Two-year temporary driver's license to 5-year licence

[JTXR]

My two-year temporary license expires at the end of August.  What is the earliest I can go to get the 5-year license?  What docs will be required?
 

[Upnotover]

Tells you whats needed here, although not how early it can be done.  I did my last renewal 1 month before expiry.  In any case, they are now closed for the time being.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/two-year-license/

[scubascuba3]

I'm not sure you can at the moment the transport offices were closed and licences were allowed to expire. BTW if relevant you can't go 2 to 5 on a tourist visa which probably includes the Thai Elite i assume

Edited May 13, 2020 by scubascuba3

[dsj]

One bit of advice, if they are open before your license expires, I suggest you go 1 or 2 days after it expires as you will then get close to 6 years out of it as the base it on your birthday.

[StevieAus]

As with Immigration Offices local offices seem to apply their own rules here in Chiang Mai Province the local office will not accept the Thai ID as proof of residence but the head office in Chiang Mai will so I had to get the certificate from Immigration.

As suggested below when they open go and ask the requirements.

[jomtienisgood]

21 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

As with Immigration Offices local offices seem to apply their own rules here in Chiang Mai Province the local office will not accept the Thai ID as proof of residence but the head office in Chiang Mai will so I had to get the certificate from Immigration.

As suggested below when they open go and ask the requirements.

Depends on WHAT Thai ID you have. There are 2 different ones. one starting with 6 the other with 8.

8 is for PR and accepted as such....

[sevenhills]

21 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Tells you whats needed here, although not how early it can be done.  I did my last renewal 1 month before expiry.  In any case, they are now closed for the time being.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/two-year-license/

You should have waited one month afterwards and received six years like I did. ????

[Upnotover]

24 minutes ago, sevenhills said:

You should have waited one month afterwards and received six years like I did. ????

Quite happy with the 11 I got....

 

[sometimewoodworker]

On 5/13/2020 at 1:50 PM, JTXR said:

My two-year temporary license expires at the end of August.  What is the earliest I can go to get the 5-year license?  What docs will be required?
 

In normal times 3 months 

 

only non tourist visas and extensions qualify, the Elite is a tourist visa

 

[swissbie]

8 hours ago, dsj said:

One bit of advice, if they are open before your license expires, I suggest you go 1 or 2 days after it expires as you will then get close to 6 years out of it as the base it on your birthday.

No, OP said he has a 2-year licence, does only work for the 5-year licence.

[Pilot3Boz]

On 5/13/2020 at 5:23 AM, scubascuba3 said:

I'm not sure you can at the moment the transport offices were closed and licences were allowed to expire. BTW if relevant you can't go 2 to 5 on a tourist visa which probably includes the Thai Elite i assume

I was told the same thing at the DL office... On a SETV I went there and did the usual test... Got excused from the useless video... Went down to get my license and the computer kick out a 5 year for both my Auto and Motorcycle licenses... The guy was totally surprised by this and told me I was very lucky... So I am good for 5yrs now... Cha-Am office utilized  

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Pilot3Boz said:

I was told the same thing at the DL office... On a SETV I went there and did the usual test... Got excused from the useless video... Went down to get my license and the computer kick out a 5 year for both my Auto and Motorcycle licenses... The guy was totally surprised by this and told me I was very lucky... So I am good for 5yrs now... Cha-Am office utilized  

That's good and lucky, it's another daft rule anyway, why 2 years on tourist visa is ok but 5 not. You'd think they'd want the offices to not be so busy, certainly Pattaya is swamped

[TigerandDog]

22 hours ago, StevieAus said:

As with Immigration Offices local offices seem to apply their own rules here in Chiang Mai Province the local office will not accept the Thai ID as proof of residence but the head office in Chiang Mai will so I had to get the certificate from Immigration.

As suggested below when they open go and ask the requirements.

You should have lodged a complaint at the CM head office. A friend encountered the same treatment at our local Land Transport Office last year and was forced to travel 200km to CM. He & his Thai wife both lodged a written complaint ( in english & Thai ) whilst there and CM head office telephoned our local office later that day and told them that they were required to accept the Pink ID card & yellow book as proof of residence. My friend received a phone call the next day from the local office manager apologising for the inconvenience caused by his employee's lack of knowledge of the accepted proof of residence requirements for foreigners renewing their licenses.

[TigerandDog]

18 hours ago, swissbie said:

No, OP said he has a 2-year licence, does only work for the 5-year licence.

Swissbie, not correct. I renewed my license ( 2 year ) to 5 year license 1 month after the 2 year temporary license expired. My 5 year license was issued for 6 years.

[JTXR]

Thanks for the replies.  I'm assuming they'll start work again before the end of August.

I have a Non-Imm OA visa.   If I recall, for the 2-year license I got the proof of residence at the US Embassy.  Since they're not doing any non-emergency consular work now, I guess I need to get it from Immigration now?  Is there a form to fill out for that?  I'm in BKK:  any way to do it without going to Chaeng Wattana  (by post or online)?