This is one of the questions I get asked most: "Zara, I drive a right-hand-drive car — will China let me in? Do I have to pay extra? Is the process more complicated than left-hand-drive?" Drivers from Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Australia, Japan, and Singapore always get nervous when they hear China drives on the right. This guide covers everything: can you enter, which ports accept RHD, extra fees or not, and what to watch out for.
I've been doing this for nearly ten years. Of the Thai and Malaysian convoys coming through Mohan every year, seven or eight out of ten are right-hand-drive. I've never once had an RHD car turned away. Let me break it all down.
1. Straight answer: RHD cars are allowed — every port accepts them
The key point first: China permits right-hand-drive vehicles for temporary entry. No matter which port you use — Mohan, Khorgos, Gyirong, Erenhot, or any of the three seaports — all of them accept RHD cars. No port says "we don't handle RHD."
This isn't a special exception. As a signatory to international road transport conventions, China treats all foreign temporary-entry vehicles the same, regardless of steering wheel side. A car legally registered in your home country, used for temporary tourism, can enter no matter which side the wheel is on.
I've heard all the online myths: "RHD cars aren't allowed in China," "you can only enter through Guangxi," "RHD requires extra inspection." All misinformation. I process so many RHD vehicles every year — I've never run into any of these problems.
2. Same fees, no extra charge
Second question everyone asks: do RHD cars cost more to process?
No. The fees are exactly the same as left-hand-drive.
Mohan entry: RMB 5,000–6,000. Khorgos: RMB 6,000–9,000. Erenhot: RMB 8,500. Cross-country: RMB 8,000. Sea freight Guangzhou: RMB 22,000, Dalian: RMB 18,000. Same price whether LHD or RHD. The customs guarantee is the same too — RMB 10,000 after our guarantee, no difference by steering wheel side.
Why no surcharge? Because the declaration process, paperwork, and clearance steps are identical for RHD and LHD. Customs doesn't look twice at you because your steering wheel is on the right, and the vehicle management office doesn't add an inspection step for RHD. Our service fee is for processing the paperwork, not for which side the wheel sits on.
Anyone telling you "RHD costs extra" or "RHD needs an extra inspection fee" either doesn't know the business or is trying to overcharge you.
3. What to watch: adapting to right-side driving
Fees and paperwork aren't the issue. The one thing you do need to adjust for is driving habits.
China drives on the right-hand side of the road. RHD vehicles come from left-drive countries: Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, India, South Africa.
You're used to the steering wheel on the right and driving on the left side of the road. In China, the steering wheel stays on the right, but the traffic now drives on the right. That means:
First, overtaking side changes. In left-drive countries, you overtake on the right. In right-drive China, you overtake on the left. For the first few days — especially on the highway — your brain needs to reset. Don't instinctively pull out to the right.
Second, left and right turn angles change. In right-side driving, a left turn crosses the center of the intersection and a right turn is a tight corner. You're sitting on the right side of the car, so your line of sight on left turns is toward the center. At traffic lights, don't instinctively look left (that's the instinct from left-drive countries) — you need to look right.
Third, lane position on the highway. You're sitting on the right side of the car, close to the right edge. On Chinese highways, you'll feel like you're very close to the right barrier. You might drift left without realizing it. After a day or two you'll adjust.
We see this all the time: RHD drivers call us right after entry — "Zara, the wheel is on the right but the road is on the right, I feel like I'm driving on the wrong side." Don't worry, this is normal. After a few hundred kilometers it clicks. The G8511 highway right after Mohan entry is wide and lightly trafficked — perfect for adjusting.
4. Which countries drive on the right (RHD)?
The main sources of RHD vehicles entering China:
Thailand: The largest source of RHD entries. Thai convoys come through Mohan year-round — from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket. Thai interest in self-driving China has grown a lot in recent years. Many drive pickup trucks and SUVs from Bangkok, through Laos, into Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet.
Malaysia: Also RHD. Drive from Kuala Lumpur through Thailand and Laos, enter at Mohan. The Malaysian overlanding community is well-established — often organized groups, some towing trailers or roof-top tents.
UK: RHD, but driving from the UK to China is a very long trip. Most fly in and rent, or ship the car. Occasional UK vehicles come through Khorgos after driving all the way from Europe.
Australia and New Zealand: RHD, even farther. Almost always shipped by sea — car sent to Guangzhou or Dalian, tour China, ship back.
Japan: RHD. Shipped from Japan to Dalian or Qingdao, then self-drive in China. Japanese drivers are especially interested in western China — Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai are all popular.
Singapore: Small country — drivers usually go through Malaysia first and join Malaysian convoys.
5. Real case: Thai convoy through Mohan
Here's a real story. Last year a Thai client drove a Toyota Hilux from Bangkok — five days alone on the road to Mohan. He'd been terrified about RHD entry, spent two weeks researching online, got more and more worried, almost gave up after reading someone say "RHD isn't allowed in China."
When he got to Mohan, our on-site agent met him. Customs checked the vehicle, looked at his passport and paperwork, asked "this is right-hand drive?" We said yes. Customs said "OK, noted" and that was it. The whole inspection went faster than for LHD cars.
He messaged me after clearing: "Zara, I worried for weeks, and nobody even glanced at my car twice."
He entered at Mohan, took G318 to Lhasa, detoured through Qinghai and Gansu, and exited at Erenhot to Mongolia — over two months total. Not once did traffic police stop him because of the RHD.
Another client from Malaysia drove a Land Rover Defender from Kuala Lumpur, wife and kids in the car. Also RHD. He toured from Yunnan all the way to Xinjiang. He said the biggest adjustment wasn't the RHD — it was China's highway speed limits. "In Malaysia we do 140, here on the highway I don't dare go over 120, there are so many cameras."
6. Practical tips for RHD drivers
A few practical tips:
Start adjusting early. A few days before entry — in Laos or Kazakhstan depending on your direction — start consciously driving on the right side. Don't wait until you're at the Chinese border. Take the first few kilometers slow after entry.
At intersections, look both ways. In China, pedestrians and e-bikes cross from the right. In left-drive countries you instinctively look left. Retrain yourself — look right first at crosswalks.
Don't stay in the overtaking lane on the highway. As an RHD driver sitting on the right, your depth perception for the left lane takes a few days to calibrate. Check mirrors twice before changing lanes, signal, wait three seconds.
Or skip it entirely. We also offer car rental in Lijiang — all LHD. Fly into Kunming or Lijiang, rent one of our cars, no need to ship or drive your own. But if you're bringing your own RHD vehicle, the tips above will help.
Final thoughts
Driving an RHD car into China isn't hard at all. Paperwork and fees are identical to LHD. The only adjustment is getting used to right-side traffic. Thousands of RHD cars from Thailand, Malaysia, the UK, Australia, and Japan enter through our ports every year, no problems. The "RHD isn't allowed" or "RHD costs more" stories you read online are spread by people who don't know the business.
If you're an RHD owner planning your route to China, send us your country, vehicle model, and planned route — we'll tell you which port works best and what to watch for. RHD is no problem. You're welcome in China.
Zara — WeChat and WhatsApp: +86 13759155671. Email: [email protected]. Whether your car is LHD or RHD, no matter which country you're from, we handle all four land ports: Mohan, Khorgos, Gyirong, Erenhot. Send us your documents 20 days ahead. RHD processing is the same as LHD — no extra charge, no hassle.