Motor Vehicle Driving License

The Motor Vehicle Driving License (simplified Chinese: 机动车驾驶证; traditional Chinese: 機動車駕駛證; pinyin: Jīdòngchē Jiàshǐzhèng) is the legal driving license within China excluding the two special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). In these two territories separate driving license must be obtained from their respective traffic authorities. It is issued, ratified and regularly inspected by the traffic administrative department of the public security organ. Minimum age varies from 18 (for cars) all the way up to 26 (for large buses) in the country. Learner's licenses, although granted, have little effect, as most training takes place within the confines of specially-designed training areas inaccessible, on paper, to the general motoring public. Previously, expressways were inaccessible even for holders of a normal driver's license if they did not possess the license for a full year; however, such a regulation has now been invalidated. Drivers with licenses less than a year old, however, are still considered "intern drivers" or "new drivers" (Chinese: 实习司机; pinyin: shíxí siji), and certain limitations apply to them (for example, they must display a uniform label on the car when they are driving). The PRC considers the driving license, under a new law, an administrative license (Chinese: 行政许可; pinyin: xíngzhèng xuke).

Some areas do not issue motorcycle licenses or three-wheeler licenses any more. This promotes driving without a license, a fake license or an illegally purchased license.