What is a red driver's license?

[Jodie]

Red driver's license is a military license, generally only available to active-duty military personnel. Most vehicles driven on the road with this license are armored vehicles or transport vehicles. For such military vehicles, the license is more difficult to obtain, requiring various driving skills to acquire this license. Generally, driver's licenses are divided into A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, etc. The A1 license allows driving large passenger vehicles, as well as off-road vehicles, small cars, and passenger trucks. The A2 license permits driving tractors, heavy and medium-sized full-trailer vehicles, semi-trailer vehicles, and small cars. The A3 license allows driving city buses with more than 10 passengers, including small cars and small passenger trucks. The B1 license generally permits driving medium-sized passenger vehicles, including medium-sized passenger cars, buses with 10 to 19 passengers, and small cars. The B2 license allows driving large trucks, heavy and medium-sized trucks, and large, medium, and heavy special-purpose vehicles. The C1 license permits driving small and micro automatic passenger vehicles and light and micro automatic trucks. The C2 license allows driving small and micro automatic passenger vehicles and light and micro automatic trucks, generally referred to as small automatic vehicles. The C3 license permits driving low-speed trucks and vehicles under the C4 category, while the C4 license allows driving three-wheeled vehicles. Age requirements for driver's license applicants: Applicants for small cars, small automatic vehicles, and light motorcycles must be between 18 and 70 years old. Applicants for low-speed trucks, three-wheeled vehicles, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, or wheeled self-propelled machinery must be between 18 and 60 years old. Applicants for city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams must be between 21 and 50 years old. Applicants for tractor licenses must be between 24 and 50 years old. Applicants for large passenger vehicle licenses must be between 26 and 50 years old.

[SanLillian]

Back when I was young and driving, the old driver's licenses commonly seen on the road were green booklets with thin covers, and holding them felt quite refined. Nowadays, when people talk about red driver's licenses, it's probably a mix-up. In China, regular driver's licenses are blue card-based. During driving lessons, you might get a learning permit with red-lettered probationary marks, but that doesn't count as an official red booklet. Some people mention red, perhaps thinking of military, police, or special vehicle licenses, but those are mostly issued by specific departments. The key is to look at the license number and category—don't be fooled by the color. If you really come across a red license, it's likely a temporary permit or a foreign translation document, so make sure to verify its legitimacy. Using a fake license while driving carries big risks, from point deductions and fines to causing accidents that harm others and yourself. It's best to stick with the reliable blue booklet.

[LeBentley]

In the wave of technological advancement, driver's licenses have gone digital now—just scan with an app to display it. Who even cares about the color of the physical card anymore? But when friends mentioned red driver's licenses in conversation, I figured that was a misunderstanding. China's standard small vehicle driver's license is a blue card, with a red sticker added during the probationary period to remind new drivers, but the entire license booklet is blue. The mention of red sounds like the color-coded tier system used in some countries, such as the U.S., but we don't have that setup here. A driver's license is a safety credential—don't cut corners with counterfeit versions. If you encounter an unusually colored license on the road or during official procedures, contact the traffic authorities immediately for verification. Driving is no trivial matter; neglecting details can easily lead to trouble.

[VonCassandra]

When accompanying my child to the driving school, the instructor mentioned something about the color of the driver's license. A standard Chinese driver's license is a blue-backed card, and the red booklet might be a misunderstanding of the red lettering on the probationary sign. The cover of the driver's license or the learning booklet occasionally comes in red, but that's not the official license itself. Fancy colors aren't important; what matters is whether the category information inside is correct. Some parents worry that their child having a red license is unsafe, but it's actually a false alarm. Safe driving depends on skill, not color, and don't be fooled by the authenticity of the document. During driving lessons, we're always reminded to carry valid documents when driving on the road and not to believe in any tricks.