Renewal of Drivers License, 2yr to 5yr, Success

[statman78]

Another day in Chiang Rai with no plans so today was a good day to renew my 2-year car and motorcycle licenses which expire in October.  My wife and I hoped in the car and headed to our first stop, the Immigration Office in Chiang Rai for my residency letter.  We walked up to the door and were met by 2 IOs.  We told them what I wanted, and the female IO asked to see my passport, a copy of my passport and a copy of my wife’s ID and house register.  She handed the copy of my passport back to me and took the other documents into the building.  We were asked to wait outside under a canopy set up in the parking lot.  About 5 minutes later she came out of the door, smiling, and handed me the letter along with all the documents I gave to her.  The cost was 300 baht.

 

Next stop was at the clinic to get the health certificate.  We walked in.  No waiting.  After being asked to move my arms and flex my fingers my weight, height and blood pressure were checked.  In less than 5 minutes I had my health certificate.  The cost was 100 baht.

 

After a stop for lunch and a stop at home to make copies of the residency letter and health certificate we headed to the transportation office.  Upon arrival I handed in 2 sets of documents.  One for the car license and one for the motorcycle license.  The document set consisted of a copy of the information page of my passport, copy of my latest extension of stay stamp, residency letter and health certificate.  We took a seat and waited for about 10 minutes before I was called for the eye exam which consisted of looking at a set of lights and calling out the colors as the flashed.   After that test, the second test was for peripheral vision.  Staring ahead, the lady flashed lights either on the left or right and I called out the color.  Done with the eye exam I sat down again and waited to be called.  Within a short time, I was called up to a window to pay.  The cost for the car license was 555 baht and an additional 305 baht for the motorcycle.   After another short wait I had my picture taken and after a total of 40 minutes at the transportation office I walked out with my new 5+ year licenses.  While my 2-year licenses expires in October, my new licenses expire in February 2026, on my birthday.  The new licenses also had my new passport number on them since I renewed it after I obtained my original licenses.

 

[scubascuba3]

Good they allowed you to go early for the 2-5 years, Last year when i did the 2-2 i had to wait for it to expire, Thai logic

[statman78]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Good they allowed you to go early for the 2-5 years, Last year when i did the 2-2 i had to wait for it to expire, Thai logic

Here in Chiang Rai I found that Immigration and other government services are fairly flexible.  Last time I did my annual extension, which is always due near the end of January, Immigration said I could come in starting around early to mid December.  My last extension the IO gave me the thumbs up because I do my 90 day reports on-line.  

[mrmicbkktxl]

You didn't have to watch a 1 hour video?

[ellathai]

15 hours ago, statman78 said:

Here in Chiang Rai I found that Immigration and other government services are fairly flexible.  Last time I did my annual extension, which is always due near the end of January, Immigration said I could come in starting around early to mid December.  My last extension the IO gave me the thumbs up because I do my 90 day reports on-line.  

 

15 hours ago, statman78 said:

Here in Chiang Rai I found that Immigration and other government services are fairly flexible.  Last time I did my annual extension, which is always due near the end of January, Immigration said I could come in starting around early to mid December.  My last extension the IO gave me the thumbs up because I do my 90 day reports on-line.  

Was it mandatory for the  health test for the 5 year?

Kalasin only require it for the 2 year licence

[ardsong]

good positive story. I will have to renew in October and as before again try to get the 5 yrs version ( I succeeded once , long time back, but lately they only give me the 2 yrs) I will have to use the office in Phrae.

[PJPom]

Krabi again, walk in with medical certificate, old license, Passport, do reaction and visual tests, sign forms. Pay fee, have photo taken, get five year license, say thank you and leave. All done in fifteen minutes, I like Krabi...

[statman78]

1 hour ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

You didn't have to watch a 1 hour video?

Not this time.  When I went for my first license in October 2018 I needed to watch the video.

[statman78]

29 minutes ago, ardsong said:

good positive story. I will have to renew in October and as before again try to get the 5 yrs version ( I succeeded once , long time back, but lately they only give me the 2 yrs) I will have to use the office in Phrae.

Good luck!  I hope you get the 5 year.

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, ellathai said:

 

Was it mandatory for the  health test for the 5 year?

Kalasin only require it for the 2 year licence

The health test is required for both the 2 Year and 2 year to 5 year licence. If your LTO office doesn’t require it you are lucky, as I have been with the video which is supposed to be for every time.

 

1 hour ago, ardsong said:

good positive story. I will have to renew in October and as before again try to get the 5 yrs version ( I succeeded once , long time back, but lately they only give me the 2 yrs) I will have to use the office in Phrae.

If you get the 5 year licence depends on the visa or extension you have. Tourist or visa exempt get 2 years, the Elite visa is a tourist visa.

 

18 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Good they allowed you to go early for the 2-5 years, Last year when i did the 2-2 i had to wait for it to expire, Thai logic

You are allowed to renew up to 3 months early, but wait until 1 day after it expires and you get an extra 364 days.

 

if your local office will not renew it/issue it just go to any other LTO 

[statman78]

4 hours ago, ellathai said:

 

Was it mandatory for the  health test for the 5 year?

Kalasin only require it for the 2 year licence

Here in Chiang Rai it was mandatory for the 5 year

[scubascuba3]

3 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

 

 

You are allowed to renew up to 3 months early, but wait until 1 day after it expires and you get an extra 364 days.

 

 

Is that 2 to 5?

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Is that 2 to 5?

All renewals 1 day after,

2 to 2 = 2 years 364 days

2 to 5 = 5 years 364

5 to 5 = 5 years 364

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, statman78 said:

7 hours ago, ellathai said:

Was it mandatory for the  health test for the 5 year?

Kalasin only require it for the 2 year licence

Here in Chiang Rai it was mandatory for the 5 year

DLT.GO.TH

 

2 to 5 years health certificate required 

 

 

5 to 5 years no health certificate required 

 

 

but TIT so YMMV

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

All renewals 1 day after,

2 to 2 = 2 years 364 days

2 to 5 = 5 years 364

5 to 5 = 5 years 364

hopefully you are right on two of them but definitely wrong on the 2 to 2, it doesn't go to birthday, i did one last year, one day after expiry and got 2 years

[sometimewoodworker]

48 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

hopefully you are right on two of them but definitely wrong on the 2 to 2, it doesn't go to birthday, i did one last year, one day after expiry and got 2 years

As I said. TIT YMMV

[Andrew Dwyer]

4 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

All renewals 1 day after,

2 to 2 = 2 years 364 days

2 to 5 = 5 years 364

5 to 5 = 5 years 364

From a 2yr to 2 yr licence will get you.... 2 years.
From a 2 yr to 5 yr licence will get you.... 5 yrs + up to your birthday.

From a 5 yr to 5 yr licence will get you ....

5 yrs + up to your birthday only if you go after it has expired, going before will get you 5 yrs.

 

[scubascuba3]

9 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

From a 2yr to 2 yr licence will get you.... 2 years.
From a 2 yr to 5 yr licence will get you.... 5 yrs + up to your birthday.

From a 5 yr to 5 yr licence will get you ....

5 yrs + up to your birthday only if you go after it has expired, going before will get you 5 yrs.

 

for the 2 to 5 to get that do you need to go after it's expired?

[Andrew Dwyer]

3 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

for the 2 to 5 to get that do you need to go after it's expired?

Not sure, I don’t think it matters.

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 hour ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Not sure, I don’t think it matters.

Have to add that when I went 2 to 5 mine hadn’t expired and I got 5 years + up to my birthday ( 6 months ).

[statman78]

4 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Have to add that when I went 2 to 5 mine hadn’t expired and I got 5 years + up to my birthday ( 6 months ).

I agree. I went before my 2 year expired (October 2020) and I got 5 years plus up to my birthday (February 2026)