Living In China Info

Get in. Sit down. Hold on... and hope for the best! Your first car ride in China will be a treasured experience (eventually!) of survival in the face of imminent death.

We don't usually recommend trying to drive here yourself. Generally rental cars are not widely available and there are very few road signs or warning signs in English. Insurance is questionable and as a foreigner you can expect to be considered liable in any situation - regardless of the circumstances or facts.

Follow up:

Foreign drivers licenses are not recognized in China.

it is, however, possible to get a Chinese license and be a driver here - in fact, it's pretty easy if you have some help, particularly if you are in one of the larger regional cities.

To get a Chinese license you must do the same testing process as a Chinese citizen - which consists of a written test of the local driving laws and a practical driving test. You also need to have your passport, residency permit and foreign drivers license translated into Chinese by a government recognized translator.

If you have held your western drivers license for more than 3 years you can usually be exempted from doing the practical driving test.

The written test is sometimes available in English and several other languages, but you may have to do the test in Chinese. It is usually done on computer and you must get 90 out of 100 questions correct to pass, within a 40 minute period. Most of the questions are multiple choice or true/false. As a foreigner you should be permitted to have a "translator" with you for the test (TIP: Make sure your translator knows the answers to the questions. There's just not enough time to actually have them translate anything!)

Upon passing your license will be issued, valid for 10 years and recognized throughout China.

There are always exceptions to the rule! Several friends have obtained Chinese licenses in small towns by simply going to the local transport police office, showing their license, paying the fee and a shiny, new Chinese license is issued.

A few tips based on actual driving experience in China:

Do not assume that because you have a lot of driving experience you are a capable driver in China - the rules are different here and it takes some time to learn and adapt. Be patient and careful.

Ensure that you have comprehensive, complete insurance coverage. You will have accidents here.

If involved in an accident it is common to negotiate with the other driver on the spot to decide fault and compensation in situations where there is no personal injuries. This is popular because many drivers do not full comprehensive insurance (if any at all) and some may not have a drivers license, so getting the police involved in minor accidents is discouraged.

In order for the insurance assessor to approve any claim they must view the damage to all vehicles in their original state and condition. Don't move your car to clear the roadway and alleviate the huge traffic jam growing behind you - if you do you may wind up without any insurance coverage and the bill for all the damage and injuries, even if it's not your fault.

In any injury accident the Police should be called and nothing should be moved until they get there. If possible take pictures yourself straightaway using your phone camera or whatever you can borrow. Tell the police your version of the events and be as helpful and co-operative as possible, regardless of fault.