What to Do When a C1 Driver's License Expires?
2 Answers
If the driver's license has been expired for less than 12 months, it can be renewed as usual; if it has been expired for more than one year but less than 3 years, the holder must retake the subject one test to renew the license, and upon passing the test, the license can be obtained; if the expiration period exceeds three years, the holder must reapply for a driver's license. Below is relevant information about driver's licenses: 1. Required documents for driver's license renewal: (1) The identity proof of the motor vehicle driver; (2) The motor vehicle driver's license; (3) A medical certificate issued by a county-level or higher medical institution or a military medical institution at the regimental level or above. For those applying for a special small automatic transmission passenger vehicle for the disabled, a medical certificate issued by a specialized medical institution designated by the provincial health authority must be submitted. 2. Validity period of the driver's license: According to road traffic safety laws and regulations, the validity period of a motor vehicle driver's license is generally 6 years, and the driver should apply for renewal within 90 days before the expiration of the license.
I recently discovered that my C1 driver's license has expired, which made me a bit nervous since I haven’t been driving for long and this is my first time encountering such a situation. I checked official information and immediately stopped driving to avoid being caught driving without a valid license, which could result in fines or revocation. I brought my ID card, old driver's license, a one-inch photo, and a medical certificate (a simple vision and hearing check at the community hospital) to the DMV. The process went smoothly—since it had only been expired for six months, I was able to directly renew it, and it took just half a day to complete. The staff mentioned that if the license had been expired for over a year, I would have needed to retake the theory test (Subject 1), and if it had been over three years, I would have had to start from scratch. So, I recommend regularly checking the expiration date. Also, the DMV staff were helpful—just make sure to prepare all the required documents, and don’t delay too long for safety’s sake. I also plan to set a phone reminder for the next renewal date to avoid repeating the same mistake.
