What are the penalties for overdue driver's license renewal?
2 Answers
There is no penalty for overdue license renewal, but driving is prohibited from the date of license expiration until the new license is issued. If caught driving during this period, you will be penalized for unlicensed driving. It is advisable to renew your driver's license as soon as possible. However, if you drive a motor vehicle with an expired license, you will be fined between 200 and 500 yuan.
The penalties for failing to renew your driver's license on time are quite severe. Having driven for so many years, I've seen quite a few people suffer because of this. According to traffic regulations, driving with an expired license is considered unlicensed driving! If your license has been expired for less than a year, it's not too bad—you can simply go and renew it, but you'll have to pay a fine, around 200 yuan. If it's been expired for over a year, things get more complicated—you might need to retake the written test (Subject 1), which is both time-consuming and costly. The worst part is, if you're caught driving with an expired license, the fine can skyrocket to 2,000 yuan, along with demerit points and even detention. This can seriously disrupt your daily commute, and insurance won't cover any accidents. I think everyone should get into the habit of setting a phone reminder to visit the DMV a month before the expiration date. Don’t be like my friend who waited until six months after expiration, got fined hundreds of yuan, and deeply regretted it. Safety first—driving without a valid license is way too risky!
