China - Convert a Foreign Driver License

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Procedure

• Step 1: Application procedure
  • Head to Shanghai Vehicle Management Bureau at Hami Road with all the above documents
  • Go to building no.9 and pay the money for taking photo. You need to show them the resident permit, passport and home country's licence & its Chinese translation copy.
  • Head to the photo taking room which will be advised during paying the money for the photos.
  • Take your pictures and go to building no.10 to collect your photos and the application form with medical checkup list. This application needs to be filled in Chinese for your name, address, nationality, etc and affix your photo. If no Chinese person accompanies you, maybe you should ask the help of security people to fill the form.
  • Pay for the medical exam fees after filling up the form in the same building and rush to the physical examination area at the 2nd floor of building no.10. Tests conducted for sight, audiography, blood pressure, bmi and color blindness. Do not forget to get the chop in the medical check list form after each test.
  • Once the medical examination is over, go to the clerk at the left side end from the stairs to give clearance certificate of medical examination.
  • Take all your documents and head to building no. 1 to take the waiting number and go to 2nd floor which is for foreigners. A clerk will check your information and documents and then asked you for the convenient schedule for written computer test.
  • Upon scheduling for a date to take your written test you will be given a slip with the date and time of your exam.
• Step 2: Examination
  • On the exam day, head back with your appointment slip and all the documents you took with you the first time, go directly to 3rd floor of building no.1 and take your written exam, which is scheduled for 45min.
  • You will have to study the exam from the website with about 1500 questions, of which 100 questions will be tested according to the ratio stated in the website. To pass, you should score 90marks and above.
  • Once you complete the exam, you will come to know how much you scored and passed or failed.
  • If you pass, see the clerks in the same room to stamp your documents and photo , go down to 1st floor to take waiting number and head back to 2nd floor to get the final stamp, pay for issuing your License at the counter opposite to them, once again go down to the counters for collecting your licence with all your documents with your licence pay receipt to the clerk, you will get issued a number/ticket, wait until your number is called and you will have your new license in approximately 10 minutes.
  • If you fail, please go down to 1st floor to take waiting number and head back to 2nd floor counter to fix the next available date for re-exam.

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Required Documents

• Passport & Photocopy (first page with name & visa page)
• Valid Residents Permit for China & Photocopy
• Certified translation of foreign driving licence from official translation companies.
• Original driving license + photocopy (front & back)
• Temporary residence form (the one the police gave you) & photocopy.

Office Locations & Contacts

Shanghai Interpreters' Association
Rm. 1607, No. 1277 Beijing Road (W) (Crossby Xi kang road)
Tel: 021-63239910/63233608
Nearest Metro Station: Located between line 2's jing an temple and West Nanjing Road.

Driving license issuing authority in Shanghai, China:
Shanghai Vehicle Management Bureau
No.1330,Ha Mi Road (Crossby Jin bang road)
Tel: 021-62690606
Bus Lines: 739, 807, 88 & Xin Bei Special Line
Nearest Metro Station: Line 2-Bei Xin Jing and Line 10-Shanghai Zoo

Eligibility

This applies to all foreigners, even if you already have your residence permit in your passport.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents that can be used by people. e.g. links

Sample Documents

Shanghai Driving Theory Test Question Bank

Processing Time

At least 90 days

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver, 
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M". 
	

Instructions

Your visa needs to be valid for at least 90 days before you can proceed with converting your driving license.

Required Information

• Name of the applicant
• Passport number
• Nationality
• Gender
• Address
• Contacts

Need for the Document

The International Driving License is not accepted in China, but it is possible to convert your home country's driver's license to a local one. There are various methods and levels of steps involved with this and the ease of this varies from city to city.

Information which might help

Note that an International Drivers Permit (IDP) is not valid in China. The IDP would be equivalent to any other foreign license, and you will still have to follow the same procedure of converting that license into a Chinese driving license.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

http://www.chinese-driving-test.com/
http://jiaogui.zd87.com/

Others

The computerized theory test:
You need to take the test where your visa/residence permit was approved in.