To drive or not to drive? That is the question for many expatriates living in China. Most visitors find they have enough trouble surviving Chinese traffic without actually taking the wheel. If you don’t want to give up the convenience of driving by yourself in mainland China, the information below will be quite helpful.

開不開車？這是許多生活在中國的外籍人士面臨的問題。大多數(shù)游客發(fā)現(xiàn)，如果不親自駕車，他們在中國的交通中生存下來已經(jīng)夠麻煩的了。如果你不想放棄在中國大陸獨自駕車的便利，下面的信息會很有幫助。

Before starting, you have to know about the following information first.

在開始之前，您必須首先了解以下信息。

- You cannot drive with an International Driver's Permit (IDP) in mainland China, nor with permits obtained in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan.

ー你不可持有國際駕駛許可證在中國內地駕駛，亦不可在香港、澳門或臺灣取得許可證。

- This article is based on the laws of the province of Beijing, and as usually is the case in China, the requirements may vary slightly depending on the city in which they apply.

這篇文章基于北京省的法律，和中國通常的情況一樣，這些要求可能會根據(jù)它們所適用的城市略有不同。

- Written exams can be done in English or Chinese. Nonetheless, in some small cities, you may be forced to do them in Chinese (sometimes they may authorize you to bring a translator). On the other hand, in some of the main cities of the country, you may even find exams in other languages (such as Spanish, French, German or Arabic).

筆試可以用英語或者中文進行。盡管如此，在一些小城市，你可能被迫用中文考試(有時他們會授權你帶一個翻譯)。另一方面，在一些主要城市，你甚至可以找到其他語言的考試(如西班牙語，法語，德語或阿拉伯語)。

How to get temporary driver’s license?

如何取得臨時駕照？

If you have a driving license issued by your home country, you can apply for a temporary driving license and drive in China without having to take related tests, according to a clause in a regulation issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

根據(jù)公安部發(fā)布的一項規(guī)定，如果你有本國頒發(fā)的駕駛執(zhí)照，你可以在中國申請臨時駕駛執(zhí)照，無需參加相關考試。

The regulation, which deals with the management of automobiles and expatriates that come to China for a short stay, stipulates that the valid period for the temporary driving license should not exceed the period marked in the entry and exit certificates, and the temporary license can be valid for three months at most. The valid period cannot be extended. In addition, the temporary driving license should be used together with the driving license issued at your home country and you should always take these two licenses with you, in case traffic police ask you to show these licenses at any time.

《中華人民共和國汽車和外籍人員短期入境管理條例》規(guī)定，臨時駕駛證的有效期不得超過出入境證明上標明的期限，臨時駕駛證的有效期最長為三個月。有效期不得延長。此外，臨時駕駛執(zhí)照應與在本國頒發(fā)的駕駛執(zhí)照一起使用，并應隨身攜帶這兩張執(zhí)照，以防交通警察要求你隨時出示這兩張執(zhí)照。

Although you have obtained your driving license at home and can get your temporary driving license in China without having to take related tests, you need to attend lessons to study Chinese road safety regulations, before you can drive in China. And you can only drive small cars or automatic-gear cars.

雖然你已經(jīng)在家里取得了駕照，并且可以在中國取得臨時駕照而不需要參加相關的考試，但是在你能在中國開車之前，你需要參加學習中國道路安全法規(guī)的課程。而且你只能開小型汽車或者自動檔汽車。

Necessary documents:

所需文件:

National driver’s license.

國家駕照。

International Driving Permit.

國際駕駛許可證。

Chinese translation of the foreign driver’s license (consult the embassy to know where this can be done).

外國駕照的中文翻譯(請咨詢大使館了解在哪里可以翻譯)。

Completed application form.

填妥的申請表格。

A hotel booking for at least one day.

預訂至少一天的酒店。

Three one-inch color photos with a white background.

三張背景為白色的一英寸彩色照片。

How to get permanent driver’s license?

如何獲得永久駕照？

If you will stay for a relatively long time in China, you can consider obtaining an official driving license in China.

如果你打算在中國停留較長時間，你可以考慮在中國取得正式的駕駛執(zhí)照。

Get Chinese driver’s license with your driver’s license obtained from home country

取得中國的駕照和你在本國取得的駕照

If you have a residency permit and a driver’s license from another country, you can get a Chinese driver’s license (valid for 6 years) just by passing a written exam. The process and the exam take place in the traffic police department (chē guǎn suǒ 車管所) in the city you live in and you may need a prior appointment. The exam consists of answering 100 multiple choice questions, lasts 45 minutes, and you pass by getting more than 90% of answers right. If you don’t pass, you can repeat it at that time, and if you don’t pass the second time, you have to wait at least 20 days to take it again.

如果你有外國的居留證和駕照，你只要通過筆試就可以拿到中國的駕照(有效期為6年)。這個過程和考試在你居住的城市的交通警察局進行，你可能需要提前預約?？荚嚢?00道多項選擇題，持續(xù)45分鐘，你通過了90% 以上的正確答案。如果你沒有通過，你可以在那個時間重復，如果你沒有通過第二次，你必須等待至少20天再次考試。

Necessary documents:

所需文件:

Passport and resident permit with at least three months of validity (original and photocopy).

有效期至少三個月的護照和居留證(正本和復印件)。

Record of temporary residence obtained at the local police station (original and photocopy).

在當?shù)嘏沙鏊〉玫呐R時居留記錄(正本和復印件)。

Driver’s license from the other country (original and photocopy).

其他國家的駕照(原件和復印件)。

Certified and notarized translation to Chinese of the driver’s license from the other country (In many places, such as Beijing, you only need to provide a translation signed by a Chinese national and bring the copy of his/her ID card).

經(jīng)過認證和公證的翻譯成中文的駕駛執(zhí)照從其他國家(在許多地方，如北京，你只需要提供一個中國國民簽署的翻譯和他/她的身份證復印件)。

Medical certificate (normally you can get this at the same place).

醫(yī)療證明(通常你可以在同一個地方獲得)。

Getting a driver’s license for the first time

第一次拿到駕照

If you are over 18 years of age, you have a temporary or permanent residency permit and you don’t have a driver’s license from another country, you can still get a driver’s license in China. To do this, you’ll have to pass four exams:

如果你超過18歲，你有一個臨時或永久居留權，你沒有從其他國家的駕照，你仍然可以在中國獲得駕照。要做到這一點，你必須通過四項考試:

- Written exam on laws and traffic regulations and basic concepts on vehicles (100 questions) - Parking and basic driving skills test on a track

關于法律、交通法規(guī)和車輛基本概念的筆試(100道題目)關于停車和基本駕駛技能的測試

- Written exam on correct driving habits (50 questions)

- 正確駕駛習慣筆試(50題)

- Road test

-路考

Each exam can be taken twice. If you fail, you’ll have to pay the fee again and wait at least 20 days.

每次考試可以進行兩次。如果你不及格，你將不得不再次支付費用，并等待至少20天。

To get your license, you’ll have to sign up for a driving school. There are some driving schools which specialize in foreigners, or which accept foreigners. There are even some which allow you to bring along a translator. It normally takes 2 to 3 months and 3,000 to 8,000 Yuan (fees, theory classes and on-road practice) depending on the driving school and the city.

為了拿到駕照，你必須注冊一個駕駛學校。有些駕校專門招收外國人，或者接收外國人。甚至有些學校允許你帶上一名翻譯。一般需要2到3個月，3000到8000元(費用、理論課和路上實踐) ，具體視駕校和城市而定。

Necessary documents:

所需文件:

Passport and residency permit with at least 3 months of validity (original and photocopy).

有效期至少三個月的護照和居留許可(正本和復印件)。

Record of temporary residency obtained at the local police station (original and photocopy).

在當?shù)嘏沙鏊@得的臨時居留記錄(原件和復印件)。

Medical certificate (normally this can be obtained in the same place).

醫(yī)療證明(通?？梢栽谕坏攸c獲得)。

Three to five one-inch color photos with a white background.

三到五張一英寸的白底彩色照片。

With the information above, you are well prepared to get Chinese driver’s license now. Please enjoy your stay in China.

有了上面的信息，你現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)為考取中國駕照做好了充分的準備。祝你在中國過得愉快。

Suggestions for expatriates who choose public transportation in China:

給在中國選擇公共交通的外籍人士的建議:

As for transport in the city, it is often better to use public transportation means such as bus, subway or cheap ubiquitous taxi, which is well developed in many main cities of China. For travel between cities there are trains, planes, inter-city bus, and especially the excellent high-speed rail system which is among the first place in the world.

就城市交通而言，最好使用公共交通工具，如公共汽車、地鐵或便宜的無處不在的出租車，這在中國許多主要城市都很發(fā)達。城市之間的旅行有火車、飛機、城際公共汽車，特別是世界一流的高速鐵路系統(tǒng)。