Driving in the UK with a Thai Driving License

[Loaded]

I lost my paper UK driving license a few years ago. I have a 5-year Thai drivers' license. I researched obtaining a new UK driving license from overseas but it doesn't seem to be possible because I am no longer resident in the UK (left 20 years ago).

 

Has anyone had experience renting a vehicle and driving in the UK with a Thai 5-year drivers' license? I only plan to stay a few weeks.

[DipStick]

Let me try to answer your original statements.

firstly, I believe the old paper licences are no longer valid, secondly, I am in the same situation as yourself Re residency. I simply changed my UK address online by using my brother in laws adress (with his permission of course) and renewed my last licence that way.

as for Thai licences, not sure, but my Chinese wife holds a Chinese licence and that's been accepted in the EU, UK as well as NZ.

edited to add that licence was paid for in the UK by my BIL. Trying to pay outside the uk would probably come unstuck.

Edited March 5, 2018 by DipStick
Additional info

[sumrit]

I don't know how easy it is to rent a car using a Thai licence but it's possible because I know a friend has done it in the past.

 

As for driving in the UK using a Thai licence, yes you definitely can. 

 

On a visit back to the UK I found I'd left my UK licence in Thailand and only had my Thai licence with me. I checked with the police and they confirmed you could legally drive in the UK using a foreign licence. But, if you committed a driving offence that would normally be dealt with by a fixed penalty fine and penalty points, that option is only available to people driving on a UK licence, so you would have to be taken to court instead (where a higher fine with added court costs is the likely outcome).

Edited March 5, 2018 by sumrit

[dabhand]

I used a 5 year Thai licence when hiring a car in the UK from Avis last year. No problem at all.

 

 

 

[Eff1n2ret]

4 hours ago, dabhand said:

I used a 5 year Thai licence when hiring a car in the UK from Avis last year. No problem at all.

 

 

 

+1 - lots of us have done it. Over 70yrs old, you have to renew your UK licence every three years. I don't think I'm going to bother next time round. For visits  a Thai licence is fine.

[topt]

On 3/5/2018 at 5:12 PM, DipStick said:

firstly, I believe the old paper licences are no longer

As far as I know they are still valid.  However what you may be remembering is that they abolished the second paper part of the new photo licence 1 or 2? years ago.

 

Actually 3 years - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-licence-changes

Edited March 6, 2018 by topt
added link

[Loaded]

Appreciate the feedback.

 

Looks like I'll be taking the Thai license with me.

[simoh1490]

No problems renting a car from Enterprise for many years with only a Thai 5 year driving license. Do yourself a favour and buy an annual insurance deductible policy before you go, it'll cost you about 45 Pounds and means you can decline all the car rental insurance and save loads of money - iCarinsurance.com is good.

[DMC1]

I rent cars every year from Enterprise UK, using my Thai license. Much easier for both parties as you don’t need to show any proof of residence as you do with having a uk license and being a uk non-resident.

I still have a UK license but I haven’t lived there for nearly 20 years. I put my mothers address on the latest one, which is not really legal, I believe. So I just stick to using the Thai license, less hassle.

[blackcab]

I've hired from Hertz at Heathrow using a 5 year Thai license. No problems at all.

 

Just needed the license, passport and credit card. Very smooth.

[GinBoy2]

I've rented a car at London Heathrow with my Thai license several times.

Now granted, I'm an American so it was my US passport and Thai drivers license they wanted.

Whether it makes a difference if it's a UK passport and Thai DL, well that might be up to the rental company's policies.

[blackcab]

22 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

I've rented a car at London Heathrow with my Thai license several times.

Now granted, I'm an American so it was my US passport and Thai drivers license they wanted.

Whether it makes a difference if it's a UK passport and Thai DL, well that might be up to the rental company's policies.

 

I hired with a UK passport and a Thai drivers license. No problems at all. In fact it was much easier than using a UK license as there was no check of my driving history, and no need to verify my address.

[stuandjulie]

you can drive in the UK for up to a year with a Thai license, then you need a UK one.

Not the same for all Countries though as some have a reciprocal agreement where you can just transfer, Thailand is not one of them.

[stanleycoin]

Old paper uk license is still valid in uk.

 

[Mattd]

Not a problem whatsoever to hire a car using a Thai license in the UK, so long as it is the 5 year version.

I've hired dozens of cars using my Thai license, from different companies and locations in the UK.

 

There have been reports that people have been refused if they present a 2 year Thai driving license, due to the Type: Temporary Car written on the top.

 

FYI if your British License (regardless of type) doesn't have a current UK address written on it, i.e. where you live, or have some links to, then it is illegal to use it to drive in the UK.