Can I rent a car and drive myself in China as a foreign visitor?

An International Driving Permit does not let you drive in mainland China. Beijing's traffic police answer the question directly: because China has not joined the 1968 UN Convention on Road Traffic, an international permit cannot be used to drive on mainland roads, and it cannot be exchanged for a Chinese licence. Driving without a valid licence is fined ¥200 to ¥2,000 under the Road Traffic Safety Law, and the driver can also be detained for up to 15 days.

What works for a short visit is a temporary driving permit (临时机动车驾驶许可), issued against your home licence. The Ministry of Public Security's licensing rules give a 3-month permit to visitors on a short stay; if you stay longer than three months it can run up to a year. On a rental car it covers only small cars, manual (C1) or automatic (C2), and only within the categories on your home licence. Beijing's guide adds an exception for French and Serbian licences: if you stay in China no longer than a year, you can apply directly for a permit valid for up to a year, with no medical check, training or test; as a small-car (C1/C2) permit it covers rental cars only.

Apply in the city where the rental company is, not just anywhere: Beijing's guide says a permit for a rented car is issued by the traffic police of the city where the rental company is located. You need your passport (with your visa or entry record), your home licence and a Chinese translation of it, and photos. Beijing asks for two one-inch white-background colour photos, charges ¥10 and says it completes the permit within three working days. Shanghai takes your photo at the counter, gives you a short briefing on Chinese road law and issues the permit on the spot. For a small car, Beijing does not ask for a medical certificate. In Beijing, applicants aged 70 or over must go to the main vehicle office (车辆管理所总所).

The translation has to come from an accepted source. Shanghai's traffic police list two translation agencies that take requests by email, and also accept translations from your embassy or consulate in China or from a local notary office; the counter staff can help you apply.

Some airports have counters. Beijing lists stations on the first floor of Capital Airport Terminal 3 and at Daxing Airport; Beijing Daily, in a report carried by China Tourism News, said Capital T3 issued permits to 125 people over four days in April 2026, a peak timed with the Beijing auto show, at about 10 minutes each. Shanghai lists the airport traffic police at Hongqiao and Pudong, open Monday to Thursday 09:00-11:00 and 13:00-16:00 and Friday 09:00-11:00, as well as four city vehicle offices open on weekdays.

Check the rental company before you book. eHi's Chinese help centre lists, for foreign customers, a valid Chinese driving licence, a residence permit if you live in China, your passport and a credit card; it does not mention the temporary permit. Ask the branch you plan to use whether it accepts one, and get the answer in writing. No rental company publicly says whether it accepts the temporary permit, so don't make driving your main plan unless you have that in writing.

If you live in China, you can convert your licence. You need a visa or residence permit valid for three months or more and a police accommodation registration, your foreign licence must have been issued while you had spent at least 90 days within a year in the issuing country, and you take the theory test (科目一), which needs 90 out of 100 to pass.

Without a permit, the practical routes are ride-hailing with DiDi in cities and high-speed rail between them.