What happens if you don't surrender your old driver's license when adding a new vehicle class?

[VanGeorge]

Continuing to use an old driver's license without surrendering it when adding a new vehicle class may result in a fine of 20200 yuan. After passing the additional license test, the old license must be surrendered and replaced with a new one. If the old license is not surrendered, it can no longer be used, and continued use is illegal and punishable by a fine of 20200 yuan. It's important to note that driving is prohibited between the time the old license is surrendered and the new one is issued. The following are the relevant legal provisions: Article 19 of the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses' states that when applying to add a permitted vehicle class, in addition to filling out the 'Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form' and submitting the certificates specified in Article 18, the currently held motor vehicle driver's license must also be submitted.

[LeMiranda]

I've encountered many similar situations where people forget to bring their old driver's license to the DMV when applying for an additional vehicle class endorsement. According to regulations, the old license must be surrendered during the endorsement process because they need to cancel the old one before integrating the new permitted vehicle types into a single new license. If you don't submit the old license, the DMV will either refuse to issue the new one or suspend your application progress. The most troublesome part is that if you keep the old license and drive with it, traffic enforcement will discover you have two valid licenses, which could lead to trouble—a fine of several hundred yuan would be the least of your worries, with more severe consequences possibly including temporary suspension or even revocation of your license. I once helped a friend deal with this issue—he was too lazy to submit his old license and ended up with penalty points and multiple extra trips to the DMV. So, I remind everyone not to cut corners when applying for additional endorsements. Just bring your old license and submit it directly to avoid unnecessary risks and violations, preventing disrupted travel plans and wasted money.

[VanNatalie]

I personally experienced this when applying for an additional driver's license. The process involves submitting an application first, then providing required documents, among which the old driver's license is a mandatory credential to surrender. If you forget to bring it or intentionally withhold it, the DMV system will show you have two valid licenses, making it impossible to process the new license approval. Once at the counter, I saw a young man next to me get turned away and asked to return another day because he didn't bring his old license, wasting half a day. Worse, if you stubbornly refuse to surrender it and get caught during a road check, you could be penalized for unlawfully holding multiple licenses. Fines may start at several hundred yuan, and it might even affect license renewal or insurance claims. The key issue is avoiding confusion: without canceling the old license, the new one remains invalid, which can easily lead to mistakes in daily driving. In short, I advise everyone to gather all necessary documents before applying for an additional license—don’t lose big for small gains. Ensure the whole process is smooth and safe to avoid unnecessary trouble.

[AlanMarie]

From a traffic management perspective, failing to surrender the old driver's license when applying for an additional driving class can easily cause issues. Without retrieving the old license, the vehicle management office cannot uniformly register the new permitted vehicle types, leading to delays or failure in issuing the new license. If you continue using the old license without surrendering it, you may face warnings or fines if discovered. Another risk is daily confusion—I know someone who forgot to surrender their old license, kept both old and new licenses together, and mistakenly used the wrong one while driving, resulting in penalty points and fines from traffic police. In the long run, this could affect personal credit records, such as being questioned for compliance during accident handling or insurance claims. A simple solution is recommended: voluntarily surrender the old license when applying for an additional driving class to avoid major mistakes caused by minor oversights.