The Value of a Chinese Drivers License

I realize I've been going on ad-nauseum on this blog about the drivers license, and my obsession to get a copy in my hands again after having lost it. In fact, the license I have in my hands again is just a stepping stone of my eventual go to have both a car *and* motorcycle license in Shanghai by the end of this year. Will definitely keep you posted on this blog about that!!

But as you may have figured out by now, the license is more than just a document that says you can drive a car in China. It can also be used to show to cops when stopped on a motorcycle, which more than once, they've let me go on a wave with just that. As they say, being semi-legal is better than having nothing at all.

Actually, the value of the license goes beyond merely that. It is basically a form of ID in China that is very rare for foreigners to have, given how few foreigners actually attempt to get one. Seeing what's involved, i.e. the bureaucracy, you can't exactly blame them.

So if a foreigner actually has a license, this is 10 times more powerful than a passport, because the drivers license is issued by the Chinese government and not a foreign government. In other words, this license document is a key way of distinguishing the insiders from the outsiders. It is a well recognized and accepted document for tons of stuff, including getting into hotels and internet cafes easily while out traveling. One look at that thing, and they say, oh this foreigner is familiar with China and is somewhat of an insider.

It just makes things so much easier, and you can get some MAJOR face by showing this document around. I simply can't wait to show it in the office tomorrow. Even better, towards the end of the year I'm driving to school in a rented BMW as a way of getting more face

If that wasn't enough, the license can even be used to drive in other countries. It's been reported from other teachers that you can actually use a Chinese drivers license back home in Canada to show to the police, and they have to accept it. This report hasn't been confirmed yet, but I suspect it is true.

I've heard it said because the Chinese government doesn't recognize international drivers licenses, and they insist on you brining a license from your home country, getting it translated, and taking a written test to convert into a Chinese licnese. Since the Chinese license, in effect, originated from a foreign license, the thinking is that the license is still valid overseas.