What to Do When Your Motor Vehicle Driver's License Expires?
2 Answers
After passing the road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge examination, motor vehicle drivers can restore their driving qualification. Here are the relevant details: 1. If the driver's license has been expired for less than 1 year: The license will not be canceled, and you only need to go to the vehicle management office to get a new one. However, you cannot drive with an expired license. 2. If the driver's license has been expired for more than 1 year but less than 3 years: In this case, the license is in a 'canceled but recoverable' status. The driver can restore their driving qualification by passing the subject one exam again and then applying for a new license. 3. If the driver's license has been expired for more than 3 years: The license will be canceled, and the driver must retake the subject one, subject two, and subject three exams to restore their driving qualification.
I remember my driver's license expired the year before last. At that time, I had been driving for several years and didn’t think much of it, almost getting fined by the police during a check. Quickly check the expiration date: In China, if your driver's license has expired for less than a year, you can directly renew it. You need to bring your ID card, recent half-body photo and one-inch photo, as well as a medical examination certificate from a county-level hospital to the local vehicle management office for the renewal procedure. If it has expired for more than one year but less than three years, you may have to retake the theoretical test (Subject 1). If it exceeds three years, you’ll need to retake all driving tests. Never drive with an expired license, or you could face a fine of 200-2,000 RMB and possible points deduction. I recommend everyone checks their driver's license date annually and sets a phone reminder one month in advance to handle it, saving time and hassle while avoiding unexpected issues.
