Can You Drive in China With a Foreign Licence or IDP?
An IDP alone is not verified as valid driving authorization in mainland China. Use the checker to find the temporary Chinese permit path for your trip.
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Check your China driving path
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01 Eligibility
Can foreigners drive in mainland China?
Yes — there is a formal temporary / provisional driving permit pathway for short-stay foreign drivers. That is different from “a foreign licence is directly valid.” Official Beijing and Shanghai guidance, and a National Immigration Administration overview, describe applying for a Chinese temporary permit using your overseas driving licence. This page covers mainland China only — Hong Kong and Macau rules are out of scope.
02 IDP
Does China accept an International Driving Permit?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not the same as a Chinese temporary driving permit. No verified official source we checked authorizes mainland driving on an IDP alone. Temporary-permit materials require a foreign driver’s licence (plus a Chinese translation when needed). Beijing’s guidance for converting to a full Chinese licence also states that IDP applications will not be accepted.
If you only have an IDP: bring or obtain a valid foreign licence, then follow the temporary-permit path — do not treat the IDP as a standalone driving authorization for mainland China.
03 Applicants
Who can apply for a temporary driving permit?
- Short-stay foreign visitors who hold a valid foreign driving licence (Beijing FAQ excludes temporary, studying, and internship licences).
- For rented vehicles in China, municipal guidance typically limits the temporary permit to small cars (C1) or small automatic cars (C2).
- Longer residence may need a separate full Chinese licence conversion pathway — do not collapse that into the temporary-permit steps.
04 Checklist
Documents checklist
Only items backed by the official sources listed at the bottom of this page.
Bring the application set
Identity + licence + translation + photos
Beijing and Shanghai publish slightly different handling details, so use the verified-scope badges below instead of assuming every item applies nationwide.
| Document | Why it is needed | Original / copy / translation | Verified scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport / exit-entry identity document | Required identity for temporary / provisional permit applications. | Original (plus visa or stay/residence document when applicable; visa-exempt: passport held on entry) | nationalbeijingshanghai |
| Valid foreign driver’s licence | Temporary-permit applications require your overseas driving licence — not an IDP alone. | Original (not temporary, learner, studying, or internship licences per Beijing FAQ) | nationalbeijingshanghai |
| Chinese translation of the foreign licence | Required when the foreign licence is not in Chinese. | Translation from a qualified agency in China, or notarized translation (Beijing); Shanghai also lists named agencies / embassy or local notary | nationalbeijingshanghai |
| Recent ID photos | Beijing lists two 1-inch white-background photos; Shanghai allows photos at the DMV window. | Two recent 1-inch, white-background, front-facing, bareheaded color photos (or take on-site where offered) | beijingshanghai |
| Application form | Shanghai: temporary motor vehicle driving permit application form is printed at the acceptance window for signature. | Printed at the window (Shanghai); follow local counter instructions elsewhere | shanghai |
| Car rental contract (when driving a rented vehicle) | Shanghai guidance: carry the rental contract for traffic police inspection when driving a rented vehicle. | Carry while driving (after you rent) | shanghai |
Physical / medical certificates: municipal guidance often exempts short-stay small-car temporary permits — confirm locally before you apply.
05 Steps
How to get a temporary driving permit
- Confirm you need the short-stay temporary / provisional path (not a full Chinese licence conversion).
- Prepare the documents above for your city.
- Apply at a verified Vehicle Management / traffic police location (see Beijing / Shanghai notes).
- Complete any required traffic-law learning session (Shanghai English guidance describes on-site learning).
- Receive the permit and carry it with your foreign licence and translation while driving.
- If renting, confirm the company’s acceptance rules, then carry the rental contract as advised in Shanghai guidance.
06 Locations
Where can tourists apply?
Beijing
Vehicle Management Office / branches; Capital Airport Terminal 3 and Daxing Airport vehicle management stations; Beijing Government Service Center. Fee listed as 10 CNY; processing within 3 working days in Beijing provisional-permit guidance.
Shanghai
Vehicle Management Office branches and Hongqiao / Pudong airport traffic-police windows. Online platform available; on-site learning session then permit issuance per Shanghai English guidance.
Other cities
Local procedure can vary. We have not verified a city-specific English procedure for every location. Apply at the local vehicle administration office where you enter or stay, and confirm documents and hours locally. Do not assume every airport offers applications.
07 Duration
How long is it valid?
Beijing and Shanghai English guidance: if your permitted stay is no more than three months, a temporary / provisional permit can be issued for three months; if you stay longer than three months, validity follows the permitted stay period and must not exceed one year. Confirm against your own stay endorsement at the issuing office — do not treat one city’s note as a guarantee elsewhere.
08 Rental
Can you rent a car after you get the permit?
Legal eligibility and rental-company acceptance are different questions. Official guidance allows driving rented small cars with a temporary permit and (in Shanghai) carrying the rental contract for inspection. A company may still require minimum age, licence holding period, deposit, payment card, or other documents. Having the permit does not guarantee every provider will rent to you.
09 Compare
IDP vs temporary permit
The key distinction is whether the document itself authorizes driving in mainland China.
Fast answer
An IDP is not the China driving permit
For a short tourist stay, the temporary Chinese permit is the relevant mainland authorization. Your foreign licence is an input to that application.
Foreign licence
- What it is
- Home-country / overseas driving licence.
- Can it alone authorize driving?
- No verified standalone path.
- Typical traveler use
- Document basis for the temporary-permit application.
- Chinese application?
- No, but you use it as an input.
- Rental readiness
- Usually only after you obtain the temporary permit; rental-company rules still apply.
IDP
- What it is
- International Driving Permit companion document.
- Can it alone authorize driving?
- No. It is not the mainland temporary permit.
- Typical traveler use
- Often confused with the Chinese temporary permit.
- Chinese application?
- No standalone Tier-1 path verified.
- Rental readiness
- Not verified as enough for legal driving or rental eligibility.
Chinese temporary permit
- What it is
- Short-term mainland permit issued through traffic police / vehicle management.
- Can it alone authorize driving?
- Yes — as the short-stay authorization described in municipal guidance.
- Typical traveler use
- Short visits, tourist driving and rental readiness.
- Chinese application?
- Yes.
- Rental readiness
- Legal path for rented small cars; company acceptance remains separate.
Full Chinese licence
- What it is
- Full PRC driver’s licence.
- Can it alone authorize driving?
- Yes — full domestic licence pathway.
- Typical traveler use
- Longer residence / conversion cases.
- Chinese application?
- Yes — separate conversion / exam rules.
- Rental readiness
- Subject to the rental company’s own acceptance rules.
10 Scenarios
What should I do?
I only have an IDP
IDP alone is not verified as enough. Bring a valid foreign licence, then apply for a temporary permit. Confirm rental acceptance separately.
I have a valid US / UK / Australian / EU licence
Use it as the foreign-licence basis for a temporary permit (plus Chinese translation if needed). Do not assume the foreign licence alone authorizes mainland driving.
I want to rent a car for a one-week trip
Plan temporary-permit documents before or right after arrival in a verified city, then confirm the rental company’s own age, deposit, and document rules.
I’m staying longer in China
Municipal pages allow permits matching longer permitted stays up to one year, but a full Chinese licence conversion may fit better — that is a separate pathway (IDP not accepted for full-licence applications in Beijing guidance).
I don’t know where to apply
If not Beijing or Shanghai, verify locally with the vehicle administration office where you enter or stay. We have not verified a nationwide office list in English.
My rental company says it needs something different
That is a commercial requirement, not Chinese law by itself. Ask what they need in writing and compare providers if needed.
11 Questions
FAQ
Can foreigners drive in China?
There is an official temporary / provisional driving permit pathway for short-stay foreign drivers in mainland China. Official municipal guidance does not present a foreign licence or an IDP alone as sufficient authorization to drive.
Does China recognize an International Driving Permit?
No verified official source we checked authorizes mainland driving on an IDP alone. Temporary-permit applications require a foreign driver’s licence. Beijing guidance also states IDP applications are not accepted for a full Chinese licence.
Can I drive in China with my US driver’s licence?
A valid foreign licence (including a US licence) is the usual starting document for a temporary-permit application. Official municipal pages do not present a foreign licence alone as enough — you still apply for a Chinese temporary / provisional permit.
Can I drive in China with my UK licence?
Same path as other valid foreign licences: temporary-permit applications require the foreign licence (plus Chinese translation when needed). A UK licence alone is not shown as sufficient authorization without the Chinese temporary permit.
Can tourists get a temporary Chinese driving licence?
Yes — Beijing and Shanghai English guidance describe temporary / provisional permits for short-stay foreign visitors who hold a valid foreign driving licence and complete local application steps.
How do I get a temporary driving licence in China?
Prepare passport / entry documents, your foreign licence, a Chinese translation if needed, and photos; apply at the local vehicle administration office (Beijing and Shanghai publish verified locations, including some airport counters). Complete any required traffic-law learning session, then receive the permit.
Can foreigners rent a car in China?
Official guidance allows driving rented small cars (C1/C2) with a temporary permit. Whether a specific rental company accepts your documents is a separate commercial decision — confirm with the company.
Do I need a Chinese licence to rent a car?
For short-stay visitors, the verified path is a temporary / provisional driving permit based on your foreign licence — not necessarily a full Chinese licence. Rental companies may still set their own extra requirements.
Can I get a temporary driving permit at the airport?
Some airports are explicitly listed: Beijing Capital Terminal 3 and Daxing vehicle management stations; Shanghai Hongqiao and Pudong traffic-police windows. This is not universal — do not assume every airport offers the service.
How long is a temporary driving permit valid?
Beijing and Shanghai English guidance: if your permitted stay is no more than three months, the permit can be valid for three months; if you stay longer, validity can match the permitted stay up to one year. Confirm at the issuing office.
Do I need a Chinese translation of my driver’s licence?
Yes when the foreign licence is not in Chinese. Beijing and Shanghai require a Chinese translation from a qualified agency or notarization as stated in their guidance.
12 Official sources and freshness
Driving and temporary-entry rules can change by city and stay type. Rules checked Sep 2026 — re-check the official pages for your city before you apply or rent.
- 01Shanghai.gov.cn (English): How to apply for a temporary driving permit
- 02Beijing.gov.cn (English): Application of Provisional Driving Permit
- 03Beijing.gov.cn (English): Temporary driving licence documents (Jan 2026 FAQ)
- 04Beijing.gov.cn (English): Foreign licence → Chinese licence (IDP not accepted)
- 05National Immigration Administration (English): Temporary driving license overview
- 06Beijing.gov.cn (English): PKX temporary motor vehicle driving permits