What is the validity period after the second renewal of a driver's license?
3 Answers
The validity period after the second renewal of a driver's license is 10 years. Article 56 of the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses" states: If a motor vehicle driver has not accumulated 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during the six-year validity period of their motor vehicle driver's license, they will be issued a motor vehicle driver's license with a ten-year validity period upon renewal. If the driver has not accumulated 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle during the ten-year validity period of their motor vehicle driver's license, they will be issued a long-term valid motor vehicle driver's license upon renewal. Renewal deadline: The motor vehicle driver should apply for renewal at the vehicle management office of the issuing authority within 90 days before the expiration of the current driver's license. The "Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form" must be completed during the application. Required materials for renewal: Bring two copies of ID card, two recent 1-inch color photos without a hat, original ID card, original driver's license, and a medical examination certificate from a county-level or above hospital (free physical examinations are also available at the vehicle management office). Renewal process: The motor vehicle driver submits the required materials to the vehicle management office of the issuing authority for renewal. The vehicle management office will process the renewal within one working day after approval.
I just renewed my driver's license for the second time last year, and the new license now has a long-term validity period. When I renewed it for the first time, the validity was extended from 6 years to 10 years. Now, during the second renewal, the staff at the vehicle management office told me that as long as I follow traffic rules and haven't accumulated 12 penalty points, I can get a license with long-term validity. I specifically checked the regulations, and it's indeed the case: after driving for 10 years without serious violations following the first renewal, the second renewal directly grants long-term validity. Remember to bring a medical examination report when renewing—now you don’t even need to prepare photos yourself, as the vehicle management office can take them on-site. Long-term validity is really convenient, though drivers aged 70 and above still need to submit an annual medical examination certificate.
After my second driver's license renewal, I obtained a long-term valid one. The first renewal was after six years, which extended the validity to ten years. When I went for the second renewal after ten years, the vehicle management office said that as long as I hadn't accumulated 12 penalty points in any scoring cycle, the second renewal would grant a long-term valid license. Several experienced drivers I know also got their long-term licenses this way, but if you accidentally accumulate 12 points and have to retake the course, you can only renew for another ten years. The renewal process is simple: bring your ID card and old license, complete the on-site physical exam and photo, and it's done in half an hour. The long-term license eliminates the hassle of frequent renewals, but remember to update your photo after six years.
