If you have your driving license and plan to live in Beijing for a long time, a Chinese driver’s license is a necessity. Follow the three steps below you can get a Chinese driving license with much ease.
1. Pickup the application form
You can get the application form at the following places:
a. Beijing Traffic and Vehicle Department;
The department is located on the East Fourth Ring Road, near the southwestern edge of the Shibalidian South Bridge. It is responsible for the administration of all traffic and vehicles in Beijing. Go directly to the Foreign Affairs Office and ask the working staff for an application form.
b. Traffic Police Corps
There is a traffic police corps in each district. They carry the application forms, as well. (You'll have to find their location information yourself, though.)
2. Fill in the application form
The application form (including the instructions on the backside) is in Chinese and must be filled out in Chinese, too. It's easy to fill out if you read and write Chinese, otherwise let a friend who can read and write Chinese help you out.
3. Get a medical checkup
Part of the application form can only be filled out by a doctor after having given you a medical checkup. The checkup is just a basic physical (no "turn your head and cough"), and at most takes half an hour. Be sure to take the application form with you when you go to the hospital. The doctor will fill-out the checkup portion and then sign it.
Tips: For the application form checkup you are only allowed to go to provincial-level or higher public hospitals – so no going to a private or foreign clinic. Two recommended hospitals are the Friendship Hospital and the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. Both are top Beijing hospitals and hold a pretty good reputation among foreigners. The International Medical Department of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The checkup fee is 80 RMB.