What are the requirements for upgrading from a C1 license to an A1 license?
2 Answers
C1 license holders must first upgrade to a B1 or B2 license before upgrading to an A1 license. Below are the specific requirements for upgrading and the license requirements for upgrading to an A1: Specific upgrading requirements: For C1 license holders: You can upgrade to a large truck B2 license after holding any driver's license for 1 year, or upgrade to a medium-sized passenger vehicle B1 license after 3 years. For B2 license holders: You can upgrade to a large passenger vehicle B1 license after holding any driver's license for 1 year, or upgrade to a tractor A2 license after 3 years. B1 license holders can upgrade to a large passenger vehicle A1 license after 5 years. License requirements for upgrading to an A1: To upgrade to an A1 license, you must have held an A3 or B1 license for more than five years, or a B2 license for more than three years, or an A2 license for more than two years. Additionally, you must not have accumulated 12 penalty points in any of the last five scoring cycles.
Last year, I successfully upgraded my driver's license to A1, and the whole process was quite interesting. The first requirement was being at least 22 years old—I waited until after my birthday to enroll in driving school. Secondly, you need to have held a C1 license for at least one year; I had mine for over two years and was already quite skilled at driving small cars. Then, I had to pass a medical exam—good vision is crucial, especially for driving large buses to see road conditions clearly. I went to a designated hospital for a simple check-up. After enrollment, I attended theoretical classes and practical training, focusing on skills like reversing large vehicles into parking spaces and starting/stopping, which were more challenging than the C1 level. During the test, staying calm was key—the written exam covered traffic rules, while the practical test required steady driving without crossing lines. The cost wasn’t too high, totaling around three to four thousand yuan, depending on the driving school. Now, driving a bus earns me more money, but I also pay extra attention to safety.
