Driving in China

The fundamental rule: foreign licences do not work in mainland China

International Driving Permits (IDPs) issued under the 1949 and 1968 Geneva Conventions are not recognised for driving in mainland China. A foreign national driving licence - regardless of country of issue - is also not valid. To drive legally in mainland China, you must hold a Chinese driving licence.

This is different from Hong Kong and Macau: IDPs and foreign licences are valid in Hong Kong (left-hand traffic, UK-style roads). Many expats rent and drive in the New Territories without issue.

Obtaining a Chinese driving licence: licence conversion

Foreigners who already hold a valid driving licence from their home country can convert it to a Chinese licence, bypassing the full training and practical test. This is the standard route for expat drivers.

**Requirements**: - A valid residence permit (居留许可证) - tourist visas do not qualify - A valid foreign driving licence from your home country - Notarised translation of the foreign licence into Mandarin Chinese (typically done at a notary bureau or at the Vehicle Administration Office - ¥100-¥300) - Health check at a designated medical centre (vision, hearing, limb function) - approximately ¥100, same-day results

**The process**: 1. Book a health check at a vehicle administration-designated medical centre (your local DMV office - 车辆管理所, chēliàng guǎnlǐ suǒ - will provide a list). 2. Have your foreign licence translated and notarised. 3. Sit the theory test. The Chinese road-rule theory test is 100 questions, multiple choice, covering traffic rules, road signs, driving ethics, and first aid. A score of 90/100 is required to pass. The test is available in English at most Tier-1 and Tier-2 city Vehicle Administration Offices. Some Tier-3 city offices only offer the test in Mandarin. 4. Submit the completed application (passport + residence permit + health check certificate + notarised translation + original foreign licence + the theory test result) to the Vehicle Administration Office. 5. Pay the licence issuance fee (approximately ¥40-¥60). 6. Receive the Chinese driving licence within 1-5 business days.

Total cost: ¥300-¥800. Total time: 1-3 weeks from start to receipt.

Licence validity: Initial Chinese licence is valid for 6 years for most categories. Renewal requires a medical check and in some cases a simplified test.

Obtaining a licence from scratch: the full process

If you do not hold a comparable home-country licence:

1. Theory test (same 100-question exam, 90% pass mark). 2. Basic driving skills test (driving a test course at the training centre: reversing into a box, S-bends, single-leg bridge). 3. On-road test (in-traffic driving assessed by the examiner).

Most people engage a Chinese driving school for the process. Mandatory training hours at a licensed school are required before each practical test stage. The full process takes 2-5 months and costs ¥5,000-¥10,000 including coaching.

The practical tests are in Mandarin; some driving schools in Tier-1 cities have English-speaking instructors.

Driving culture: honest assessment

China's road culture is notably different from most Western countries:

• Lane discipline: Looser than in Western Europe or North America. Lane changes without signals are normal, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Expect vehicles to drift.
• Right-of-way negotiation: At unmarked junctions and merges, the larger or more assertive vehicle typically proceeds. Traffic flows by implicit negotiation rather than strict rule application.
• Scooter and e-bike traffic: Electric scooters and e-bikes are ubiquitous, often running against traffic flow or on the wrong side of the road. They are the primary road danger for car drivers in cities.
• Enforcement: Heavy and technology-based. Speed cameras, red-light cameras, lane-change violation cameras, and congestion zone cameras are dense in Tier-1 cities. Violations are mailed to the registered plate address.
• Drink-driving: Zero tolerance. Breath-test at 20mg/100ml is an offense; 80mg/100ml is drunk driving with criminal consequences (licence revocation, 1-6 month detention). Police checkpoints specifically for drink-driving are common on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Car ownership in China

Buying a car: Requires a residence permit. Purchase tax (购置税) is 10% of the vehicle price. In Beijing and Shanghai, new car registration requires a licence plate, which is controlled by lottery (Beijing) or auction (Shanghai).

• Beijing licence plate lottery: Monthly random draw. Odds approximately 1% per draw for petrol vehicles; better odds for electric vehicles. You can join the lottery and wait indefinitely, or purchase a second-hand plate (legal, expensive - ¥50,000-¥120,000 for a used plate in recent years [VERIFY: current market rates - May 2026]).
• Shanghai licence plate auction: Monthly auctions. Prices have historically reached ¥90,000-¥120,000 per plate. The cost of the plate is separate from the cost of the car.

Other cities (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Tianjin) also have plate restrictions in various forms.

Electric vehicles (EVs): Dominate new car sales in Tier-1 cities. BYD, Nio, Xpeng, and Li Auto are the major Chinese EV brands alongside Tesla. EVs have simpler plate acquisition in restriction cities. Urban charging infrastructure is excellent - fast chargers in most residential compound car parks and shopping mall car parks in Tier-1 cities.

Car rental: With a Chinese licence, daily car rentals are available via CAR Inc (一嗨租车), eHi (一嗨), and Shenzhou Zuche (神州租车). Rates ¥150-¥500/day depending on vehicle type [VERIFY: current rates - May 2026]. International credit card required for the deposit.

Insurance

Third-party liability insurance (交强险, jiāoqiǎng xiǎn) is mandatory for all vehicles. Cost approximately ¥1,000-¥2,000/year. Comprehensive commercial insurance on top of this: ¥3,000-¥8,000/year depending on vehicle value.

What most expats actually do

In Tier-1 cities, most expats do not drive. The metro is faster, Didi is cheaper for point-to-point, and parking in central areas is expensive (¥30-¥80/day in commercial areas). Driving makes sense for: - Families in lower-density suburbs (Shunyi in Beijing, Jinqiao in Shanghai, Shekou in Shenzhen) doing school runs - Weekend trips outside the city where public transport is inconvenient - Expats based in Tier-2 or Tier-3 cities where metro coverage is limited

If you want a car without the full licence-conversion process, hiring a driver (专车司机) via a driver-hire agency is common among senior expat professionals: a full-time driver costs ¥8,000-¥15,000/month [VERIFY: current driver rates - May 2026].