Can I upgrade to B2 class if I have a B1 driving license for 6 months in Vietnam?

Can I upgrade to B2 class if I have a B1 driving license for 6 months in Vietnam?

In Article 7 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT supplemented by Clause 5, Article 1 of Circular 38/2019/TT-BGTVT, requirements for driving learners are as follows:

1. Vietnamese citizens, foreigners who are eligible for residing, working or studying in Vietnam.

2. Minimum ages (to the time of attending the test), health and educational level as prescribed; those who apply for license upgrade may learn in advance but must be old enough to attend the test as prescribed.

3. Learners that apply for a license upgrade must obtain time and number of kilometers of safe driving as follows:

B1 class with automatic transmissions to B1: at least 01 year of driving and 12,000 km of safe driving;

b) B1 class to B2: at least 01 year of driving and 12,000 km of safe driving;

c) B2 class to C, C class to D, D class to E; B2, C, D, E classes to F; D, E classes to FC: at least 03 years of practicing as a driver and 50,000 km of safe driving;

d) B2 class to Article, C class to E: at least 05 year of practicing as a driver and 100,000 km of safe driving.

dd) If a learner who applies for a license upgrade commits administrative violation against regulations on road traffic and has his/her driving license suspended, the safe driving period shall begin from the date on which he/she finishes abiding by the decision on penalty for administrative violation.

4. Learners that apply for upgrade their license to D, E classes must obtain lower secondary education degree or above.

Thus, you have had a B1 driving license for 6 months, so you are not eligible to upgrade to B2. To upgrade to class B2, you must have a driving time of 1 year or more and must have 12,000km of safe driving in Vietnam.

What are regulations on license upgrade training in Vietnam?

In Article 14 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT amended by Clause 10, Article 1 of Circular 38/2019/TT-BGTVT, it stipulates on license upgrade training as follows:

1. Training time

B1 class (automatic transmission) to B1: 120 hours (practice: 120);

b) B1 class to B2: 94 hours (theory: 44, practice: 50);

c) B2 class to C: 192 hours (theory: 48, practice: 144);

d) C class to D: 192 hours (theory: 48, practice: 144);

dd) D class to E: 192 hours (theory: 48, practice: 144);

e) B2 class to D: 336 hours (theory: 56, practice: 280);

g) C class to E: 336 hours (theory: 56, practice: 280);

h) B2, D, E class to F: 192 hours (theory: 48, practice: 144);

i) C, D, E class to FC: 272 hours (theory: 48, practice: 224).

2. Test subjects

Test shall include all the subjects;

b) Tests for upgrade to class B1, B2, C, D and E license at the end of the course include such subjects as ‘Law on road traffic’ and ‘Driving practice’ including continuous test with driving forward and backward in a zigzag, driving on public road;

c) Tests for upgrade from class B2, C, D, E licenses to class F licenses include subjects ‘Law on road traffic’ according to theory test questions and driving test along the track and on public roads using the test for class F licenses.

3. Required training program and time distribution

a) Training program and time distribution

NO.	DESCRIPTION	UNIT	DRIVING LICENSE CLASS
			B1 (automatic transmission) to B1	B1 to B2	B2 to C	C to D	D to E	B2, D, E to F	C, D, E to FC	B2 to D	C to E
1	Road traffic law	hour	-	16	16	16	16	16	16	20	20
2	Knowledge about new class of vehicle	hour	-	-	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
3	Transport operation	hour	-	16	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
4	Driving ethics and traffic etiquette and prevention and control of alcohol and beer harms when participating in traffic.	hour	-	10	14	14	14	14	14	18	18
5	Traffic situation simulator learning	hour	-	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
6	Total number of hours for driving practice/dual-control car and simulator cabin	hour	120	50	144	144	144	144	224	280	280
in which	Total number of hours for driving practice/dual-control car	hour	115	45	136	136	136	136	216	270	270
	Total number of hours for practice in simulator cabin (based on number of learners/dual control car)	hour	5	5	8	8	8	8	8	10	10
7	Total number of hours for driving practice/dual-control car and simulator cabin	hour	24	10	18	18	18	18	28	28	28
a)	Number of hours for driving practice/learner	hour	23	9	17	17	17	17	27	27	27
in which	Number of hours for driving practice on driving training yard/learner	hour	13	4	7	7	7	7	10	12	12
	Number of hours for driving practice on traffic road/learner	hour	10	5	10	10	10	10	17	15	15
b)	Number of hours for driving practice in simulator cabin /learner	hour	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
8	Number of hours/learner/course	hour	24	54	66	66	66	66	76	84	84
9	Total hours/course	hour	120	94	192	192	192	192	272	336	336

b) Total course duration

NO.	DESCRIPTION	UNIT	DRIVING LICENSE CLASS
			B1 (automatic transmission car) to B1	B1 to B2	B2 to C	C to D	D to E	B2, D, E to F	C, D, E to FC	B2 to D	C to E
1	Review and final test	day	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
2	Number of actual learning days	day	15	12	24	24	24	24	34	42	42
3	Number of public holidays, opening and closing ceremony	day	2	2	4	4	4	4	4	8	8
4	Number of actual learning days/course	day	18	16	30	30	30	30	40	52	52

c) Number of learners/dual-control car regarding upgrade learning: 5 learners for B1 (automatic transmission) to B1, B1 to B2; 8 learners for B2 to C, C to D, D to E, B2, D, E to F; 10 learners for B2 to D, C to E.

d) Regulations on number of km driving practice

Above are the legal regulations on training to upgrade driving license in Vietnam.

What types of vehicles can be driven with a B2 driving license in Vietnam? 

In Clause 7, Article 16 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT stipulating classification of driving  licenses as follows:

7. B2 class licenses issued to persons who practice as a driver for controlling following types of cars:

a) Special cars with design loading capacity less than 3.500 kg;

b) Cars intended for B1 class.

In Clauses 5, 6, Article 16 of Circular 12/2017/TT-BGTVT, the classification of driving licenses is as follows:

5. B1 class (automatic transmission) issued to persons who do not practice as a driver for controlling following types of cars:

a) Automatic transmission 9-seat cars including driver seat;

b) Trucks, including special trucks (automatic transmission) with design loading capacity less than 3.500 kg;

c) Cars intended for the disabled.

6. B1 class licenses issued to persons who do not practice as a driver for controlling following types of cars:

a) 9-seat cars including driver seat;

b) Trucks, including special trucks with design loading capacity less than 3.500 kg;

c) Tractors hauling a trailer with design loading capacity less than 3,500 kg.

According to this Article, the B2 license class is only allowed to drive the above-mentioned vehicles in accordance with the law in Vietnam.

Best Regards!