Using your Thai motorcycle licence in your own country.

[nev]

Early next year I will be going back to Sydney Australia to live, My question is can I use my Thai bike licence to buy and ride a bike over there, and do I need to get a international driver's permit or is just showing Thai licence sufficient?.

I have heard you can ride for up to 3 months then change to a local licence.

I still have my Aussie car licence so no problem there and years ago I had bikes up to 250cc on that.

Main reason of asking I will be looking over 300cc.

[jackdd]

This depends on Australia's laws, you might have more success asking on australianvisa.com or just look it up on Google

[wombat]

to avoid any hassle get a international license.
if your Oz license has expired you will have to re-sit the exams and its back to P plates.

[mrmicbkktxl]

I guess you can not.You can use the Thai dl everywhere but Australia,

[AussieFarmer]

52 minutes ago, wombat said:

to avoid any hassle get a international license.
if your Oz license has expired you will have to re-sit the exams and its back to P plates.

That is absolutely incorrect.

All the information you need is here https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/moving-to-nsw.html

[nev]

I renewed my car licence last time back before the 5 year period I think after 5 years they make you sit the test again. 

Car is no problem I just want when back change my Thai bike licence to a full bike licence in oz, what I have read is you can ride on you Thai licence for 3 months and after that you have to get a Aussie one. But if you have had a bike licence overseas you don't have to take a test. 

[nev]

2 hours ago, wombat said:

to avoid any hassle get a international license.
if your Oz license has expired you will have to re-sit the exams and its back to P plates.

No they give you 5 years to get it renewed after that you do. 

[nev]

1 hour ago, AussieFarmer said:

That is absolutely incorrect.

All the information you need is here https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/moving-to-nsw.html

Looks like Thai licence not a recognized licence on those lists. 

Bummer hey after 3 month's I will have to do the full test. 

[millymoopoo]

You can use your Thai DL her in OZ for up to 3 months, wouldn't be any different for Thai motorcycle licence.

[nev]

16 minutes ago, millymoopoo said:

You can use your Thai DL her in OZ for up to 3 months, wouldn't be any different for Thai motorcycle licence.

Thanks can you use and show just the Thai licence or do you need too have a international drivers permit? 

[sead]

Checked that before regarding Sweden. Sweden law says that only as a newly registered citizen I can use a foreign license up to 1 year before I need to make a Swedish one. So if it's for me then I need to actually move my address out of Sweden and then back again. But that is not a good thing since it takes up to 10 months until I get all my social benefits back as I had before. Think most countries have similar rules.

[UncleMhee]

38 minutes ago, nev said:

Car is no problem I just want when back change my Thai bike licence to a full bike licence in oz, what I have read is you can ride on you Thai licence for 3 months and after that you have to get a Aussie one.

Different states.... different licensing laws. You can use either Thai license in Queensland for up to three months without IDL. A test will be required there to get a Qld license.

That's how it was in 2012 anyhow; but we all know how they love legislative changes, so maybe just check first.

[Outbackoz]

If you are an Australian citizen returning to NSW,  Australia for 'visiting purposes'-you can use a valid thai licence accompanied by  an accredited english translation(NAATI) or an IDP issued by a recognised organisation in Thailand.( Refer to NSW Road Transport Act - 2013 S 29 1. a.  as amended  re mutual recognition)  However, the burden of proof is upon you to prove that you are in fact a bonafide visitor and not in fact there for the purpose of resuming residency. If you are found to be in breach of the above you will be deemed as unlicensed. Should you be involved in a motor vehicle collision their will be addition issues regarding comprehensive insurance coverage.  have attached a ope of the relevant legislation below. hope this is of help 

   

 

http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/rta2013187/s29.html

[sikishrory]

NSW maybe different but my experience with Victoria in 2015 was as follows.

I turn up at the office with my full valid thai motorcycle licence to see if I can get it converted to a full Oz one.

I also presented a long expired Victorian motorcycle learners permit.

She tells me Thailand is not on their list of recognised countries but seemed unsure like there was a glimmer of hope.

She pulls out an inch thick book containing pictures and details of licences of the world. She compares my card to the picture in the book. The book pic must be outdated as the full licence had a different coloured strip (light green i think).

She then goes on to say I need to contact the assessor themselves. 

These guys have a lot of power and vicroads basically left the decision up to them it seemed.

I ended up doing a basic assessment for full licence (not the learners test) and was given a full licence with 3 years of restrictions.

Alcohol and LAMS bike.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

This is a very interesting point. 

 

I think there are regulations (UK anyway) which state that if you have a drivers license for another country you must relinquish your original license. i.e. you can't have two licenses, each for a different country.

 

Thus: with Thai Motorcycle License (and Thai issued IDP) its possible I can ride a motorcycle in the UK even though I've never taken the full UK test. 

 

It would be interested to know if this holds any water.

 

 

[DannyCarlton]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a very interesting point. 

 

I think there are regulations (UK anyway) which state that if you have a drivers license for another country you must relinquish your original license. i.e. you can't have two licenses, each for a different country.

 

Thus: with Thai Motorcycle License (and Thai issued IDP) its possible I can ride a motorcycle in the UK even though I've never taken the full UK test. 

 

It would be interested to know if this holds any water.

 

 

I have a full licence for both countries. If you showed your UK licence to the police in the UK, how would they know that you've also got a Thai DL? Sounds daft to me.

[Outbackoz]

17 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a very interesting point. 

 

I think there are regulations (UK anyway) which state that if you have a drivers license for another country you must relinquish your original license. i.e. you can't have two licenses, each for a different country.

 

Thus: with Thai Motorcycle License (and Thai issued IDP) its possible I can ride a motorcycle in the UK even though I've never taken the full UK test. 

 

It would be interested to know if this holds any water.

 

 

I am not familiar with the regulations in the UK so can't really comment. Quite a lot of the original UK traffic legislation filtered into the the respective State and Territory Traffic in Australia where it was amended and codified to meet the particular state and territorial requirements.   Yes each state/Territory in Oz has their peculiar differences in traffic legislation!  Generally speaking in Oz you cannot hold a licence for two different states/Territories, however if you hold a current Australian drivers licence it is regarded as being your valid license and your Thai licence is not recognised for this purpose in Oz. (subject to domicile/residency there is no issue in oz with holding both)

[emptypockets]

2 hours ago, nev said:

I renewed my car licence last time back before the 5 year period I think after 5 years they make you sit the test again. 

Car is no problem I just want when back change my Thai bike licence to a full bike licence in oz, what I have read is you can ride on you Thai licence for 3 months and after that you have to get a Aussie one. But if you have had a bike licence overseas you don't have to take a test. 

If NSW is the same as QLD then you can use your Thai license to drive. If you wish to apply for a new license then I'm afraid the Thai license is not recognised. The wife had to start from scratch - learner's permit etc.

[nspec]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is a very interesting point. 

 

I think there are regulations (UK anyway) which state that if you have a drivers license for another country you must relinquish your original license. i.e. you can't have two licenses, each for a different country.

 

Thus: with Thai Motorcycle License (and Thai issued IDP) its possible I can ride a motorcycle in the UK even though I've never taken the full UK test. 

 

It would be interested to know if this holds any water.

 

 

Not sure about buying but I have been hiring cars in the UK for years using my Thai licenses, hire companies state 'Foreign license must be in English', have also used my Thai M/C license to hire a Harley a few years back.

[nev]

4 hours ago, emptypockets said:

If NSW is the same as QLD then you can use your Thai license to drive. If you wish to apply for a new license then I'm afraid the Thai license is not recognised. The wife had to start from scratch - learner's permit etc.

I was lucky my last visit I updated my car license before the 5 years you can go before you lose my license.