What are the differences between A1, A2, and A3 driver's licenses?
2 Answers
A-level driver's licenses can be subdivided into three types: A1, A2, and A3. The differences between A1, A2, and A3 licenses lie in the different requirements for obtaining them and the types of vehicles they permit to drive. Since an A1 license can only be obtained through an additional driving test, one must already possess either an A3, B1, or B2 license before applying for an A1 license. Only after holding one of these licenses for five years can one apply for an A1 license. More details are as follows: 1. Vehicles permitted with an A1 license: Holders of an A1 license can drive large buses (A1), city buses (A3), medium-sized buses (B1), large trucks (B2), small cars (C1), etc. In other words, they can drive all the vehicles permitted by their original license before upgrading. The A1 license adds the large bus category, which includes vehicles over six meters in length or with a passenger capacity of more than 20. For example, city buses and long-distance coaches at bus stations fall under the large bus category and require an A1 license to drive. Additionally, some high-end luxury cars, although seating fewer than 20 passengers, exceed six meters in length and also require an A1 license to drive. 2. Vehicles permitted with an A2 license: After obtaining an A2 license, one can drive tractor-trailers (A2), medium-sized buses (B1), large trucks (B2), small cars (C1), small automatic transmission cars (C2), low-speed trucks (C3), three-wheeled cars (C4), and wheeled self-propelled machinery (M). 3. Vehicles permitted with an A3 license: Although an A3 license is specifically for bus driving, it is not limited to buses only. According to relevant regulations, holders of an A3 license can drive not only buses but also vehicles permitted under the C1 license, such as small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, and three-wheeled cars. Although buses are over six meters long and carry more than 20 passengers, they are not the same as large coaches like tourist buses.
Having driven for over twenty years, I understand the ins and outs of driver's license classifications. A1, A2, and A3 are three types of large vehicle licenses, differing in the range of vehicles they permit you to drive. The A1 is the highest-level passenger vehicle license, allowing you to operate large buses, city buses, and medium-sized buses, covering the vehicles that an A3 license permits, and even enabling you to drive school buses or tour coaches. The A2 is specifically for driving traction vehicles, such as trailers and semi-trailers commonly used by logistics companies. The A3 is exclusively for city buses and does not permit driving other large vehicles. To apply for an A1 license, you must upgrade from a B or C license, with a minimum age requirement of 22, strict vision standards, and exams that include driving on complex road sections, posing higher risks. Driving large buses carries significant responsibility, requiring attention to passenger safety and road conditions, so beginners are advised to start with simpler vehicle types.
