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Renew my temp driver's license to 5-year license in Chiang Mai even if I live in another province.

dagras

By dagras
in Thailand Motor Discussion

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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I'm wondering if my driver's license renewal plan is possible or not.

 

Let's say:

 

  • I've been living in Bangkok for 2 years on an an elite (tourist) visa.
  • I have a 2-year driver's license that was issued in Bangkok.
  • My driver's license has just expired.
  • And I want to renew my license in Chiang mai, because the land transport office in Chiang Mai seems to give you a 5-year license on renewal if you're on an elite visa. (This is confirmed information by one of my twitter friends as of Feb, 2021. He actually got 5-year license on his elite visa and made a post about it with some pics on his blog.)

 

So, my renewal plan is:

 

  1. Stay at a hotel in Chiang Mai for a couple of days.
  2. The hotel should give me a receipt of TM30.
  3. Then go to a license agent ("The Colonel Company Visa Chiang Mai"), which gives you a residence certificate if you bring passport, photo and TM30. (The agent actually told me that all you need is passport, photo and TM30. They didn't say you need rental agreement to get a residence certificate as of Jul 6, 2021.)
  4. Prepare other documents (e.g. medical certificate, etc...)
  5. Then, go to the land transport office with the documents to get a new 5-year license.

 

I think this should be possible unless I'm missing something else.

Has anyone ever done something like this?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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@howerdeBecause you basically get 2-year temp license on renewal if you are on an elite visa. And I've heard a lot of elite-visa people getting 2-year temp visa on renewal... But things are different in Chiang Mai... So that's why. is your visa an elite visa?

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howerde Silver Member

howerde

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18 minutes ago, dagras said:

@howerdeBecause you basically get 2-year temp license on renewal if you are on an elite visa. And I've heard a lot of elite-visa people getting 2-year temp visa on renewal... But things are different in Chiang Mai... So that's why. is your visa an elite visa?

No not elite, i was not aware that your visa type dictated length of driving license at renewal, you never stop learning

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EricTh Platinum Member

EricTh

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33 minutes ago, dagras said:

@howerdeBecause you basically get 2-year temp license on renewal if you are on an elite visa. And I've heard a lot of elite-visa people getting 2-year temp visa on renewal... But things are different in Chiang Mai... So that's why. is your visa an elite visa?

 

Strange rule, why would an elite visa get a 2 year versus 5 years in Bangkok?

 

I got my 5 years DL in Chiang Mai.

 

Edited by EricTh
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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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30 minutes ago, dagras said:

@howerdeBecause you basically get 2-year temp license on renewal if you are on an elite visa. And I've heard a lot of elite-visa people getting 2-year temp visa on renewal... But things are different in Chiang Mai... So that's why. is your visa an elite visa?

 

While on the Elite Visa I renewed my Driving and Motorcycle Licences last year.

 

Previously (while on a Thai Elite Visa) I’d had a 5 year licence renewed to a 2 year temp licence because I was not on a Non-Immigrant visa.

 

Thus: I was pleasantly surprised to receive 5 year licences this time around (on a Thai Elite Visa) - I used the Yellow House Book and Pink ID as proof of address, DLT didn’t want copies of the Yellow House Book but requested copy of my Pink ID.

 

Just like Amphur offices, just like the different immigration offices and just like any official office, the requirements are individually interpreted by each officers in each different office - thus there is very very little reliable consistency.

 

If you have the Thai Elite Visa, you get what you get on the day and hope you luck out, thats about it !!!! 

 

 

 

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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1 minute ago, EricTh said:

 

Strange rule, why would an elite visa get a 2 year versus 5 years in Bangkok?

 

I got my 5 years DL in Chiang Mai.

 

 

The rule is that you must have a Non-Immigration Visa to obtain a 5 year licence. 

 

Without a Non-Immigrant Visa 2 year temp licences are issued. 

 

It seems that not all the officers know this rule.

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EricTh Platinum Member

EricTh

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2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The rule is that you must have a Non-Immigration Visa to obtain a 5 year licence. 

 

Without a Non-Immigrant Visa 2 year temp licences are issued. 

 

It seems that not all the officers know this rule.

 

 

Isn't an Elite visa considered non-imm visa because it's a longer term visa versus a tourist visa?

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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51 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Just like Amphur offices, just like the different immigration offices and just like any official office, the requirements are individually interpreted by each officers in each different office - thus there is very very little reliable consistency.

 

If you have the Thai Elite Visa, you get what you get on the day and hope you luck out, thats about it !!!!

 

Agree. It's up to luck and timing...

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EricTh Platinum Member

EricTh

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5 minutes ago, dagras said:

Good to know that. You gave me another evidence that license things in chiang mai work differently...

I always thought it was a nation-wide rule....

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ukrules Star Member

ukrules

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I live in Hua Hin which is in Prachuap Khiri Khan and I've always done my driving license at the office just north of Cha Am which is in Phetchaburi province.

 

Why? Well I heard they're slackers in that office and do a half arsed job

 

So I get a 5 year license each time I go, no problem even with the Elite visa.

 

Go a few days after your birthday and you can drag it out into a 6 year license which is always worth doing.

 

 

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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@ukrules

Wow, thanks for your info. That's really interesting.

 

So, you always go to this office at Cha Am?

Looks like what you said is right according to the google reviews lol

 

When you go there, do they accept a residence certificate that shows you live in Hua Hin?

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LNKDES1 Senior Member

LNKDES1

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I renewed mine the day after my birthday, as my license expired on a Saturday, and got a renewal for almost 6 years (5 yrs from your next birthday). Depending on your age, it's something to think about.

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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13 minutes ago, LNKDES1 said:

I renewed mine the day after my birthday, as my license expired on a Saturday, and got a renewal for almost 6 years (5 yrs from your next birthday). Depending on your age, it's something to think about.

Good to know. Can I ask where u got it? In Chiang Mai? And you have an elite visa?

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dagras Rookie Member

dagras

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10 hours ago, fakser said:

After the 2 years you will receive a 5 year DL. You don't need the Elite visa.

Just the health certificate and residence verification.

You can't get 5-year license at renewal if you're on a elite visa as elite visa is not non-immigrant visa.

This is the basic rule for license renewal with non-immigrant visa.

 

But some DTL offices break the rule (or don't know about it) and issue 5-year license to people with elite visa. That's what I'm interested in here.

 

I guess what you talked about will be renewal with a non-immigrant visa. In that case, yes, you will get 5-year license at renewal.

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richard_smith237 Star Member

richard_smith237

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On 7/8/2021 at 8:42 AM, chilly07 said:

Don't think an elite visa has anything to do with it. On presentation of valid foreign license you get a 2 yr Thai licence followed by a 5 year on renewal.

 You think wrong. 
 

A ‘Non-Immigrant’ visa is required to obtain a 5 year driving license (after the initial 2 year period of holding a temp licence). 
 

But, this is Thailand and sometimes things slip though yet gaps. 
 

3 years ago (with and Elite visa) I couldn’t renew to a 5 yr DL & was only issued a 2 yr temp DL. A year ago with an elite visa I was issued with a 5 yrs license.

 

The DLT officer probably made a mistake, one which worked in my favor. 


Thus: if someone is not holding a non-immigrant visa expect a renewal to a 2 yrs DL. But they may be surprised with a a 5 yr DL… just roll with it !… no much more we can’t do. 

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