffic management department of the public security organ. 2. Driving a Motor Vehicle: A person holding a foreign motor vehicle driver's license, if meeting the driving license conditions specified by the public security department of the State Council and passing the assessment by the traffic management department of the public security organ, may be issued a Chinese motor vehicle driver's license. Drivers must drive motor vehicles according to the permitted vehicle type specified on their driver's license; when driving a motor vehicle, they must carry the motor vehicle driver's license with them. Any unit or individual other than the traffic management department of the public security organ shall not confiscate or detain a motor vehicle driver's license.
I've seen many friends suffer serious consequences for driving manual transmission cars with a C2 license, and the outcomes are no joke. The most direct penalty is getting fined, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan, plus 12 demerit points, leading to license suspension for several months. The risk isn't just monetary—manual transmissions require clutch and gear-shifting skills that C2 license holders (trained only for automatics) lack, making stalling or losing control in traffic jams or on slopes far more likely, significantly increasing accident risks. Insurance becomes a bigger headache too; if an accident occurs and the insurer verifies license mismatch, all repair costs come out of your own pocket. My advice: if you genuinely want to drive manual, properly obtain a C1 license—don’t cut corners and invite trouble. Always confirm the car type when borrowing vehicles, or face a cascade of unexpected expenses in daily life.
