LIVE Global accident monitoring — updating every 15 minutes
LIVEACCIDENTTRACKER
Home / Driving Laws / China
Rules of the Road · Verified August 2026

Driving Laws in China

Everything a visitor needs before driving in China — which side to drive on, the alcohol limit, national speed limits and licence requirements.

right
Driving Side
steering wheel on the left
0.02
BAC Limit (g/dL)
general drivers
120
Motorway Limit
km/h
required
Intl. Driving Permit
for foreign visitors
Speed Limits

National Default Speed Limits

Urban / Built-up

50 km/h

Rural / Open Road

80 km/h

Motorway / Highway

120 km/h

Note: IDP not recognised; temporary Chinese licence needed.

Defaults only — posted signs always override national defaults. Laws verified August 2026; rules change, so confirm with an official source before you travel.

Alcohol & Driving

Drink-Driving Rules in China

General limit: 0.02 g/dL

Reaction time, judgement and night vision all degrade well below any legal threshold — the only limit that guarantees safety is 0.00. Alcohol is a factor in a large share of the world's fatal crashes, and enforcement in China can include checkpoints, licence loss and jail.

Live Tracking

China on the Live Map

China has a WHO-estimated 17.4 road deaths per 100,000 people. See live accident reports and full statistics for China.

Before You Go

Emergency Number

Save China's emergency number before you drive — find it in our worldwide emergency numbers directory. And check your rental's tires with the tire age checker.

Nearby

Driving Laws in Neighbouring Countries

Mongolia Bhutan Myanmar Laos Bangladesh Nepal

Questions

FAQ

Which side of the road does China drive on?
China drives on the right-hand side of the road (like most of the world).
What is the drink-driving limit in China?
The general limit is 0.02 g/dL BAC. Remember: impairment starts well below the legal limit.
Do I need an International Driving Permit in China?
Yes — an IDP (or a locally issued permit) is required or strongly enforced for foreign visitors driving in China. Get one in your home country before you travel.
Is it safe to drive in China?
By the numbers, China has a WHO-estimated road death rate of 17.4 per 100,000 people (global average about 15), which is close to the global average — it ranks 70 of 195 countries from most to least deadly. Traffic drives on the right. Visitors need an International Driving Permit. Most road deaths anywhere happen at night, at higher speeds and on rural roads, so plan long drives in daylight and follow the posted limits.