What are the new regulations for downgrading B1 and B2 driver's licenses with 12 penalty points?
4 Answers
B1 and B2 licenses with 12 penalty points will be directly downgraded to C1 licenses. Legal provisions regarding driver's license downgrading: Article 78 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" stipulates that drivers holding licenses for large buses, tractors, urban buses, medium-sized buses, or large trucks shall have their highest permitted driving qualification revoked by the vehicle management office and be notified to complete the downgrade and license replacement procedures within 30 days under any of the following circumstances: (1) being involved in a traffic accident resulting in death and bearing equal or greater responsibility without constituting a crime; (2) accumulating 12 penalty points within one scoring cycle; (3) failing to participate in the inspection for three consecutive scoring cycles. Consequences of not completing the downgrade procedures: If the driver fails to complete the downgrade and license replacement procedures within the specified time, the vehicle management office shall announce the revocation of the permitted driving qualification. After completing the downgrade procedures, the driver must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle and the most recent scoring cycle before applying to reinstate the revoked driving qualification, and must not have been involved in any traffic accident resulting in death with equal or greater responsibility.
As an experienced truck driver, I'm quite familiar with the new regulations for 12 penalty points on Class B licenses. The policy changed a couple of years ago - if you accumulate 12 points, your B1 or B2 license will automatically be downgraded (e.g., from heavy truck to light vehicle C1), and the process is much faster now (completed in 3 days instead of the previous week). After downgrading, you can't drive large vehicles anymore, which directly impacts freight income. You'll need to immediately return to driving school for 7 days of training and retake both the theoretical (Subject 1) and road tests (Subject 3). The new rules are stricter, especially for repeat offenders - longer retraining periods apply for second offenses like speeding or not wearing seatbelts. I recommend developing routine safety habits, such as using dashcams to monitor speed and reduce risks. Never assume minor violations are harmless - this concerns safe driving.
Having driven for many years, I place great emphasis on safety. The new regulation that downgrades a B1 or B2 driver's license after accumulating 12 penalty points focuses more on risk prevention. After the downgrade, you shift from driving large vehicles to small vehicles (C1), effectively losing the qualification to operate trucks, which could be even more dangerous in case of an accident. The new rule mandates a compulsory 5-day safety education course, along with an exam simulating accident scenarios, which is more effective in reducing secondary accidents compared to the previous emphasis on theory. Additionally, the downgrade penalties for severe violations like drunk driving are stricter, potentially leading to a lifetime ban on driving. I recommend everyone to consider the rules before driving, such as checking speed limit signs and vehicle conditions—this not only avoids penalty points but also ensures the safety of others.
Simply put, under the new rules, if a Class B driver's license accumulates 12 penalty points, the highest permitted driving category will be directly revoked. For instance, a B2 license will be downgraded to C1. This means you can no longer operate large vehicles and must immediately undergo training. Passing the theory test (Subject 1) is required to partially restore your driving privileges. Regarding the differences between B1 and B2, B2 requirements may be stricter—for example, the training period is now extended by 2 days compared to the old rules, totaling over a week. The new policy tightens control over traffic violation retraining, so avoid infractions and stay updated with local traffic authority announcements.
