What are the requirements for upgrading from a C license to a B1 license?
2 Answers
To upgrade from a C1 driver's license to a B1 license, the following conditions must be met: The C1 license must have been held for at least 3 years. The applicant must be between 21 and 50 years old, with a height of at least 155cm. There should be no record of full demerit points in the last 3 scoring cycles before application. Information such as ID card, driver's license, and address must be consistent. Here are the relevant details: 1. Required materials: "Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form"; Original motor vehicle driver's license; Original and photocopy of the applicant's identity proof (for non-local residents, a residence certificate and its photocopy are also required); Medical certificate issued by a county-level or above medical institution or a military medical institution at the regimental level or above; 8 recent color passport photos with a white background, showing the head occupying two-thirds of the length. 2. Special regulations: The following circumstances disqualify an applicant from upgrading to a B1 license: Being fully or primarily responsible for a fatal traffic accident; Driving under the influence of alcohol; Having a record of driving under the influence of alcohol in the current scoring cycle or the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application; Having a record of driving over 50% above the speed limit in the current scoring cycle or the last three consecutive scoring cycles before application, without the driver's license being revoked.
I recently upgraded from a C license to a B1 license, and the whole process was quite challenging but worth it. You need to hold a C1 driver's license for at least one or two years, depending on policy updates—basically, you need some driving experience. The age requirement is usually 21 or older, which is a strict threshold. A medical exam is mandatory; your vision must meet the standard, and your hearing must also be fine, or you’ll be disqualified immediately. For the exam, the theory test has to be taken again, with questions harder than the C license, mainly focusing on rules for medium-sized buses. The road test requires driving a medium-sized vehicle, which feels heavier than a small car, so you’ll need extra practice to pass. I recommend enrolling in a driving school early—don’t cheap out on sketchy places; official channels are more reliable. Taking time to prepare is key—don’t rush the test, as safety comes first. After the upgrade, you can drive buses, which feels like leveling up.
