Anyone had experience renewing drivers licence at the DLT Phra khanong?

[stevymac]

Hi all

 

My 2 yr licenses for bike and car expire soon so will head to dlt to renew. Anyone been their recently and what they ask for? I’ve heard many different things. Some say work permit no longer acceptable. Thx in advance

 

 

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[blackcab]

So firstly, you would do better to renew your licenses just after they expire. Your license is granted for the fixed period plus any remaining days until your next birthday. This means if you renew 1 day after your license expires you will get an additional 364 days. 2 days late and you get 363 days, etc. Don't leave it too long though as there is a definite number of days after which it will expire for good.

 

If you have a car and also a bike license you will need:

 

Your passport (and 2 copies)

Your work permit (and 2 copies)

A medical certificate (I was asked for this when I renewed) and 1 copy

Your 2 expired licenses

 

That's all I seem to recall being asked for. You will need to complete 2 application forms - if you don't speak or write Thai it's always easier to take someone along who does. If you have a 1 year extension of stay you should be able to get a 5 year license this time, which is a convenient thing to have.

 

You know the drill though - if you have any other original bits of paper they might ask for then take them along as well. There is a photocopy service in the building where you can always get something photocopied.

[SteveBangkok]

Thanks blackcab

 

Great advice! 

[Pilotman]

How about a Certificate of Residency from Immigration?  I understand that is a requirement?  

[kannot]

3 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

How about a Certificate of Residency from Immigration?  I understand that is a requirement?  

showed  yellow book

[blackcab]

10 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

How about a Certificate of Residency from Immigration?  I understand that is a requirement?  

 

Not if you have a work permit, which the OP mentioned.

[Baerboxer]

21 hours ago, blackcab said:

So firstly, you would do better to renew your licenses just after they expire. Your license is granted for the fixed period plus any remaining days until your next birthday. This means if you renew 1 day after your license expires you will get an additional 364 days. 2 days late and you get 363 days, etc. Don't leave it too long though as there is a definite number of days after which it will expire for good.

 

If you have a car and also a bike license you will need:

 

Your passport (and 2 copies)

Your work permit (and 2 copies)

A medical certificate (I was asked for this when I renewed) and 1 copy

Your 2 expired licenses

 

That's all I seem to recall being asked for. You will need to complete 2 application forms - if you don't speak or write Thai it's always easier to take someone along who does. If you have a 1 year extension of stay you should be able to get a 5 year license this time, which is a convenient thing to have.

 

You know the drill though - if you have any other original bits of paper they might ask for then take them along as well. There is a photocopy service in the building where you can always get something photocopied.

 

Not so IME. I've just renewed by 5 year license at Pathumthani DLT. The old one expired on my birthday which was yesterday and I renewed last Thursday. My previous license also expired on my birthday,

 

If you renew before expiry then the process was simply but time consuming:

-copy passport

-copy latest permission to stay stamp

- original letter / cert. of residence from Immigration (or Amphoe)

We had previously been advised a medical cert would be required but this was not taken or looked at.

 

We were told to join the queue as near to 6 am as possible even though they open at 8 am! We got there about 6.30 and were allocated to group 4 i.e. watch the video training at 11.00am! First you have to do the color blind check, reaction check and peripheral vision and visual distance checks. Then wait for your turn at the video which for car renewal is one hour. 

 

After the video the processing was very quick - left with new license about 12.15 am.

 

However, if you let your license expire they will make you start from scratch including 5 hours tuition with certificate etc etc. One person has let his license expire for some time and was told this. Not sure what, if any, the grace period is between expiry and renewal. From the conversation we overheard last week doesn't seem to be one!

 

My advice would be to call the office your're going to and check their specific requirements. Last week, as they went down the queue handing out tickets, if you didn't have the required copies you didn't get a ticket! If you were after batch 6 then it was sorry, come back tomorrow!

 

 

[Baerboxer]

21 hours ago, Pilotman said:

How about a Certificate of Residency from Immigration?  I understand that is a requirement?  

 

You can also get one from your local Amphoe. Cheaper but you have to take 2 Thai witnesses with you.

[Kerryd]

Each place probably has their own set of rules, which they apply (or not) as they see fit.

 

I did my renewal in Chachoengsao a few weeks ago. The license had expired last Nov. My buddy (Thai) said I had "3 months" - I think he meant that if I renewed it within 3 months of it expiring I'd be OK.

When I got to the DLT, I handed over the (signed) photocopies of the face page of my passport and the page with my latest Extension of Stay stamp, as well as a Certificate of Residence and a medical certificate. That's it. (Handed over my old license of course.)
 

As was fine - except that the medical certificate was more than a month old so they wouldn't accept it. (I had gotten it and the Residence Certificate in Nov as that was when I'd planned on doing the renewal.)

Anyways, I was directed to where a nearby clinic was - went there and 100 baht later I had a blood pressure test and a new certificate.

Didn't have to do the video, but I did have to do the colour test (she point to 3 different circles - I got them right and that was it - when I did my license the first time I never did that much). (Funny though - all the Thais that were tested after me never had to do the colour test.)

Then the perception and braking test. (Everyone had to do those.)

 

After a short wait, I was sent downstairs to get my photo done and get my new 5 year licence. Would have been 5 1/2 had I gone in November but oh well.
It was also nice that they put my Pattaya address on the license, even though I was renewing it in Chachoengsao. (My first license had some other weird address on it - I think someone used a Chachoengsao address for some reason - which wasn't an issue anyways as no one seemed to care.)

[jojothai]

26 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

However, if you let your license expire they will make you start from scratch including 5 hours tuition with certificate etc etc. One person has let his license expire for some time and was told this. Not sure what, if any, the grace period is between expiry and renewal. From the conversation we overheard last week doesn't seem to be one!

 

The aspect of getting renewal of the license with extra time after just expired is true and has been reported on TV before. You get an extra year if you renew after the birth date expiry.

there is a time limit, cannot remember now - I found on internet.

Did my 5 year renewal at DLT Phra khanong a year ago..

You still have to do the tests and see the video.

 

On my renewal at PhraKhanong opp suk soi 62

Passport, copy photo page and visa extension page.

For a 5 year license you must have a Non-immigrant visa 1 year.

Old License and copy front and back.

Residence cert from Embassy/ thai authorities (OR Work permit can be used if you have one)

I took 2 photos with me, stated on some websites.  However i think they took their own photo.

Cash for application.

 

Did not need UK license for 5 year renewal

Did not need medical cert for 5 year renewal

 

NOTE: the form is in Thai, Get a copy beforehand and work out how to complete it.

One of the staff will help but can be time consuming.

 

The Process in PhraKhanong as best I can remember is as follows:

At entrance when you go in somebody there checks your docs. Do it.

Get application form and complete it.

Go to counter and submit docs and get a Q No.

Go to do the tests. Wait turn. Confirmation is done on a record sheet.

Go to video. Check times displayed on wall. There is a lunch break. i had to wait longer because of this. 

Get confirmation record sheet.

Go to main counter again for Q number for license.

Wait turn.

Process license, I think they took photo on the spot.

They print license there on the spot, you collect and finished.

 

[milwaukeeboy]

A few years back they told me to go to Mochit. They did not want to help foreigners at all.

Mochit is specifically set up to help foreigners.  Maybe things have changed.

[sometimewoodworker]

3 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

However, if you let your license expire they will make you start from scratch including 5 hours tuition with certificate etc etc. One person has let his license expire for some time and was told this. Not sure what, if any, the grace period is between expiry and renewal. From the conversation we overheard last week doesn't seem to be one!

 

My advice would be to call the office your're going to and check their specific requirements. Last week, as they went down the queue handing out tickets, if you didn't have the required copies you didn't get a ticket! If you were after batch 6 then it was sorry, come back tomorrow!

 

2 hours ago, jojothai said:

there is a time limit, cannot remember now - I found on internet.

If you renew within 1 year it is exactly the same as if you renew before expiry.

 

between 1 and 3 years you add the theory test. It is only after 3 years that you go back to square one. 

 

It is all on the DLT website in English 

Edited March 5, 2019 by sometimewoodworker

[retayl]

The inconsistency across all of these offices would be considered extraordinary if this wasn’t in Thailand. We renewed our driving licences from 2 to 5 year last year at the Cha Am DLT. All that we took was, passports (90day) non immigration visa. Old licences, proof of residence from Hua Hin immigration, obtained with a copy of our rental agreement (in English). Arrived at Cha am mid morning, did the braking, peripheral vision and colour blindness tests ( no requirement to watch the video),in and out with new licences in 25 minutes. Couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about!

[asiaexpat]

I just renewed in January at that location and all I needed was the last five year licenses and watch a 1 hour video before taking the physical tests. The desk completed the renewal form for me and sent me to the video. No medical required. I changed the license number from passport number to Pink ID number at the same time.

Edited March 6, 2019 by asiaexpat