I'm a new addition to the expat community having arrived barely 3 days ago on 3 months assignment.

To engage self-driving car, i'm required to obtain work permit and subsequently apply for local driving license.

I need to know, if it's prudent to apply driving license or simply rent a car and explore the city and outside.

Any help on information will be appreciated.

Cheers!
Rainman

- Three months assignment and you want to drive? Nonsense. Take the cab, easier and cheaper.
- You require a work permit, first of all to be allowed to work here
- Applying for the local driving license will take over 1 month, if my memory serves well - mostly waiting time for the medical checkup, then the test etc.
- Are you Japanese?

Agree with Cambronne; use taxis and if you are going on a longer trip bargain for a daily rate. For a three month assignment the hassles is just not worth applying for a Chinese license, plus you need a proper visa.

You need the work permit to get the residence permit so you can apply for the license. Wait time is only one week, iirc, for the bureau to schedule your exam. All the other nonsense (eg physical & eye exams) is taken care of in one day.

But if you're only going to be here for 3 months, it may not be worth it.

Well, my humble suggestion is to take cabs and observe driving ethics in China first. It might well change your mind after that...

Agree with all above. The transport system is so good here, WHY, would you risk your life. If metro or bus cannot get you there, use a taxi. I have been here more than 4 years, thought about a license, but after seeing the traffic madness, only thought about it for 5 minutes. My Chinese neighbor friend wants to help me get a driving license, but purely for I.D. purposes. (very useful). He says all I need is proof of residence, home drivers licence, am given a road rules book to read, no questions, or test. Not sure about medical, but (he says) takes about a week.
Rainman, think you have the anwers to your question.
If you have heaps of $, you would be better with hiring a car WITH driver.

Agree with the above. For short assignment the best way is to get a cab.

FYI. I got my license 6 months ago and was not that hard. You can do medical check out plus translation of your foreign driver licence into Chinese language within a day providing your license is in English. Other languages will take longer and the translation agency is dominated by the government authority (they will provide you the address and translation agency name). Then you need to book your exam and they will give you a 100 questions booklet with the answerrs in the language you requested. Basically you come back on the day and take the test and if you pass (need 90 out of 100 questions) and they can issue the licence on the same day. The cost is less than RMB 500 including medical check up if my memory serves me correctly.

But just like what Ex-Vagrant suggested the driving SKILL and ETHICs are big issues over here. Considering you as an expat and if you involve in an accident the local might try to get more than what you deserve financially.

^ Dear kindest Lily.

Should Rainman engage your services, I am sure the first thing you be doing is showing him your Drivers License, Commercial Endorsement, and Insurance papers?