Here is good offer for you to get a legal Chinese drivers license. My friend got it last week from this company.

[scam site deleted]

Dillagaf wrote:Go to Shanghai Drivers License office at No. 179 Qing Chun Road , Xin Zhuang (Near Chun Shen Road / Hu Min Road ). The tel. no. is 021-64987070 x 54280 or 54279 (always busy) and get a real + legit license

No need for a service, it can be done in Engliosh on your own.

It's easy:

1.take digital photos
(Take passport ,Resident certificate,both original)
(Transportation office:No 3 gate No 179 QingChun Road,Tel:64987070 ext 54280)
2.fill the form of drive license application
3.body check.
4.Translation of the foreign drive license.
Specified translation company:
Shanghai translator union,Room 702-4 GuoLv Business tower East NanJing Road No 66.
Tel:63239181
5.Send all above documents to this transportation office and make appointment for regulation test
6.If pass the test,the will issue the drive license in China.

The test consists out of 100 multiple choice questions.

Should be not to difficult.

Good Luck

how much it will cost to have a drivers license here?

I think the MC questions are scary; what if the foreigner can't read Chinese? and yes, how mucH?

What if the foreigner doesn't have a valid foreign drivers license? My friend's is expired, so how can he get a Chinese license?

I did mine (from US license to China one) for about 158 RMB, didn't use any service and you can choose the exam in English. Costs breakdown are 40 RMB for digital photos, 3 RMB for copy, 60 for health check, the license itself only cost about 55 RMB.

You need to make sure you go to the right location though. They have different locations for people living in different areas. I went to the Min Hang district one (within walking distance from Metro #5 Chun shen lu station).

I'm a little confused on the need to have foreign license translated. Some says it's necessary but some says no. Given that translation if indeed necessary has to be done somewhere else other than Min Hang, just ant to get this right before going there. Thanks.

Yes, one other question.. If the documentation's in place, can the license can obtained in one visit or is there a need to make appointment in advance for test, etc..

I suppose I do need to get a resident visa before I can attempt obtaining the driving license?

I've always heard it must be translated, but I haven't actually tried getting a license so I cannot be 100% sure.

Yes, one requirement is that you have a residence permit. "F" and "L" visa holders are not elegible.

@superternal
when did you fix your license? why is it cheaper than the one in the website given in this thread?

It's easy:

1.take digital photos
(Take passport ,Resident certificate,both original)
(Transportation office:No 3 gate No 179 QingChun Road,Tel:64987070 ext 54280)
2.fill the form of drive license application
3.body check.
4.Translation of the foreign drive license.
Specified translation company:
Shanghai translator union,Room 702-4 GuoLv Business tower East NanJing Road No 66.
Tel:63239181
5.Send all above documents to this transportation office and make appointment for regulation test
6.If pass the test,the will issue the drive license in China.

The test consists out of 100 multiple choice questions.

Should be not to difficult.

Good Luck

right on... it is easy
to be able to get a drivers license then a laowai needs to have a employment visa (Z) or a residence permit/visa.

also there are three methods...
1. the one as detailed in Tom_32 above, is for a laowai holding a current valid drivers license from overseas (though not all other countries driving licenses are acceptable).
2. if the laowai does not hold a valid drivers license then the laowai must enrol in an apporved driving school same as a local to go through the required lessons etc.
3. there are some ways to get a drivers license by paying a large amount of RMB for the said license... though i suggest it is wise to have read the chinese road code since some of the regulations and road rules are a little surprising...

by the way this topic has been posted numerous times... doing a search will provide a range of posts.

...the process can be done in a day easy, especially if one has had the original drivers license translated in puxi before heading over to pudong. it pays to allow around 30-60mins just to get to grips with the driving regs/rules which will be given for one to read before sitting the test on computer.
both the book and computer test is offered in a range of languages other than chinese and english (eg french, german, arabic, italian etc)

the costs is roughly less than rmb200 from memory... when one does it on their own, without using an agent.
the license takes a little while to be issued by the testing center, and is valid for 6 years on first issue.

I got my license in November- the process is straight foward - you should not need the assistance of a company

As for what I needed: original passport with Z visa (no blue "yellow slip"), valid US driver's license, copy of my passport, copy of my visa, copy of my US driver's license, RMB40 for pictures, RMB60 for health exam, RMB55 for license; I did not need a translation of my license

Supposedly the 'written' exam is no longer required as of 01 Jan 2007 but I have yet to know someone who can actually verify this but the test if still required is extremely straight forward and basic - they provide a study guide and with an on-the-spot-once-over review of it I scored 97% in 12 minutes. The biggest problem I had was not answering the A-B-C answers too quickly as it runs C-B-A on the keypad instead of A-B-C and I hit enter too fast realizing I mis-keyed an A for a C or vice versa. You have to get 90 questions out of 100 correct and you have 45 minutes to complete the exam with the machine stopping when you have achieved the passing mark.

guel27 wrote:@superternal
when did you fix your license? why is it cheaper than the one in the website given in this thread?

So, I did sometime late last year (2006). I did it myself without using any agent. I think the one list on the site, as many other have noted, is for using an agent.

Official if you look at the introduction booklet, it said you have to translate your foreign driver license into Chinese. The guy there did ask me if I have done so, I told him no and that was it. They might have done it right there but I don't remember getting charged for it though.

The whole process took about 4 hours for me. That includes the exams and the preparation time for the exam. One tips, right before taking the exam, they will provide you a 100 sample questions with answer to review. My advice is read every single one. In my case, they were the actual exact exam questions.

So supereternal, translating the license, though officially required is not mandatory. Guess I'll try that as soon as I get my resident's permit sorted out.
I'm going somewhere in Min sheng Lu today presumably to apply for it.

regarding expired drivers license:

my license was expired when i applied but was told by the translation service that it wouldnt be a problem as long as it wasnt over 60 days

On a slightly different note, I've been told horror stories of foreigners driving here and getting into an accident. makes it sounds like it's in some uncivilised jungle.... Any experience to share, good or bad?

phrixus wrote:regarding expired drivers license:

my license was expired when i applied but was told by the translation service that it wouldnt be a problem as long as it wasnt over 60 days

Mine has been expired over a year.

Does that mean I have to apply as a normal Chinese person who never had a license?

ya or call up the dmv (assuming its us) and have them renew&mail a new or temp one here

Tried that. DMV said that after a license has been expired for more than 90 days, one must go through the complete process again.

i remember the 90 days part but i also thought they gave a 1yr extention/reprieve kind of thing if you were overseas?

Not NY. They don't give anybody anything.

thanks for the info guys. 1 more question, do i get the card on the same day?

Not NY. They don't give anybody anything.

ahaha i guess they dont

and yes its not mailed - you get the card same day

thanks phrixus!

right on... it is easy
to be able to get a drivers license then a laowai needs to have a employment visa (Z) or a residence permit/visa.

also there are three methods...
1. the one as detailed in Tom_32 above, is for a laowai holding a current valid drivers license from overseas (though not all other countries driving licenses are acceptable).
2. if the laowai does not hold a valid drivers license then the laowai must enrol in an apporved driving school same as a local to go through the required lessons etc.
3. there are some ways to get a drivers license by paying a large amount of RMB for the said license... though i suggest it is wise to have read the chinese road code since some of the regulations and road rules are a little surprising...

by the way this topic has been posted numerous times... doing a search will provide a range of posts.

Hi Sinned69

Do you know if they would accept Indian Driving license issued in English
and provide me an equivalent Chinese one?
Is there a website for Shanghai DMV?

Thank you
Srini

phrixus wrote:

Not NY. They don't give anybody anything.

ahaha i guess they dont

and yes its not mailed - you get the card same day

not anymore i dont think. this might have been changed as soon as this yr. i tried getting my license about 1 month ago. turns out after filling out all the paperwork, u then need to schedule a date to come back and take the written test (it's actually done thru a computer interface). u can not take the test the same day.

I just went through the process & got my license this past week. No matter what you or your staff are told before you go to the bureau, you CANNOT take the exam the same day but have to schedule an appointment to take the test - the rules changed after first of the year. It was a 10 day wait for me. With the holidays coming, you'll be lucky to get a testing slot the first week of March which is what was being assigned to folks applying Thursday.

Other things to consider:

1. You MUST get your drivers license translation done at the appropriate agency & it MUST be kept in the sealed envelope from that agency or they will not accept it.

2. You need to have photocopies of your passport, visa & work permit/residency permit. You can bring them or pay a few quai to have copies made.

3. YOUR MUST SHOW UP WITH YOUR NAME, ADDRESS & CONTACT DETAILS IN CHINESE. Have your staff, friend, significant other translate this before you leave. You are about to apply for a Chinese drivers license - not a foreign license so english spelling is not permissible.

4. Visit Bldg #11 first before applying (looks like coverted shipping container or single wide trailer) to have photos made, vision & hearing check & also where you can get copies made. Don't laugh too hard when they hand you a serving spoon to use during your vision test.

It greatly helps to either be able to speak & write in Chinese or take someone with you who can since the health forms are ONLY in Chinese & need to be filled out as such. Or can smile sweetly like I did, act like the dumb foreigner & get one of the stern-faced attendents to do this for you.

5. Application & testing for foreigners is in Bldg #8 upstairs, room 200. Just walk past the crowds of new wannabe drivers, go up the stairs & down the hall to the right. The clerks speak enough english to get by so you'll have no problem getting through this part alone.

6. The test is a breeze BUT you it helps to think local when you answer the questions. You will be given a test with answers to study when you make the appointment. I studied it an hour before my test & missed two questions.

7. Once passing your test, you spend a few minutes getting processed, be asked to go downstairs to pay, then go back upstairs to the waiting hall at the top of the stairs to #16 lane to hand in your receipt. Twenty minutes later, viola!, you are legal to drive like Mad Max on the streets of Shanghai!

Good luck & we'll see you on the road!

CFM I got my license translated at a place just up the road from the Peace Hotel and it was just a piece of paper printed out by computer and handed to me (5 minutes tops whole process)- no sealed envelope or anything special and I had no trouble getting my Chinese license last week