How to renew your Chinese driver’s license in Shanghai?

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Well, it was about time.

Six years after applying for my Chinese driver’s license for the first time, it was time to have it renewed.

As this was the first time for me to renew, I was not sure where to start, so I asked one of my Chinese colleagues for help.

He pointed me to go to a local office in Jin Qiao, Pudong district (since I live in Pudong) for renewal but I got turned down when they realized that my driver’s license was issued in Pu Xi, I was requested to go to the office in Hami road for renewal.

For those in the same situation that I was, I am as a result of this highlighting the process to follow but first make sure you have the following documents in hand:

  • Current passport and a copy of the identification page
  • Old passport and copy of the old passport identification page (if you have applied for a driver’s license with the old passport)
  • Temporary residence registration form and a copy

Also, if you cannot read or write basic Chinese, you may need to ask a Chinese friend for help.

The process is as follows:

  1. When you arrive at the location, go to Building 10 to pay and get your pictures taken, queue up at the window where the staff will ask to see your passport, driver’s license, and temporary residence form then pay 25 RMB
  2. In the same building, go into the room to take the pictures
  3. Go to building 9 to pick up the newly made photos
  4. Now it is time to get and fill out an application for the health check. The form was in Chinese only, so unless you can read and write in Chinese, you may ask a friend for help here.
  5. Another queue to hand in the filled form and pay for the health check: 60 RMB.
  6. The next step is to go out of the building, turn left, and take the stairs up. At this stage, you will go from room 201 to 207 to do different health checks and get the form stamped. Take the health check to the window on the right to submit it.
  7. The final step is to go to building 1 at the counter to show all the documents (along with the health check) to get a number and wait to be called to one of the desks to submit everything.
  8. Once done, go to the second floor to pay the 10 RMB service fee then back downstairs to pick up your new license.

Et voila! You get a new license valid this time for 10 years.