China Extends Driver Licence Age Limits

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will extend licence age limits for drivers of medium-sized and large buses, as well as trucks, to address challenges posed by an aging population, falling birth rate, and shrinking labour pool.

Keeping older transportation workers on the payroll is key to maintaining stability across China’s vast transportation system as the sector plans to adopt more autonomous vehicles.

Just over a decade ago, Beijing allowed male bus drivers to retire five years earlier – at the age of 55 – for health reasons, concerned about safety. However, due to a declining workforce, China has reversed course.

From next year, the maximum age to apply for a licence to drive medium-sized or large buses and trucks will increase from 60 to 63, according to the Public Security Ministry's statement on Friday. Drivers over 63 can apply for a licence extension of up to three years if they pass medical exams and tests on memory, situational judgment, and reaction time.

Earlier this year, China’s top legislative body passed a proposal to raise the national retirement age. Men will now retire at 63 instead of 60, while women in white-collar jobs will retire at 58 instead of 55. For blue-collar women, the retirement age will increase to 55 from 50.

China’s retirement age is currently among the lowest globally. The changes will take effect on January 1 and will be implemented over a 15-year period, aligning China more closely with regional peers like Japan and South Korea, which are also facing falling fertility rates and aging workers.