What are the penalties for driving with a suspended license?
3 Answers
Driving with a suspended license will result in a fine and detention for up to 15 days. Below are the steps to reinstate a suspended license: 1. Prepare for the exam: Within the specified time, the vehicle owner must settle all traffic violations, pay all fines, and prepare to take the written test (Subject 1). 2. Attend courses: Bring the traffic management department's education notice, personal ID, and the license suspension certificate to the vehicle management office for registration. 3. Obtain qualification certificate: After receiving the full-score education notice, the vehicle owner can use this notice to attend the full-score education course and obtain the qualification certificate for the Subject 1 exam.
A while ago, my buddy got caught by traffic police driving while his license was temporarily suspended. This could be a big or small issue—light penalties include a fine of around a thousand yuan and 6 demerit points, or worse, 15 days of detention. The key is that the suspension period gets reset, meaning all that waiting was for nothing. If you hit someone, the problem escalates—insurance companies will outright deny coverage. The worst part is if a friend lends you their car, their vehicle could also be impounded. I later checked the Road Traffic Safety Law, and Article 99 clearly states these penalties for driving without a valid license. So now, I always advise friends to just take a taxi rather than risk it.
I heard from a traffic police friend last time that the penalties are quite severe. Driving during the license suspension period is treated as driving without a license, with fines starting at a minimum of 200 yuan and going up to 2,000 yuan. If you're unlucky, you could end up detained for 15 days, leaving a criminal record which is a big hassle. Most importantly, if you get into a traffic accident during this period, you'll be fully liable and could even face criminal charges. I remember a colleague who did this two years ago and ended up having his license revoked completely. Also, electronic surveillance cameras count too, so don't think you can get away with it. It's best to just get a bus pass or call a ride-hailing service—much less trouble.
