Driving in China: temporary permit or full conversion
There is no route that lets you drive in mainland China on a foreign licence alone. You need either a provisional permit or a converted Chinese licence — here is which applies to you.
This is the point most new arrivals get wrong: there is no official route that lets you drive in mainland China on a foreign licence by itself. Whatever you hold at home, you go through one of two processes.
Which route applies to you
Short stay — provisional driving permit
If your stay is no more than three months, you apply for a provisional driving permit valid for three months.
If your stay is longer than three months, the permit is issued to match your permitted period of stay — but capped at one year.
Living here — convert to a Chinese licence
If you hold a residence permit and intend to stay, converting your overseas licence to a Chinese one is the durable answer. The provisional permit is a bridge, not a substitute.
What you need: provisional permit
- Entry and exit identity documents — your passport
- Your foreign driving licence
- A Chinese translation of that licence, if it is not already in Chinese
- Two 1-inch photos — bareheaded, half-length, front-facing, white background, taken recently
What you need: conversion
- Original and photocopy of your identity documents
- Your residence permit documentation
- Original and photocopy of your overseas driving licence
- A Chinese translation if the licence is not in Chinese
The translation requirement is specific
Not any translation will do. Officially acknowledged are:
- Translations issued by foreign embassies or consulates in China
- Translations notarised by a local notary organisation
A translation you did yourself, or an agency printout without notarisation, will be rejected at the counter. Arrange this before you go — it is the single most common reason applications fail.
If you are 70 or over
Applicants aged 70 and above must pass a capacity test in the Theory Test Room before a provisional permit can be issued. Budget extra time for this.
Practical notes
- Get your residence registration done first. Vehicle administration offices work from your registered address. See Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen.
- Procedures are municipal. The national framework is uniform, but the office, queueing system and test scheduling differ by city.
- Ride-hailing is the practical default. For most short stays the permit process costs more time than it saves — see trains and metro.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration — How to convert your driving license in China
- Shanghai Municipal Government — How to apply for a temporary driving permit
- Shanghai Municipal Government — How to convert your overseas driving license
- Beijing Municipal Government — Holder of foreign driving license applying for Chinese licence
- Tianjin Municipal Government — Q&A for Provisional Driving Permit
Vehicle administration procedures are handled municipally and requirements change. This page records what the official sources said on the verification date shown above; confirm with the local vehicle administration office before applying.