Which Subjects Are Required to Obtain a Driver's License?

[VanCassandra]

To obtain a driver's license, you need to pass up to Subject 4, which includes Subject 1, Subject 2, Subject 3, and Subject 4. According to the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Safety Law: Article 32 states that the content of Subject 1 includes regulations on road usage, traffic signals, handling of road traffic violations and accidents, application and use of motor vehicle driver's licenses, motor vehicle registration, and other road traffic laws, regulations, and rules. Each subject offers two immediate exam attempts, with Subjects 2 and 3 allowing up to five scheduled exam attempts. The validity period for driver's license applications starts from the completion of Subject 1 and lasts for three years. According to Article 19 of the Road Traffic Safety Law: Driving a motor vehicle requires legally obtaining a motor vehicle driver's license. Applicants must meet the driving permit conditions stipulated by the public security department under the State Council. Upon passing the exams, the traffic management department of the public security authority will issue the corresponding category of motor vehicle driver's license. Drivers must operate vehicles within the scope permitted by their license and carry their driver's license while driving. Therefore, it is clear that both driving without a license and driving a vehicle that does not match the permitted vehicle type are illegal. As per the first provision of the reply from the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council in Understanding and Applying the Legal Provisions of the < Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China > and Its Implementation Regulations: Driving a vehicle that does not match the permitted vehicle type on the license is considered equivalent to driving without a license. In terms of penalties, based on the principle of proportionality, lighter penalties may be applied under the provisions for driving without a license. Thus, both driving without a license and driving a mismatched vehicle fall under Article 99, Paragraph 1 of the Road Traffic Safety Law: Driving without a license, with a revoked license, or during a license suspension period may result in fines and up to 15 days of detention by the public traffic management department. Subject 1, also known as the theoretical exam or driver's theory test, is part of the motor vehicle driver's license assessment. The exam covers driving theory basics, road safety laws, local regulations, and related knowledge. Subject 2, also known as the small road test, refers to the field driving skills exam. It includes five mandatory test items: reversing into a garage, parallel parking, stopping and starting on a slope, right-angle turns, and curve driving. Subject 3, also known as the big road test, assesses road driving skills. The content varies depending on the permitted vehicle type but generally includes: pre-driving checks, starting, straight-line driving, gear shifting, lane changing, pulling over, passing intersections, left and right turns, crossing pedestrian crossings, passing school zones and bus stops, meeting oncoming traffic, overtaking, U-turns, and night driving. Subject 4, also known as the theoretical exam or driver's theory test, consists of 50 questions presented in case studies, images, or animations. Physical requirements for applying for a driver's license: Height: Applicants for large buses, tractors, city buses, large trucks, or trolleybuses must be at least 155 cm tall. For medium-sized buses, the minimum height is 150 cm. Vision: Applicants for large buses, tractors, city buses, medium-sized buses, large trucks, trolleybuses, or trams must have uncorrected or corrected visual acuity of at least 5.0 on the logarithmic visual acuity chart. For other vehicle types, the requirement is at least 4.9. Applicants with monocular vision impairment may apply for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, three-wheeled cars, or small automatic transmission cars for the disabled if their uncorrected or corrected visual acuity in the good eye is at least 5.0 and their horizontal field of vision is at least 150 degrees. Color Vision: No red-green color blindness. Hearing: Must be able to distinguish the direction of a sound source from 50 cm away using a tuning fork. Applicants with hearing impairments who meet this requirement with hearing aids may apply for small cars or small automatic transmission cars. Upper Limbs: Both thumbs must be intact, with at least three other fingers on each hand fully functional. Applicants with missing finger tips or three intact fingers on the left hand and complete palms may apply for small cars, small automatic transmission cars, low-speed trucks, or three-wheeled cars. Lower Limbs: Both legs must be intact and fully functional, with a length difference of no more than 5 cm. Applicants with a missing or non-functional left leg may apply for small automatic transmission cars. Torso and Neck: No movement impairments. Applicants missing one or both legs or with non-functional legs but able to sit independently may apply for small automatic transmission cars for the disabled if their upper limbs meet the above requirements. Applicants missing one hand but with a functional thumb and two other fingers on the other hand may also apply for small automatic transmission cars for the disabled if their lower limbs meet the requirements. Applicants for a motor vehicle driver's license must submit their application to the vehicle management office as follows: Residents should apply in their registered permanent residence. Temporary residents may apply in their temporary residence. Active military personnel (including armed police) should apply in their place of residence. Foreign nationals should apply in their place of residence. Applicants for additional permitted vehicle types should apply at the issuing location of their current driver's license.

[ReaganMarie]

I just got my driver's license not long ago. The whole process requires passing all four subjects to obtain the license, so don’t give up halfway. Subject 1 is the theoretical test, mainly about traffic rules. Practicing questions on your phone is enough, and I found it quite easy. Subject 2 focuses more on field skills, such as reverse parking and parallel parking, which require multiple simulations to master. Subject 3 involves driving on real roads, testing your driving ability. I was extremely nervous on my test day, but by driving slowly, I passed. Subject 4 tests safety and civilized driving knowledge, and you must pass it to receive your license. The entire process follows a sequence—you must pass Subject 1 before moving on to Subject 2, and each subject allows retakes if you fail. Only after completing it all did I realize the importance of driving. I recommend asking your instructor for tips during preparation and taking it step by step to learn safely—don’t rush.

[LeJustin]

I've been teaching people to drive, and I tell them that getting a driver's license isn't complete until you pass Subject Four. It's like building a house from the foundation to the roof. Subject One tests basic theory, such as traffic signal knowledge. Subject Two involves practicing field driving, like starting on a slope. Subject Three covers actual road control, including turning and lane changes. Finally, Subject Four examines safety and civility, such as yielding to pedestrians. Each step is interconnected, and failing Subject Four means you won't get the license. During practical training, I've noticed that Subject Three is prone to mistakes, so I advise students to practice more on the road with their instructors to reduce nervousness. Ultimately, getting a driver's license helps develop good habits—don't just aim for a quick pass. Taking it step by step, steady and sure, is the most reliable approach.

[CoreyFitz]

After signing up for the driver's license test, I learned that I needed to pass up to Subject 4 to complete the process. Subject 1 tests theoretical knowledge, such as traffic regulations and sign recognition. Subject 2 assesses practical skills like reverse parking in the test area. Subject 3 is the actual road test where the examiner evaluates your driving. Finally, passing the safety questions in Subject 4 leads to license issuance. The overall process is straightforward—I followed each step in order, retaking Subject 2 once after failing. Subject 3 was the most practical; driving my own car became much safer after completing it. Persistence makes getting the license easy.

[Allen]

My child is preparing to get a driver's license, and I reminded him that he must pass Subject 4 to be considered qualified—it's about safety, not a game. Subject 1 covers the basics of traffic rules, Subject 2 practices skills like reversing and parallel parking, Subject 3 focuses on real-road driving with careful observation, and Subject 4 tests civilized driving topics such as emergency handling. As a parent, I emphasized not rushing to succeed—failing Subject 3 just means more practice. The key is to genuinely understand the knowledge; only after passing Subject 4 can one drive with peace of mind. I suggested practicing more with experienced drivers to boost confidence.

[McAna]

The entire driving test process consists of four subjects until Subject IV is completed, with each subject being very practical. Subject I tests the mastery of basic theoretical rules, Subject II assesses fundamental driving skills like right-angle turns in the field, Subject III evaluates actual driving control and safety on the road, and Subject IV is a safety knowledge Q&A—pass it to get your license. During preparation, I used an app to review Subject I's question bank, practiced Subject II with driving school simulations, and familiarized myself with common test routes for Subject III. Although Subject IV is simpler, don’t take it lightly. The entire process averages two months, with flexible retakes allowed. Passing up to Subject IV ensures safer driving on the road—remember to practice more and make fewer mistakes.