Chinese Driver's License Translation
Chinese driver's license translation for a DMV visit, a car insurance application or a rental abroad. We translate the PRC 机动车驾驶证, both the main card and the 副页, into certified English.
- Up to 250 words per page
- $25 per page
- Standard turnaround
- From 24 hours
- Certificate of accuracy
- Signed & stamped
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Written for Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified driver's license records
What is on a 机动车驾驶证
The mainland license is a small two-part card, and almost everything on it is coded.
Class codes
The 准驾车型 field gives the vehicle classes as letters: C1 for a manual car, C2 for automatic only, B2 for a large truck, A1 for a large bus. The translation spells each class out in English next to the code, so the reader knows what the holder may drive without looking up the Chinese system.
Three dates
A license shows the date of first issue (初次领证日期) and a validity period (有效期限) with a start date and a term of 6 years, 10 years or long-term. The first-issue date is the one that shows how long you have been driving. We keep all three and write the term out instead of abbreviating it.
The 副页 and the seal
The second card repeats the license number and carries the 档案编号 file number and a space for endorsements and points. The red seal of the issuing 公安局交通管理局 is translated with the city it names. Send both cards, front and back, and we certify them together.
Who is asking for your Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified driver's license translation?
The translation is the same. What changes is whether the recipient wants anything added to it.
State DMVs
Most DMV offices accept a certified translation of a foreign license. A few want it notarized as well, so check with your office before you order.
USCIS
USCIS asks for a complete English translation and a signed certification from the translator. No notarization is needed.
US passports and the Department of State
The Department of State wants the translation notarized. Add notarization at checkout and we handle the rest.
Before you upload
Three things that save a day of back and forth on a Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified driver's license.
Scan both sides
The categories, restrictions and the issue and expiry dates are usually on the back. Upload the front and the back in one order so the translation covers the whole card.
Match the name to your passport
Tell us the English spelling you use. The translation shows the name as the license prints it and notes your spelling so the office can match both.
Ask the office which format they accept
Some DMVs want a certified translation, others want it notarized as well. Check before you order and add notarization at checkout if they ask for it.
Details and pricing
What is included in a Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified driver's license translation
One price per page covers the translation and its certification. A page is up to 250 words, and the quote tells you the page count before you pay.
Everything on the driver's license is translated, including stamps, seals and handwritten notes. Tell us the English spelling you use for each name when you order.
Certified Translation
Word-for-word translation with a certificate of accuracy for official use.
$25
USD / page
up to 250 words per page
Included
- Signed & stamped certification of translation accuracy
- Certified by a professional translator
- Digital delivery via PDF
- Review and approve final translation
- 100% Guaranteed Acceptance
- Standard turnaround starting at 24 hours
Optional services
- Expedited turnaround
- Priority handling when your deadline is shorter than the standard turnaround.
- By deadline
- Notarization
- A notary public signs and stamps the certification statement.
- $20 per order
- Physical copy
- A wet-ink original of your translation, mailed by express courier.
- $35 per order
- Apostille
- Authenticates the notary’s signature and seal for use in Hague Convention countries.
- $180 per document
What the certificate of accuracy states
Your translation arrives with a Certification of Translation Accuracy issued by ImmiTranslate. It is the page the receiving organization checks first.
- The translation is complete and accurate.
- The document title and the language pair.
- The translator is competent in both languages.
- A signature and the ImmiTranslate certification stamp.
- Our American Translators Association corporate membership.
Our translation process
Our goal is to make the translation process as simple as possible for you. Our service is streamlined specifically for documents of this nature.
Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified Driver's License FAQ
Most questions about pricing and turnaround can be answered faster by requesting a quote.
- Can I use the translation to drive in the US?
- The translation is not a permit. It lets a DMV, an insurer or a rental desk read the license. Whether your Chinese license is valid to drive on, and for how long, depends on the state, so ask the DMV where you live. China does not issue international driving permits, which is one reason the translation gets asked for.
- How do you write the name on a Chinese license?
- The license prints the name in characters only, with no pinyin. We use the spelling from your passport, in passport order, and keep the characters in brackets at first mention. If a US document of yours spells it differently, tell us and the translator adds a note so the two match.
- Do you translate Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau licenses?
- Yes. A Hong Kong driving licence is already bilingual and may need only its Chinese portions translated. Taiwan's 汽車駕駛執照 is in Traditional Chinese, dated in Minguo years, and goes under Traditional Chinese. Macau licenses mix Chinese and Portuguese. Send a photo and we tell you what needs translating.
- How much does a certified translation cost?
- Certified translation is $25 per page, with a page counted as up to 250 words. Notarization, a mailed physical copy and an apostille are optional and priced separately.
- How long does a certified translation take?
- Standard turnaround starts at 24 hours and depends on the length and language of your documents. If you have a deadline, include it in your quote request.
Other Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified documents we translate
Driver's license translation in other languages
Each of these pages is written for that language's driver's license records.
