I'm an American expat living in Eastern Thailand, Chanthaburi Province. I would like to apply for a driver's license (both car and motorbike). I hold a current U.S. driver's license from the state of Florida with a motorcycle add-on. When I first came to Thailand last year I picked up an IDP from AAA in Florida. These are only good for one year. Mine is now 3 months expired. Will this expired IDP, along with my actual current U.S. license be sufficient to avoid the actual driver exam where you have to drive a car around a small course? I have searched online and there seem to be differing opinions regarding the role of the IDP in this application process. I'm not sure why the IDP carries so much weight? It's just a doc that AAA gives you because you have a valid U.S. driver's license. I'm certainly not going to travel back to the U.S. just to get a new one..Lol.

 

Any advice on this would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

DH

Na Yai Am, Chanthaburi

 

 

 

If your US licence has a photo and shows the category of vehicles you can drive in English then you should have no problem getting a Thai DL for a car and another one for a motorcycle.

Lots move info top of page and in search.

20 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

If your US licence has a photo and shows the category of vehicles you can drive in English then you should have no problem getting a Thai DL for a car and another one for a motorcycle.

Lots move info top of page and in search.

Thanks for your helpful reply. What I seem to keep coming up in online searches, is that you need the IDP and your country's DL to avoid the practical driving test? And I can't figure out why you would also need the IDP? I have seen some sites online that state that your DL also has to be certified by your embassy here in Thailand which is decidedly not convenient for me living in Chanthaburi (4 hour bus ride to Bangkok - easier to just take the driving test).   

 

And is it just me, or is the search engine in this forum really weak? I keep getting 0 results try "Drivers+license+international." It seems like you can only do one word searches??  Very very helpful forum, however, the search engine not withstanding. I'm probably doing something wrong. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Thank you again for your kind reply to my question, hopefully some others will chime in with their takes on this issue.

 

DH

 

1 hour ago, davhend25 said:

Thanks for your helpful reply. What I seem to keep coming up in online searches, is that you need the IDP and your country's DL to avoid the practical driving test? And I can't figure out why you would also need the IDP? I have seen some sites online that state that your DL also has to be certified by your embassy here in Thailand which is decidedly not convenient for me living in Chanthaburi (4 hour bus ride to Bangkok - easier to just take the driving test).   

 

And is it just me, or is the search engine in this forum really weak? I keep getting 0 results try "Drivers+license+international." It seems like you can only do one word searches??  Very very helpful forum, however, the search engine not withstanding. I'm probably doing something wrong. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Thank you again for your kind reply to my question, hopefully some others will chime in with their takes on this issue.

 

DH

 

Go to your local DLT and check there, since requirements will vary from DLT to DLT, and can even vary within the DLT depending on who you speak to and how that person feels like in general and about you.

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Go to your local DLT and check there, since requirements will vary from DLT to DLT, and can even vary within the DLT depending on who you speak to and how that person feels like in general and about you.

Great advice! I would like to think that things like this shouldn't vary like that, but I know here in Thailand that they do.. Lol.

 

Thanks for your reply.

DH