Tourists are able to drive in China right now

[Larryuan]

Hi, guys,
Just share my experience to drive in China.
I found the government in China processed a new policy to allow tourists to get a offical drving permit. I got mine in Shanghai.
This permit can only use for car rental.
I attached the process below which is from a comapay in China. Ehi car Services is a car rental company.
They charge like 20 USD to take you to get the permit in Shanghai.
They mentioned they will increase the price to 40 USD, but give away 20 USD car rental voucher.


[email protected]. This is their email address.

Shanghai

As per current Shanghai Policy, there are two steps to obtain the Temporary Driving Permit.

Step 1:

Bring your original overseas driving license to one of the following two designated translation agencies to get a Chinese translation of it.



a) Shanghai Interpreters’ Association (SIA)

Address: Room 1607, F16, 1277 West Beijing Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai

上海市静安区北京西路1277号国旅大厦1607室

Tel: 021-63218568, 021-63239910

Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-16:30


b) Shanghai SISU Translation Service Co.

Address: 573 Chifeng Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai

上海市虹口区赤峰路573号

Tel: 021-65362032
Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-16:30


Step 2:

After receiving the Chinese translation, visit one of the following agencies for a formal application to obtain the Chinese Temporary Driving Permit.


a) No. 1 Branch of Vehicle Administrative Office

Address: 2999 West Huaxia Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai

上海市浦东新区华夏西路2999号

Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00

b) Traffic Police Department of the International Airport Public Security Bureau (Hongqiao)

Address: 201 Konggang 1st Road, Changning District, Shanghai

上海市长宁区空港一路201号

Tel: 021-28952290
Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-16:00


c) Traffic Police Department of the International Airport Public Security Bureau (Pudong)

Address: 9 Haitian 4th Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai

上海市浦东新区海天四路9号

Tel: 021-68343234

Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00


d) Traffic Police Department of Free Trade Zone Sub-bureau

Address: Block A, 459 West Fute One Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai

上海市浦东新区富特西一路459号A座
Tel: 021-22047395

Office hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00



Note:

1) The holder of the Chinese Temporary Driving Permit is the only one permitted to drive a rented car.

2) The Temporary Driving Permit will be valid for one year maximum, depending on the valid period of your Chinese visa.

3) You are required to keep your overseas driving license and its Chinese translation, your Chinese Temporary Driving Permit, and the car rental contract with you in the car while driving.




If you would like to obtain the driving permit on your own

Please prepare the below items:



1. Original and photocopy of your passport and Chinese visa;

2. Original and photocopy of your overseas driving license;

3. Chinese translation of the overseas driving license issued by any one of the two designated translation agencies listed above;

4. Two square 1-inch by 1-inch color photos (recent frontal white background photograph of upper body without a hat) (You are required to take the photo and pay RMB 25 at No. 1 Branch of Vehicle Administrative Office);

5. A Chinese name, Chinese mobile phone number and current residence address in Shanghai (in Chinese) are required.



Go to one of the four agencies listed above for formal application to obtain the Chinese Temporary Driving Permit.


If you would like for eHi to assist you

Please submit your request in advance at our website and upload:


1. Original passport

2. Original overseas driving license

3. Chinese Visa


We will contact you as soon as possible after your request is approved by our preliminary review. Our staff will accompany you to receive the Chinese translation and go to the Shanghai No. 1 Branch of Vehicle Administrative Office for a formal application.

Important:

a) As per the requirement of Shanghai No. 1 Branch of Vehicle Administrative Office, all applicants must take 1-inch photo in the office. A RMB 25 will be applied.

b) An additional service fee of RMB 150 will be charged. This includes the translation fee.


Please be Advised:

At present, the application process of the Temporary Driving Permit for foreigners is still in the trial stage. If you have any other questions, please call us at 400-888-6608, 021-62308102 or email to [email protected] for help.





Beijing


As per current Beijing policy, it is simple to apply for the Chinese Temporary Driving Permit by yourself.



Please prepare below items:

1. Original and photocopy of your passport and Chinese visa;

2. Original and photocopy of your overseas driver's license;

3. Two recent square 1-inch by 1-inch color photos (frontal white background photograph of upper body without a hat);

4. A Chinese name (which is needed when filling out the Chinese translation sheet for your overseas driving license);

5. A nominal fee of RMB 10 would be charged.



Visit the following location to apply:

Vehicle Administrative Office of Beijing Capital International Airport

Address: Gate No.7, 1F, Zone C, Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport

北京首都国际机场中心广场东侧T3号航站楼C区1F层7号门交通执法站

Tel: 010-64530010

Office hours: Monday-Sunday 8:30-11:00 am, 12:30-16:30 pm


Note:
1) The holder of the Chinese Temporary Driving Permit is the only one permitted to drive a rental car.

2) The Temporary Driving Permit will be valid for one year at most, depending on the valid period of your Chinese visa.

3) You are required to keep your overseas driving license and its Chinese translation, your Chinese Temporary Driving Permit, and the car rental contract with you in the car while driving.



If you would like for eHi to assist you

Please submit your request in advance at our website and upload:


1. Original passport

2. Original overseas driving license

3. Chinese Visa


We will contact you as soon as possible after your request is approved by our preliminary review. Our staff will accompany you throughout the whole applying process.


Please be Advised:

At present, the application process of the Temporary Driving Permit for foreigners is still in the trial stage. If you have any other questions, please call us at 400-888-6608, 021-62308102 or email to [email protected] for help.

[Lovetheworld]

That is great.

But I do wonder where you can travel freely. Which area of China you can just roam around in when you have a rental car.
Because most border areas, especially in the West and South are pretty closed off.

It will probably also depend on the company that rents you the car. They might also require you to stay in a certain area.

[Larryuan]

I think it will work in most areas of China. The new policy is set by the central government of China, which will also be applied to local government. It might be taken a little bit of time to be educated to everybody. But it's a Good Start.

[pillysutty]

Awesome information. Does anyone has the same information for Shenzhen?

[cztt346]

Actually, on a press conference by the Ministry of Public Security of China on September 10th 2019, the Ministry has already announced to simplify the application procedures for provisional driving permits and extend the validity of the provisional driving permit.
"One is to simplify the application procedures for provisional driving permits. For those who apply for a provisional driving permit for cars and motorcycles, they can apply directly with their travel document, original overseas driving license and their Chinese translation texts, without further physical examination and proof of physical conditions. The second is to extend the validity of provisional driving permit. For those who stay for a short time, they can apply for a provisional driving permit valid for three months; for those who stay for more than three months, the validity period can be extended to one year. Temporary driving permit can be used multiple times within the validity period."
https://www.mps.gov.cn/n2254536/n225454 ... index.html

[cztt346]

1.I think you don't HAVE TO apply for the provisional driving permit through an agency like the Ehi car Services you mentioned if your application materials are complete.
2.It seems that only Shanghai required the translation from designated translation agencies. Other cities (such as Beijing, Haikou, Sanya, Chengdu) only mentioned "original overseas driving license and their Chinese translation texts". By consulting the officials, even the translation made by yourself is OK.
3. To make it more convenient for foreigners to apply for it, many airports has set up the accreditation office so that foreigners can get the driving permit right after they arrive at the place. The office is usually in the international arrival hall of the airport, attatched to the visa office of the public security bureau or the information desk.

Here is the photo of the accreditation office for temporary driving permit inside the Sanya Airport (SYX), in the southern Hainan province.

[murg]

Hi there,

Just to get this right....

All of the posts above are referring to the temp. License.

What about driving a foreign licensed vehicle?
It'd be great to have a simplified process for both, maybe even the ability to drive a defined route (e.g. Murghab - Tashkurgan - Pakistan) without a 'guide'.

Any update welcome!

[cztt346]

Hi there,

Just to get this right....

All of the posts above are referring to the temp. License.

What about driving a foreign licensed vehicle?
It'd be great to have a simplified process for both, maybe even the ability to drive a defined route (e.g. Murghab - Tashkurgan - Pakistan) without a 'guide'.

Any update welcome!

Well, I'm not particular clear about the policy of driving a foreign vehicle in China.But it seems that it requires an ATA Carnet to pass the Customs, and it is also required to apply a Temporary entry vehicle license (Temporary car plate) issued by the traffic police within 2 DAYS of your entry. Most of the applications are in the name of "organized tourism and competition activities", so you might have to find a travel agency to manage it.
Here you can read the guide for the Temporary entry vehicle license (Temporary car plate) on the public service website of Zhejiang province for reference.
http://www.zjzwfw.gov.cn/zjservice/item ... 4f226d803f
There's very few information about the situation in Xinjiang, but the application procedure should be the same. As far as I know, the DMV in Khorgos(Huoerguosi) and Kashgar(Kashi) could accept this kind of business.

Specimen of Temporary entry vehicle license (Temporary car plate):
For cars in the reason for organized tourism and competition activities:

For motorcycles in the reason for organized tourism and competition activities:

[Berlin-Beijing]

Hi there,

Just to get this right....

All of the posts above are referring to the temp. License.

What about driving a foreign licensed vehicle?
It'd be great to have a simplified process for both, maybe even the ability to drive a defined route (e.g. Murghab - Tashkurgan - Pakistan) without a 'guide'.

Any update welcome!

Nope. That's called Reciprocity with Chinese characteristics...
Chinese are coming to drive their cars here in Germany without being hassled but you cannot do the same in China.

Everyone can get the temporary license for rental vehicles -- no agency necessary.

[cztt346]

Here is a specimen of the Temporary Driving License ("Provisional Driving Permits", “临时机动车驾驶许可”). Remember, the photo size required is not 1inch × 1inch. It seems that they require the "photo for driving license" for the application use, which the photo size is 32mm × 22mm, with the head width 14-16mm, head length 19-22mm.

Another edition of the license…