An A1 driver's license is a license for driving large passenger vehicles. The vehicles permitted under an A1 license include large buses with a capacity of 20 or more passengers, as well as passenger vehicles with a body length exceeding 6 meters. Other vehicle types permitted under an A1 license include: A3 (city buses), B1 (medium-sized passenger vehicles), B2 (large trucks), C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery). According to the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses,' the requirements for obtaining an A1 license are as follows: Height must be at least 155 centimeters; Vision: Naked or corrected vision in both eyes must reach at least 5.0 on the logarithmic visual acuity chart; Color vision: No red-green color blindness; Hearing: Ability to discern the direction of sound sources with each ear at a distance of 50 centimeters from a tuning fork; Upper limbs: Both thumbs must be intact, and each hand must have at least three other fingers intact, with normal limb and finger movement; Lower limbs: Both lower limbs must be intact with normal movement, and the length difference must not exceed 5 centimeters; Torso and neck: No movement dysfunction; Age requirement: Applicants for large passenger vehicle licenses must be between 22 and 60 years old. An A1 license cannot be obtained initially; it can only be acquired through an upgrade. Unlike C1 or B2 licenses, one cannot apply for an A1 license directly. Starting from the most common C1 license, one must first upgrade to an A3, B1, or B2 license before being eligible for an A1 upgrade. The specific conditions are as follows: Hold an A3 or B1 license for at least two years, with no record of accumulating 12 or more penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the last three consecutive scoring cycles; Hold a B2 license for at least three years, with no record of accumulating 12 or more penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the last three consecutive scoring cycles; Hold an A2 license for at least one year, with no record of accumulating 12 or more penalty points in the current scoring cycle or the last three consecutive scoring cycles. Meeting any one of these conditions qualifies one for an upgrade. A1 License: The permitted vehicles under an A1 license include large buses with a capacity of 20 or more passengers, as well as passenger vehicles with a body length exceeding 6 meters. Other permitted vehicle types include: A3 (city buses), B1 (medium-sized passenger vehicles), B2 (large trucks), C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery). According to the appendix of the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses,' driver's licenses are classified into 16 categories: A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, D, E, F, M, N, and P. The Ministry of Public Security has refined the license categories into 15 types, with new licenses issued during annual inspections or verifications. C1 License: Many people believe that a C1 license only permits driving small vehicles with up to 7 seats. However, C1 licenses allow driving small vehicles with up to 9 seats and a body length not exceeding 6 meters. Vehicles like Jinbei or Ruifeng can be driven with a C1 license as long as they meet these criteria. Other permitted vehicle types under a C1 license include C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), and C4 (three-wheeled vehicles). C2 License: The C2 license is another common type, permitting the driving of automatic transmission cars with up to 9 seats and a body length not exceeding 6 meters. Note that C2 license holders cannot drive manual transmission vehicles. B1 License: The B1 license permits driving medium-sized passenger vehicles, defined as those with a length not exceeding 6 meters and a seating capacity of 10 to 19 passengers. Other permitted vehicle types include C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery). B2 vehicles are not permitted under a B1 license. B2 License: The B2 license allows driving heavy or medium-sized trucks or large, heavy, or medium-sized specialized operation vehicles. Heavy and medium-sized trucks are primarily cargo vehicles, such as the large dump trucks commonly seen on roads. Other permitted vehicle types under a B2 license include C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery), which is the same as the B1 license. A2 License: The A2 license permits driving tractor-trailers, which can only be operated by drivers holding an A2 license—even those with an A1 license cannot drive them. Other permitted vehicle types under an A2 license include B1 (medium-sized passenger vehicles), B2 (large trucks), C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), C4 (three-wheeled vehicles), and M (wheeled self-propelled machinery). A3 License: The A3 license is somewhat unique, as it primarily permits driving city buses. Other permitted vehicle types include C1 (small cars), C2 (small automatic transmission cars), C3 (low-speed cargo vehicles), and C4 (three-wheeled vehicles). However, A3 license holders cannot drive B1 or B2 vehicles. Although buses and large passenger vehicles may look similar, and some buses may even be longer, an A3 license does not permit driving large passenger vehicles. The classification of driver's licenses into 16 categories is based on the driving difficulty and safety requirements of different vehicle types. This system further refines the existing A (large passenger vehicles), B (large trucks), and C (small cars) categories, adding D, E, F, M, N, and P levels. Under the new regulations, first-time applicants cannot apply for an A1 (large passenger vehicle) license. Eligible vehicle types for first-time applicants include city buses, large trucks, small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, three-wheeled vehicles, ordinary three-wheeled motorcycles, ordinary two-wheeled motorcycles, light motorcycles, wheeled self-propelled machinery, trolleybuses, and trams. For temporary residents applying for a license for the first time, only C-category licenses (small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed cargo vehicles, and three-wheeled vehicles) are available. Motorcycle licenses are not permitted.
