
Conditions for changing from a C2 driver's license to a C1: You need to hold a C2 driver's license, ID card, and a health certificate, and apply at the vehicle management office that issued the C2 license. You must undergo study and testing, and upon passing, you can exchange for a C1 driver's license. If you already hold a motor vehicle driver's license and are applying to add a permitted driving category, you must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the most recent scoring cycle before the application. C1 driver's license test: The test subjects include four items: traffic regulations and related knowledge, field driving, road driving, and safe and civilized driving knowledge. Passing standards: Traffic regulations and related knowledge (Subject 1) - written test, full score of 100, 90 or above is passing. Field driving (Subject 2) - on-site, actual vehicle. The minimum requirement is 80 points, below 80 is failing. Road driving (Subject 3) - highway or simulated site, actual vehicle. Full score of 100, must achieve 90 or above to pass. Safe and civilized driving knowledge - written test, questions mainly in the form of cases, pictures, animations, etc., question types include true/false, single-choice, and multiple-choice, totaling 50 questions, full score of 100, 90 is passing.

Last year, I upgraded my driver's license from C2 to C1, mainly to drive my buddy's old manual transmission car. The process was actually quite straightforward. First, I went to the DMV to apply for the upgrade, bringing my ID and C2 license, and just filled out a form. The test only covered manual transmission operations, like hill starts and gear shifting, with no need to retake the theory exam. I spent 500 yuan on a week of training at a driving school, where the instructor focused on coordinating the clutch and throttle—after enough practice, I stopped stalling. After passing, I waited a few days to get my new license, and now I drive manual smoothly. It's especially handy in rural areas where manual transmissions are more common. Overall, just make sure to have your health certificate ready and pass the vision check—the process is quick and practical.

I know quite a bit about upgrading from C2 to C1 license, having driven for 20 years and mentored many beginners through this process. The core requirement is taking an additional manual transmission road test; you don't need to retake the entire exam, just the gear shifting skills and hill start. I recommend directly scheduling the test at the DMV - it costs around 200 yuan if you want to save money, but you'll need to prepare your own manual car for practice or enroll in a fast-track driving school. Bring your original license and ID when applying, plus a quick medical checkup. Learning manual not only expands your car options but also improves driving control, avoiding rental restrictions. The whole process takes about 1-2 weeks to complete.

The key to upgrading to a manual transmission lies in mastering mechanical coordination, such as synchronizing the clutch, throttle, and gear shifting. A C2 license is for automatic vehicles, and upgrading to C1 proves your capability. The test focuses on practical skills like hill starts in urban areas to avoid stalling. With years of driving experience, this process sharpens reflexes, making manual driving safer and more enjoyable. The requirements are simple: hold a valid C2 license and pass the additional driving test. No extra training is needed—just jump straight into the test drive.


