What is the background color of the photo on a driver's license?
3 Answers
The photo standard for applicants of motor vehicle driver's licenses under the 'Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China' requires a 1-inch bareheaded color front photo of the license holder with a white background. Those who need vision correction must wear glasses. The specifications are 22mm × 32mm, with the head occupying about two-thirds of the photo length. Below is relevant information: Shooting location and precautions: The photo can be taken at the vehicle management office or at a licensed photo studio outside. If taken at an external photo studio, simply inform the studio that the photo is for a driver's license application, and the studio will follow the specifications accordingly. Just follow the studio's instructions to complete the photo session. Additional information: The standard size for motor vehicle license photos as stipulated by the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security is: length 88mm × width 60mm, with a corner radius of 3mm. The photo should be taken at a 45-degree angle from the front left of the vehicle, with the vehicle occupying more than two-thirds of the photo, and a corner radius of 3mm. The motor vehicle license (vehicle license) is the legal document permitting the vehicle to be driven on the road.
I remember when applying for a driver's license, the photo must have a pure white or light blue background without any other colors or patterns. At that time, when I went to a photo studio, the owner specifically emphasized the need for a uniform background because the traffic management department requires this for easy identification. I've seen many people get their applications rejected due to complex backgrounds, such as patterns or dark colors, which caused them to make an extra trip. Applying for a driver's license is already not easy, so when preparing the photo, simply choosing a pure white background is both convenient and compliant. In fact, the national standardization of this requirement is to prevent forgery and ensure clear information, especially during license renewal or annual inspections, making it easy to recognize the face at a glance. Therefore, I recommend everyone to carefully check local policies before applying to avoid minor mistakes causing major delays.
I just got my driver's license last year, and the photo had a light blue background. When I applied, I went to the DMV thinking I could take the photo freely, but the staff pointed out that the background must be a solid light color. My first photo was taken at home with a bookshelf in the background, which was too cluttered, so it got rejected. Later, I switched to a white background photo, and it passed. In mainland China, the standard is white or light blue, mainly to make the face more prominent and harder to forge. I think this regulation is quite reasonable, and it made the application process smoother. Remember, keep the photo simple—you can easily create a white background using mobile apps. Always pay attention to photo quality to avoid issues before hitting the road.
