Procedures and Required Materials for Driving License Conversion for Foreign Nationals

I. Eligible Applicants:

Foreign nationals holding an overseas driving license. (A Chinese motor vehicle driver's license is valid for six years.)

II. Required Materials:

(1) Proof of identity of the applicant (either of the following):

1. A valid passport or other international travel documents, a valid visa or stay/residence permit with a stay/residence period exceeding three months, and an Accommodation Registration Certificate issued by the public security organ;

2. A Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card;

(2) A Physical Condition Certificate issued by a medical institution;

(3) The overseas driving license held by the applicant. Where the license is not in Chinese, a Chinese translation rendered by a translation agency or notarized by a notary institution shall also be provided;

(4) An Accommodation Registration Certificate issued by the public security organ;

(5) One recent color identification photo with a white background in one-inch size, taken within the past six months.

III. Processing Procedures:

(1) The Acceptance Counter at the Vehicle and Driver Administration Office shall examine the overseas driving license submitted by the applicant. Where the overseas driving license is not in Chinese, the Chinese translation rendered by a translation agency or notarized by a notary institution shall also be examined. The Acceptance Counter shall examine the passport, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents used by the applicant to travel to the country or region that issued the overseas driving license, and shall verify and print out the applicant's exit and entry records through the National Exit and Entry Administration Information System to confirm that the time and place of the applicant's stay overseas are consistent with the issuance of the overseas driving license, and to confirm that the applicant had cumulatively resided in the issuing country or region for 90 days or more within one year at the time of obtaining the driving license. Where the applicant applies for a motor vehicle driver's license authorizing the driving of large passenger buses, heavy tractor-trailers, or medium passenger buses, the Acceptance Counter shall also confirm that the corresponding vehicle category specified on the overseas driving license held by the applicant has been held for two years or more. Where the cumulative residence of the applicant in the issuing country or region within one year at the time of obtaining the driving license is less than 90 days, the relevant information shall be entered into the computer management system, and the applicant shall be informed of the need to take Subject 1 (Theory Test), Subject 2 (Field Driving Test), and Subject 3 (Road Test).

Where the applicant is a staff member of a foreign embassy, consulate, or international organization in China, the Physical Condition Certificate shall be examined in accordance with the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.

(2) Where the applicant holds a driving license issued by a country that has concluded a mutual recognition agreement with China, or where a staff member of a foreign embassy, consulate, or international organization in China holds an overseas driving license and is exempted from the examination in accordance with the agreement or the principle of diplomatic reciprocity, the Acceptance Counter shall assign a motor vehicle driver's license file number, produce and issue a motor vehicle driver's license.

(3) The Acceptance Counter shall accept the application for reservation of the Subject 1 (Theory Test) examination and issue an examination reservation voucher. However, where the applicant already holds a small automatic transmission vehicle driving license and applies for a small passenger vehicle category, holds a moped driving license and applies for an ordinary motorcycle or an ordinary three-wheeled motorcycle category, or holds an ordinary motorcycle driving license and applies for an ordinary three-wheeled motorcycle category, a motor vehicle driver's license shall be produced and issued directly. Where the applicant applies for a motor vehicle driver's license authorizing the driving of large passenger buses, heavy tractor-trailers, city buses, medium passenger buses, or heavy goods vehicles, or applies for two or more vehicle categories including any of large passenger buses, heavy tractor-trailers, city buses, medium passenger buses, or heavy goods vehicles, the Acceptance Counter shall also accept the application for reservation of the Subject 2 (Field Driving Test) and Subject 3 (Road Test) examinations and issue examination reservation vouchers. Where the applicant simultaneously applies for both large passenger buses and heavy tractor-trailers, or simultaneously applies for both medium passenger buses and heavy goods vehicles, the applications for reservation of the Subject 2 and Subject 3 examinations shall be processed separately after the Subject 1 (Theory Test) has been taken, and examination reservation vouchers shall be issued. Where the cumulative residence of the applicant in the country or region that issued the overseas driving license within one year is less than 90 days, the Acceptance Counter shall also accept the applications for reservation of the Subject 2 and Subject 3 examinations and issue examination reservation vouchers.

(4) The Examination Counter shall administer the examination to applicants who have reserved an examination in accordance with relevant regulations. Where a staff member of a foreign embassy, consulate, or international organization in China applies with an overseas driving license, the examination shall be administered in accordance with the principle of diplomatic reciprocity.

(5) The Acceptance Counter shall review the examination materials; verify the information in the computer management system; and where the applicant satisfies the requirements, assign a motor vehicle driver's license file number, produce and issue a motor vehicle driver's license.

Office Locations:

Urban District:

Wuhu Municipal Public Security Bureau Vehicle and Driver Administration Office

Wanzhi District:

Wanzhi District Vehicle Management Office, Wuhu Municipal Public Security Bureau Traffic Management Detachment

Fanchang District:

Fanchang District Traffic Management Detachment Vehicle Management Office, Wuhu Municipal Public Security Bureau Fanchang Branch

Nanling County:

Nanling County Public Security Bureau Vehicle and Driver Administration Office

Wuwei City:

Wuwei Municipal Public Security Bureau Vehicle and Driver Administration Office

Contact Number: 0553-12123

Important Notes:

1. An "overseas driving license" refers to a formal motor vehicle driving license with independent driving qualification issued by a foreign country, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region, or the Taiwan region. It does not include a learner's permit, a temporary driving permit, or a probationary driving license.

2. A foreign national holding an overseas driving license who has a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card shall apply for a motor vehicle driver's license at the Vehicle and Driver Administration Office in his or her place of residence; who has a residence permit shall apply at the Vehicle and Driver Administration Office in the place where the residence permit was issued; and who has no residence permit but holds a valid visa or stay permit shall apply at the Vehicle and Driver Administration Office in the locality of the public security organ that issued the Accommodation Registration Certificate.

3. A staff member of a foreign embassy, consulate, or international organization in China holding an overseas driving license shall apply for a motor vehicle driver's license at the Vehicle and Driver Administration Office in the locality of the embassy, consulate, or international organization in China.

4. China has currently concluded mutual recognition agreements on motor vehicle driving licenses with the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Belgium, and France. Foreign nationals holding driving licenses issued by the aforementioned countries, as well as foreign nationals holding driving licenses issued by the Macao Special Administrative Region, may undergo the driving license conversion procedures in accordance with the relevant mutual recognition agreements.