Which is higher level, C1 or C2 driver's license?
2 Answers
Driver's license C1 is of a higher level. The permitted driving scope of a C1 driver's license includes small and mini passenger vehicles, light and mini cargo vehicles; light, small, and mini special purpose vehicles; small passenger vehicles with seating capacity less than or equal to 9 people. Application age: The minimum age requirement for a C1 driver's license is 18 years old, with no upper age limit. However, applicants aged 70 and above must pass tests on memory, judgment, reaction ability, etc. C1 license test: The test subjects include four items: traffic regulations and related knowledge, field driving, road driving, and safe and civilized driving knowledge. Passing standards: Traffic regulations and related knowledge (Subject 1) – Written test, full score is 100, 90 or above is passing. Field driving (Subject 2) – On-site, actual vehicle. The minimum requirement is 80 points, below 80 is failing. Road driving (Subject 3) – Highway or simulated field, actual vehicle. Full score is 100, must achieve 90 or above to pass. Safe and civilized driving knowledge – Written test, questions mainly in the form of cases, pictures, animations, etc., question types include true/false, single-choice, and multiple-choice, totaling 50 questions, full score is 100, 90 is passing.
I did thorough research on this when getting my driver's license last year. The C1 classification is actually higher than C2 because C1 allows driving all small vehicles with both manual and automatic transmissions, while C2 only permits automatic transmission vehicles. For the C1 test, you need extra practice on hill starts and gear shifting, plus there's an additional clutch operation test - our driving school's pass rate is 20% lower for C1. My friends found the C2 test much easier, but later when they wanted to drive manual transmission pickups, they had to take additional tests for license upgrade. Nowadays taxi companies all require C1 licenses for hiring, since manual transmission is more fuel-efficient and allows engine braking by downshifting in emergencies. If you're planning for long-distance transport or car-sharing services, I recommend getting the C1 license directly - it's more cost-effective in the long run.
