Why do driving schools hold onto ID cards?

[DeMila]

Driving schools do need to take the original ID card or temporary residence permit of students to the vehicle management office to input information, as without this input, students cannot take the exam. If students find that the driving school is illegally using their ID cards or leaking their identity information, they can complain to the transportation management office of the district traffic bureau. According to China's Resident Identity Card Law, no organization or individual may detain a resident identity card (except when public security organs implement compulsory measures for residential surveillance in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China). Those who illegally detain another person's resident identity card may be given a warning by the public security organs and fined up to 200 yuan; if there are illegal gains, such gains shall be confiscated.

[KalebMarie]

When I first enrolled, I also wondered why they needed to hold onto my ID card. Later, I realized it’s mainly to prevent impersonation. Both driving test subjects two and three involve hands-on practice in the car. If someone were to take the test for another person or use a fake identity to learn driving, it would be impossible to clarify responsibility in case of an accident. Once, I saw their registration system—they scan and upload the ID card to the traffic management platform for study hour verification, and every student’s file must match their identity information. When there are many enrollees, the instructors can’t possibly remember every face. Without holding onto the ID, it would be impossible to detect if someone like Zhang San were practicing in place of Li Si. Moreover, the exam also requires on-site ID scanning and facial recognition, so the driving school holding onto the ID in advance eliminates the risk of proxy test-taking. Nowadays, many places also require driving schools to retain students’ identity proofs for at least three years to facilitate later spot checks.

[DelMackenzie]

To put it simply, this is mainly for management convenience. The driving school I enrolled in takes in over 30 students at a time, and training cards need to be placed in the coach's car to log training hours. Without ID cards held as collateral, if someone suddenly drops out, it would be hard to fill the vacant slot. My friend worked as a clerk at a driving school, and they were most troubled by students canceling at the last minute—holding onto ID cards allows them to deduct breach fees from the deposit. Moreover, hundreds of people queue up at the test center every day, and you need your ID to get a number for entry, as the examiner must verify your identity. Although electronic systems are advanced now, many county-level test centers still rely on paper-based registration, so holding onto IDs saves the hassle of back-and-forth procedures. Some driving schools may accept photocopies of IDs, but the original is more reliable.

[AnthonyFitz]

The core issue is ensuring safety for both parties. Recent news reported unlicensed driving schools failing to verify identities, leading to serious incidents where individuals with drug offenses sneaked in to learn driving. For legitimate driving schools, holding onto IDs is first and foremost a legal requirement, as the Ministry of Transport mandates that driving training institutions must verify the authenticity of identities. When I was learning to drive, my instructor clearly stated that IDs would be returned 48 hours before each subject exam, but must be held during training sessions. Additionally, for tuition installment plans, holding IDs helps prevent malicious defaults. Although it might feel uncomfortable, consider this: if driving schools allowed random imposters to practice, who would be held liable in case of an accident? With fierce competition among driving schools nowadays, holding IDs has become a standard industry practice.