What is the required corrected vision for a driver's license?
2 Answers
According to Article 12 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses", the vision requirements for the driver's license test are as follows: For applicants of large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, medium-sized passenger vehicles, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams, the naked eye or corrected vision of both eyes must reach 5.0 or above on the logarithmic visual acuity chart; for other types of driving licenses, the naked eye or corrected vision of both eyes must reach 4.9 or above on the logarithmic visual acuity chart. For those with monocular vision impairment, if the naked eye or corrected vision of the right eye reaches 5.0 or above on the logarithmic visual acuity chart and the horizontal field of vision reaches 150 degrees, they can apply for a motor vehicle driver's license for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, or small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled. Other physical requirements for obtaining a driver's license: Height: For applicants of large passenger vehicles, tractors, city buses, large trucks, or trolleybuses, the height must be 155 cm or above; for medium-sized passenger vehicles, the height must be 150 cm or above. Color vision: No red-green color blindness. Hearing: Able to distinguish the direction of sound sources with each ear at a distance of 50 cm from a tuning fork. Those with hearing impairment but can meet the above conditions with hearing aids can apply for a motor vehicle driver's license for small cars or small automatic transmission cars. Upper limbs: Both thumbs must be intact, and each hand must have at least three other fingers intact with normal limb and finger movement functions. However, those with missing fingertip segments or a missing right thumb can apply for a motor vehicle driver's license for small cars or small automatic transmission cars. Lower limbs: Both lower limbs must be intact with normal movement functions, and the length difference should not exceed 5 cm. However, those with a missing left lower limb or loss of movement function can apply for a motor vehicle driver's license for small automatic transmission cars. Those with missing right lower limbs, both lower limbs, or loss of movement function but can sit independently can apply for a motor vehicle driver's license for small automatic transmission passenger cars for the disabled. Trunk and neck: No movement dysfunction.
I was also quite nervous about my vision when I took the driving test. The physical examination includes a specific test for corrected vision, which means reading the eye chart with glasses or contact lenses. Generally, the better eye of the two should achieve at least 0.8, equivalent to the 4.9 standard on the logarithmic vision chart. This requirement is quite reasonable. Before the test, I was worried my prescription wasn’t strong enough, but with glasses, I passed easily. I remember the examiner even said that if my vision wasn’t properly corrected, I shouldn’t take the test because driving without clear vision of vehicles or road signs is extremely dangerous. Looking back now, it’s right for the country to set this threshold. A friend of mine almost got into an accident while driving due to severe nearsightedness and neglecting correction, so he later got a new prescription and lenses before obtaining his license. I recommend getting a comprehensive eye check-up before applying for the test—don’t wait until the last minute like I did. Make sure your vision meets the requirements before signing up—safety first!
