sharing experience: update a 2-year driving license to 5-year

[fdsa]

TL;DR - 90 minutes of waiting and 555 baht (+200 a day before, for the medical certificate). No watching videos, no theory exam, no practice exam.

 

 

 

So my 2 year driving license was soon to expire and I went to the transport office to update / renew / exchange it to the 5 year.

I came to the office on Wednesday (following the general recommendation to come at the middle of the week because Mon/Fri are the busiest days), at 8:20, dressed in long jeans, shirt and sneakers (but the officials did not care much - there were a few ppl in shorts, however when I was getting a 2-year license on Koh Samui the officials turned you away if you came dressed in shorts and slippers).

I brought an old driving license, original passport (was not needed), copy of passport main page + visa page + entry stamp page, copy of work permit main page + address page, and a medical certificate. Got a queue number for the payment and proceeded to the "medical tests". The horrific "distance test" machines either were not working or officials did not want to spend much time doing that useless test, so all people were conducting only color and reaction tests, which took about a minute for each person. The officials did not ask me for the theory/practice exam, but some people were told to come back at 9:30 - I think they were getting their first driving license.

After the tests I waited a short queue to make a payment (555 baht) and proceeded to the photo room. After another short queue they took my photo (I noticed that it was 9:05 already) and that's where the real waiting began. The card printer is ultra slow and prints a single card in like 10 minutes, so I got my new card only at 9:50.

So it took just a hour and a half to renew / update / exchange a two year driving license to the five year license.

YMMV

[Psimbo]

Please don't start a sentence with 'so'. It's like sowing like sentences with like, like. and calling people 'Dude' like (although it IS apparently grammatically acceptable- just annoying). ????

[LivinginKata]

Was the medical certificate really required. ??

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Was the medical certificate really required. ??

For 2 yr to 5 yr it's required to the written rules.

(made the same experience)

5 yr to 5 yr not required.

[Isac Szwarc Brasil]

Thanks for the good information , one question , what about Residence Certificate ?

[KhunBENQ]

10 minutes ago, Isac Szwarc Brasil said:

Thanks for the good information , one question , what about Residence Certificate ?

Always required, like it or not.

What kind of document is accepted seem to vary widely from office to office.

Edited May 16, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Always required, like it or not.

What kind of document is accepted seem to vary widely from office to office.

 

Can be CoR or Work Permit or Yellow Tabian Baan.

[fdsa]

On 5/15/2019 at 11:46 AM, Psimbo said:

Please don't start a sentence with 'so'. It's like sowing like sentences with like, like. and calling people 'Dude' like (although it IS apparently grammatically acceptable- just annoying). ????

i'm young and such :P

[fdsa]

5 hours ago, Isac Szwarc Brasil said:

Thanks for the good information , one question , what about Residence Certificate ?

It is not required if you have a work permit. If you do - then bring a copy of its main pages, e.g. on Koh Samui it's only the first page, but on Phuket they use a different "model" of that book so the first and the last page are required.

[Tim K]

On 5/16/2019 at 9:05 AM, LivinginKata said:

 

Can be CoR or Work Permit or Yellow Tabian Baan.

I'm married to Thai and have a Yellow house book, but they said to me: "no, we want be sure. Bring us certificate of address from Immigration Office."

 

I thought I would get another 2 year license, but looks like I can count on getting a 5-year one, awesome. Mine ends on 3rd November

Edited June 29, 2019 by Tim K

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Tim K said:

I'm married to Thai and have a Yellow house book, but they said to me: "no, we want be sure. Bring us certificate of address from Immigration Office."

 

I thought I would get another 2 year license, but looks like I can count on getting a 5-year one, awesome. Mine ends on 3rd November

And that is on Phuket?

[Tim K]

Yes on Phuket. I asked somewhere in February this year. I was nearby transferring name on my bike.

They told me that I can come about 2 month before the current license expires, and only do the eye-check. 

me: What??

Well, the color test.

No theory test or something.

Edited June 30, 2019 by Tim K

[fdsa]

A small update: I found out that I've got a messed up card after some office staff told me that I can't use my driving license as a valid ID, because the first and last name were mixed up (there was "Mr. Lastname Firstname", but must be "Mr. Firstname Lastname").

So I went to the transport office with original passport and messed up card and was told that they do not want the original passport - only copies, also they want the work permit copies again. I made these copies and returned back, then waited a short queue at the payment window (table in fact), paid 55 THB for card replacement and proceeded to the photo window/table. Then long wait again (remember the slow card printer) and I got a new driving license card with the same issue date as the messed up one (May, not Aug).

[Crisu]

If you extend a car + motorbike driving licence do they need in phuket 2 original CoR, medical certificate or is a copy sufficient?