What are the consequences of missing a driver's license exam?
3 Answers
Exam failure handling. Below are the relevant details: 1. Validity period: Within the 3-year validity period of the driving skills test permit, the number of appointments for the subject two (road driving skills test) and subject three (road driving skills test) must not exceed 5 times each, meaning there are a total of 10 exam opportunities for both subjects. If the 5th appointment still results in failure, the previously passed subjects will be invalidated. 2. Restrictions: Although there is no limit on the number of appointments for subject one and subject four, meaning there is no limit on retakes, there is only one retake opportunity on the same day of the scheduled exam. However, subject four can only be taken after passing the subject three road driving skills test. If the exam is failed, a retake can be applied for directly, and the previously passed road driving skills test results remain valid.
Last time my neighbor’s daughter got into trouble over this—missing one exam can be a huge hassle. For theory tests like Subject 1 and Subject 4, it’s not too bad; at worst, you fail and have to pay the registration fee again. But if you skip the practical driving tests for Subject 2 or Subject 3, you lose one exam attempt on the spot. My cousin last year had to travel suddenly for work during his Subject 3 test—not only did he waste 2,000 RMB, but he also had to wait a full two months for a retake slot. My driving instructor told me they dread students like this the most—those who reschedule exams three or four times, losing all their practice momentum, and then needing extra training sessions afterward. All in all, it can cost nearly 3,000 RMB more in retake fees and extra lessons. The worst part? You can only book five exam attempts within six months, and no-shows count toward that limit!
Last week, Old Zhang in our driving school group suffered a silent loss. As a salesperson, he was suddenly called by his boss to attend a business banquet on the day of his Subject 2 test. The absence was directly recorded in the system. The main issue wasn't the fine, but having to rejoin the queue for scheduling—now that test slots are so scarce, a whole month was wasted. The 560 yuan retake fee is trivial compared to the psychological blow—after all, he practiced reversing into the bay thirty times before mastering it. This interruption means three extra training sessions before next week's retest. Not to mention many driving school contracts stipulate a 200 yuan service fee for missed tests, and breaching terms affects refunds. Oh, and with the exam schedule disrupted, getting the license will take at least half a year.
