What driving license is required for a 4.2-meter vehicle?

[VanMax]

4.2-meter box trucks fall under the category of light-duty trucks. According to the regulations on permitted vehicle types, drivers need to hold at least a C1 or higher-level driving license. The following are important notes regarding the driving license: 1. No solo highway driving during the probationary period: New drivers in their probationary period are not allowed to drive alone on highways. If highway driving is unavoidable, they must be accompanied by a driver with at least three years of driving experience; otherwise, they will be fined. For safety reasons, it is advisable to avoid highway driving during this period to prevent endangering others. 2. Displaying a "Probationary" sign during the license probationary period: As per regulations, new drivers must display a probationary or new driver sign at the rear of their vehicle during the probationary period. Failure to display these signs will result in fines. The purpose of these signs is to inform others that the driver is a novice or in the probationary period. 3. Accumulating 12 penalty points during the probationary period leads to license cancellation: New drivers must be particularly cautious during their probationary period to avoid violations. If they accumulate 12 or more penalty points, their newly obtained driving license will be revoked, and they will have to reapply and retake all tests, starting the process from scratch.

[McPatrick]

Last time I helped my cousin move, I drove a 4.2-meter box truck and specifically asked my traffic police friend. Our regular C1 driver's license is sufficient to drive it, but there's a key point: it must be a blue license plate truck! The total mass cannot exceed 4.5 tons, including both the vehicle and the cargo. The Foton Aoling I drove weighed just over 2 tons empty, and with two tons of furniture loaded, it was just under the limit. If it were a yellow license plate truck, a B license would be required, but nowadays most 4.2-meter trucks on the road have blue plates. The annual inspection is also simpler compared to larger trucks. The hardware store owner near my neighborhood drives one himself for stocking goods.

[VonCalvin]

The driving instructor repeatedly emphasized this during the license test. For small trucks under 6 meters in length, a C1 license is sufficient, and 4.2 meters fully meets the requirement. The key is to check the registration type on the vehicle license—it must be marked under the 'light-duty truck' category. Last time when helping the warehouse with deliveries, I specifically confirmed: the 4.2-meter JMC Shunda I drove had a total mass of 4495kg on the license, making it a standard blue-plate vehicle. By the way, the 2023 regulations require such vehicles to be equipped with a Beidou recorder, and overloading caught on camera will result in points deducted from a C-class license.

[MacRichard]

Let me share a real experience. Last year when I wanted to change my vehicle for transporting construction materials, I specifically visited three dealerships. The salespeople all said a 4.2-meter light truck only requires a C-class license, but reminded me to pay attention to the tonnage certificate. For example, the JAC Shuailing has a rated load capacity of 1.8 tons, but exceeding 2 tons of steel plates would be overloading. An old classmate at the vehicle management office told me the trick: blue-plate vehicles must simultaneously meet three conditions—vehicle length under 6 meters, total weight not exceeding 4.5 tons, and load capacity below 1.5 tons. In the end, I chose a Dongfeng Tuyi, which is just compliant for hauling ceramic tiles.