Renewal Of 5 Year Driver's License

[aitch52]

I renewed my 5 year motorbike and car licence yesterday. Tried to use my work permit and Company VAT certificate, no go, the number on the certificate must start with 099 for some reason. Showed her my tax card, same deal, number must start with 099. She told me to go get residency certificate from Jomtien and get back by 1330. Did that, no problem very friendly and efficient service at Jomtien. Rolled up to the desk at the top of the stairs with the paperwork got my red number just did the colour perception and reaction test, went and watched the film for about 25 minutes and got called to do the rest of the process. I was expecting to get fined or at least a bollocking as my licence expired a few months ago. They didn't say a word and my 5 year licence expires in 2020, bargain! Despite being very busy the staff were very efficient and the whole rigmarole went very smoothly.

[aitch52]

I changed my one year to five-year yesterday Friday. I arrived at 8:10 and left about 1030 very easy process. Photo copies of passport, with entry visa stamp, medical check, residency permit, paid 1,060 for car and motorbike.

Made colour, depth perception and reaction test

I am doing mine next week. Can i just check again (to save problems) for a car and bike licence is ONE original residence certificate OK and one copy, or are TWO originals needed. Thanks.

I used 2 originals didn't even think of trying to get away with a copy as I didn't want another trip to Jomtien.

[RPCVguy]

I suppose they except a work permit and not the Yellow Book because the work permit has a photo.

A bit of a pain as the main reason for me to get a Yellow Book was to avoid the 'free' residence certificates from Jomtien immigration.

I just had my visa extension photos done, and have copies in the 1" x 1" size needed for the driver's licenses.

Does anyone know if those can be used?

I've a pair of 5-yr licenses to renew and am living at the same address as shown on my current licenses... which include my photo.

I have a yellow book for the same address, and am on an extension of a retirement visa.

As often my issue - getting to the immigration office is an all day affair, and not in the same direction at all as either the 40 minute each way trip to the closest office for driver's licenses, or a 50 Km motorcycle trip to the nearest office in our province. (I'll insist upon wife or step-daughter driving me there precisely because the license will have expired, and they know the way to the new and closest office.)

So addresses and photos and a Thai family member to help "connect-the-dots"

I'm going to try to use the yellow book with copies - since I can renew the driver's license after it expires, and my visa extension papers are scheduled to be extended again 10-days later. ... during which I can get the residence certificate based upon the yellow book ... if that is what is insisted upon.

As always, the variations within each office, or from office to office make for endless stories of permutations. We try what seems reasonable,and if needed we then get to go with the flow.

Wish me luck, I'll report back next month when the process is done, in one way or another.

[topt]

I suppose they except a work permit and not the Yellow Book because the work permit has a photo.

A bit of a pain as the main reason for me to get a Yellow Book was to avoid the 'free' residence certificates from Jomtien immigration.

I just had my visa extension photos done, and have copies in the 1" x 1" size needed for the driver's licenses.

Does anyone know if those can be used?

At Pattaya DLC or whatever you want to call it they take your picture so no - they will not be used there.

[pontious]

I suppose they except a work permit and not the Yellow Book because the work permit has a photo.

A bit of a pain as the main reason for me to get a Yellow Book was to avoid the 'free' residence certificates from Jomtien immigration.

I just had my visa extension photos done, and have copies in the 1" x 1" size needed for the driver's licenses.

Does anyone know if those can be used?

I've a pair of 5-yr licenses to renew and am living at the same address as shown on my current licenses... which include my photo.

I have a yellow book for the same address, and am on an extension of a retirement visa.

As often my issue - getting to the immigration office is an all day affair, and not in the same direction at all as either the 40 minute each way trip to the closest office for driver's licenses, or a 50 Km motorcycle trip to the nearest office in our province. (I'll insist upon wife or step-daughter driving me there precisely because the license will have expired, and they know the way to the new and closest office.)

So addresses and photos and a Thai family member to help "connect-the-dots"

I'm going to try to use the yellow book with copies - since I can renew the driver's license after it expires, and my visa extension papers are scheduled to be extended again 10-days later. ... during which I can get the residence certificate based upon the yellow book ... if that is what is insisted upon.

As always, the variations within each office, or from office to office make for endless stories of permutations. We try what seems reasonable,and if needed we then get to go with the flow.

Wish me luck, I'll report back next month when the process is done, in one way or another.

If you are using Pattaya DLT they will not accept the Yellow Book.

[RPCVguy]

NOT Pattaya.
I know... TIT. Still, the blue book is the official document for residence as used by Thai citizens, and the yellow book was created to be the equivalent for non-citizens. In my case, the yellow book took over a year to acquire. Done locally, it involved certified translation of my passport page, a copy of my birth certificate, the written support of two well known local leaders, and more ... all to avoid having the distant immigration office look at the same document and provide a sheet of paper? ...at the cost of yet another trip starting at 5AM to get to the city and back?

Most of my life avoids complexity. .... but then enters these concerns. What then is the purpose of the yellow book if it is not accepted as evidence of ones residence address?
Or, has Pattaya been previously scammed by invalid yellow-books? Maybe causing an exception? No way to know the score locally, other than by trying - locally.

[pontious]

Let us know how you get on (Yellow Book ) and what office you use - Pattaya used to accept the yellow book but when my wife asked why they had changed that, the Supervisor said they had recieved a letter saying not to accept them.

They accept Work Permits so I can only think they want something with your photo on. But I am just guessing.

[RPCVguy]

Sorry for having posted in the Pattaya forum... I'd started under a generic search and hadn't noticed the full heading.
As for the photos...Those ARE shown under both the passport copies and the old DLT licenses ...each linking name to image.
I'd think another rationale could be wanting to know that immigration has been seeing the same address. If so, the returned, self addressed envelope from the most recent 90-day report should qualify.
So is that it? To be continued... in July.

[RPCVguy]

Went to DLT in Chiang Rai province and was able to renew my 5-yr license using my yellowbook, along with the stated photocopies of my key pages from my passport. The office took my photo and digitally printed it onto a plastic ID card with a magnetic stripe along the back... all very professionally done. I did need to take a physical test for seeing colors (red/ amber / green) and a test for reflex speed in applying brakes. My wife and step-daughter both came along, which was helpful in completing the forms since I neither read nor write Thai.
Sorry Pattaya, there may be a rational reason demanding paperwork from immigration. It could be that some foreigners do not update the yellowbooks upon change of address. Some might even acquire a second book. If long term residents were required to simply be listed in the blue-books for where-ever they live, then that problem would be lessened. Ex-pats are maybe too mobile for that solution. Maybe having ex-pats have a yellowbook, but shifting the emphasis from one book per building to one book to record each seceding long-term residence for the ex-pat. (???)
Not likely anyone will heed any of our ideas. Merely reporting back as I said I would.

[pontious]

Went to DLT in Chiang Rai province and was able to renew my 5-yr license using my yellowbook, along with the stated photocopies of my key pages from my passport. The office took my photo and digitally printed it onto a plastic ID card with a magnetic stripe along the back... all very professionally done. I did need to take a physical test for seeing colors (red/ amber / green) and a test for reflex speed in applying brakes. My wife and step-daughter both came along, which was helpful in completing the forms since I neither read nor write Thai.

Sorry Pattaya, there may be a rational reason demanding paperwork from immigration. It could be that some foreigners do not update the yellowbooks upon change of address. Some might even acquire a second book. If long term residents were required to simply be listed in the blue-books for where-ever they live, then that problem would be lessened. Ex-pats are maybe too mobile for that solution. Maybe having ex-pats have a yellowbook, but shifting the emphasis from one book per building to one book to record each seceding long-term residence for the ex-pat. (???)

Not likely anyone will heed any of our ideas. Merely reporting back as I said I would.

Thanks for reporting back. In 5 years maybe I will holiday in CR and renew mine.

Unfortunately the rules for all offices will have changed a zillion times by then.

[Jip99]

Timing question re 5 year car licence renewal:-

I know you can renew it up to 3 months BEFORE the expiry date, but is there a grace period for renewing AFTER the expiry date.

Thanks.

[johng]

1 year out of date is definitely ok. I have seen a sign board at my local transport office that suggests they allow up to 3 years.

Sent from my V370 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Rimmer]

OK after reading all of that here's my little bit if anybody's interested if not then I wont loose any sleep over it! First of all in Jomtien you will not get a free residency certificate, if you can somewhere else then go there because in Jomtien it will cost you 300 Baht, or 500 Baht for two. There is nothing further to say on that one take it or leave it!

I'm just in the door after returning from the DLT, just outside Pattaya. If anybody plans on a short visit think again. OK on the documents required I think I saw this earlier but what the hell -

Residency certificate - original.

Passport - original , with photocopies of the photo page & your entry stamp showing your date of departure.

expired driving license(s) - original, with photocopies of both sides of your expired license(s)

If you have more than one license then all must be accompanied with the above.

I also took a medical certificate just to be on the safe side, better safe than sorry but in this case you do not require it!

So that's the documents you need. Then get a no from the machine at the bottom of the stairs, and wait until your number is called, go up the stairs usually to desk 12 and hand in all of your documents. If everything is good they will issue you with a numbered red card, if not you will have to go away and get whats required (not a good idea). We waited about 90 minutes before being herded into test booth 1 for your perception eye test, very simple as long as you understand what is required as they don't explain well in any other language. At this stage your red card is collected. Next after an unspecified amount of time your name will be called and you have to watch a video on the ins and out of driving, I wouldn't normally mind but come on, after 8 years in Thailand I have yet to see any Thais obeying the rules of the road and being subject to that is just wrong. Next lady will collect you from the video room, give back your passport and then you sign for your driving license application etc. You will then be directed to the payment counter, It cost me 1060 Baht for two licenses. You will then be given a blue numbered card and told to wait an unspecified amount of time to get your photo taken and license issued ( For me that was about 2 hours)

Conclusion it is going to take time, go there with that in mind and the right attitude and it wont be so bad. In all it took me approximately 4 hours. Get your documents right the first time saves you having to go and look for the photocopy room downstairs. And I hope the next 5 years go by slowly . . . :-)

Good luck!!

Thank you for posting this. The information is still 100% correct at today's date.

One car licence cost me today Baht 505 plus Baht 100 for the photo.

Time taken 1 1/2 hours from walking in the door to walking out. Not so many people in there today.

If you go just after your birthday as I did you will get get one extra year against the five year licence.

[Asianrider]

My experience yesterday applying for car and scooter licence yesterday. I needed 2 residence certificates, copy of old licence back and front, ( they actually put 2 holes in the old licence's), copies of TM6, my visa and passport page.

They didn't need medical certificates or any photo's.......I did tests for colour, reaction speed, and depth perception. I watched the training video for about 45min. Cost was 1,160 ? baht.

Procedure is relatively smooth but the staff stop for food at 12-1pm.

Lastly my 5 year licence expired on Saturday, i went 3 days later on Tuesday, and the expiry date is now 6 years later, less 3 days, which is handy !!

[apalink_thailand]

I am told that new rules may apply now on the 5-year license renewal and that the documents list and procedures may have changed. I need to get mine sorted by next week and it would appear its going to be another wasted day in the Government office on Sukhumvit.

I could use a documents list please.

I am going back to work overseas on the 18th of August and my licence expires on the 20th. I am back in mid September and was wondering if that is too late to renew? How long past the expiry date can you go without having to start from zero again?

Edited August 11, 2014 by apalink_thailand

[johng]

I am going back to work overseas on the 18th of August and my licence expires on the 20th. I am back in mid September and was wondering if that is too late to renew? How long past the expiry date can you go without having to start from zero again?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/625737-renewal-of-5-year-drivers-license/?p=8152986

[manolothai]

If you already have a one year license can you change to 5 year if you're only on a 30 day tourist visa?

Likewise, if you're renewing 5 year license can you renew it if you're only on 30 day tourist visa?

1 - no - I tried very hard when I renewed my one year last year but no way without a longer visa and probably a 1 year type. (I think you mean a visa waiver stamp?) Just had to get another 1 year.

2 - not sure but would imagine same as above although you may get away with it by mistake.

I have a 3 month Non Immigrant Visa. It is not a long visa, but it's Non Immigrant, no turist one. Do you think they will change my one year driving license to the 5 years one?

[topt]

If you already have a one year license can you change to 5 year if you're only on a 30 day tourist visa?

Likewise, if you're renewing 5 year license can you renew it if you're only on 30 day tourist visa?

1 - no - I tried very hard when I renewed my one year last year but no way without a longer visa and probably a 1 year type. (I think you mean a visa waiver stamp?) Just had to get another 1 year.

2 - not sure but would imagine same as above although you may get away with it by mistake.

I have a 3 month Non Immigrant Visa. It is not a long visa, but it's Non Immigrant, no turist one. Do you think they will change my one year driving license to the 5 years one?

Depends on the DLT centre and staff and I suggest you ask - my understanding is no but happy to be proved wrong.

[mataleo]

Can I get 5 years on ED visa? I got temp 1 year now i got it on tourist visa

[roger101]

I read somewhere the other day that the staff at Pattaya DLT will fill the application form in for you as its all in Thai without any English translation. Is this true or was I imagining it.

[brewsterbudgen]

I read somewhere the other day that the staff at Pattaya DLT will fill the application form in for you as its all in Thai without any English translation. Is this true or was I imagining it.

I had assumed that the application was in both Thai and English?

[Langsuan Man]

Went to DLT in Chiang Rai province and was able to renew my 5-yr license using my yellowbook, along with the stated photocopies of my key pages from my passport. The office took my photo and digitally printed it onto a plastic ID card with a magnetic stripe along the back... all very professionally done. I did need to take a physical test for seeing colors (red/ amber / green) and a test for reflex speed in applying brakes. My wife and step-daughter both came along, which was helpful in completing the forms since I neither read nor write Thai.

Sorry Pattaya, there may be a rational reason demanding paperwork from immigration. It could be that some foreigners do not update the yellowbooks upon change of address. Some might even acquire a second book. If long term residents were required to simply be listed in the blue-books for where-ever they live, then that problem would be lessened. Ex-pats are maybe too mobile for that solution. Maybe having ex-pats have a yellowbook, but shifting the emphasis from one book per building to one book to record each seceding long-term residence for the ex-pat. (???)

Not likely anyone will heed any of our ideas. Merely reporting back as I said I would.

My guess is that the Pattaya DLT will not accept the "yellow book" because they are facilitating Jomtien Immigration's un-authorized residency certificate selling scheme

Seems pretty outrageous when one agency of the government will not accept an absolutely legal document issued by another agency of the government for proof of residency. Especially when the requirements for the yellow book are much more stringent than required for the residency certificate issued by Pattaya Immigration which only requires something as simple as a utility bill for proof

[pontious]

Went to DLT in Chiang Rai province and was able to renew my 5-yr license using my yellowbook, along with the stated photocopies of my key pages from my passport. The office took my photo and digitally printed it onto a plastic ID card with a magnetic stripe along the back... all very professionally done. I did need to take a physical test for seeing colors (red/ amber / green) and a test for reflex speed in applying brakes. My wife and step-daughter both came along, which was helpful in completing the forms since I neither read nor write Thai.

Sorry Pattaya, there may be a rational reason demanding paperwork from immigration. It could be that some foreigners do not update the yellowbooks upon change of address. Some might even acquire a second book. If long term residents were required to simply be listed in the blue-books for where-ever they live, then that problem would be lessened. Ex-pats are maybe too mobile for that solution. Maybe having ex-pats have a yellowbook, but shifting the emphasis from one book per building to one book to record each seceding long-term residence for the ex-pat. (???)

Not likely anyone will heed any of our ideas. Merely reporting back as I said I would.

My guess is that the Pattaya DLT will not accept the "yellow book" because they are facilitating Jomtien Immigration's un-authorized residency certificate selling scheme

Seems pretty outrageous when one agency of the government will not accept an absolutely legal document issued by another agency of the government for proof of residency. Especially when the requirements for the yellow book are much more stringent than required for the residency certificate issued by Pattaya Immigration which only requires something as simple as a utility bill for proof

I think you are right - I posted earlier in the thread they refused my Yellow Book and I went to Jomtien Immigration for the residency certificate - and absurdly used my Yellow Book as proof of residence to get it. 300 Baht march out.

[jayceenik]

Preparing to renew my two 5-year car and motocy DL I went to Jomtien on 25AUG for the obligatory two Residence Certificates.

500 baht - no receipt.

It was AM and applicants kept coming in though only short wait.

Business is good there !! LOL

[hotsoup]

Good grief. I went to the office with my 1 year licence and International Driving Licence and Passport. Out of there in 5 minutes with 5 year licence!!!

[pontious]

Good grief. I went to the office with my 1 year licence and International Driving Licence and Passport. Out of there in 5 minutes with 5 year licence!!!

I think 5 minutes is a bit doubtful.

Did you have a Resident Certificate or a work permit?

If you had neither you should do the lottery.

[Langsuan Man]

Good grief. I went to the office with my 1 year licence and International Driving Licence and Passport. Out of there in 5 minutes with 5 year licence!!!

hyperbole

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm waiting for my new 5 year licence now. I got here at just after 8am with all the right paperwork, already copied (passport ID & visa pages, work permit ID & address page, old 5-year licence which had expired 10 days earlier). No application form to complete, just wrote my name on the form I was given.

Short queue to get my documents checked and copies signed, then given a coloured queue number (purple for renewing a 5-year car licence).

Sat around for about 40 minutes watching a looped video about the physical tests, then called in to watch the driving standards video. Very mawkish and very Thai. Would be nice to think it's effective. Good English subtitles. But it is long - about 45 minutes.

We got taken out before it had finished and there was a 20 minute wait, standing room only, for the tests.

The tests were conducted very publicly and they have a strange idea of the colour yellow, but I passed and was out in 10 minutes.

I'm now #153 in the queue to be photographed and pay (605 baht)

. They're on #113 so I reckon I'll be here at least 30 minutes

So all in all fairly painless but I'll be glad when they start issuing licences for life.

[brewsterbudgen]

And one more thing, I've ended up with a 6-year licence as the expiry date is on my birthday 2020. I believe this might be because my old licence had already expired when I renewed it (10 days). A bonus!

[mataleo]

I'm waiting for my new 5 year licence now. I got here at just after 8am with all the right paperwork, already copied (passport ID & visa pages, work permit ID & address page, old 5-year licence which had expired 10 days earlier). No application form to complete, just wrote my name on the form I was given.

Short queue to get my documents checked and copies signed, then given a coloured queue number (purple for renewing a 5-year car licence).

Sat around for about 40 minutes watching a looped video about the physical tests, then called in to watch the driving standards video. Very mawkish and very Thai. Would be nice to think it's effective. Good English subtitles. But it is long - about 45 minutes.

We got taken out before it had finished and there was a 20 minute wait, standing room only, for the tests.

The tests were conducted very publicly and they have a strange idea of the colour yellow, but I passed and was out in 10 minutes.

I'm now #153 in the queue to be photographed and pay (605 baht)

. They're on #113 so I reckon I'll be here at least 30 minutes

So all in all fairly painless but I'll be glad when they start issuing licences for life.

When u change 1 year temp to 5 years one are there any tests?

Is it that computer test? QA

Or just color and reaction test?

What doc I need on ED visa.