5-year driver's license with just a tourist visa?

[rahil627]

i was thinking about trying to get a driver's license (again), before i leave the country, since i hear its pretty easy, and because for the countries i want to go to, it's near impossible. Just to have something to show the cops.. (i've only ever had a car driving license)

 

however, from what i heard at the office, it sounds like you can get a 2-year driver's permit(?) on a tourist visa easily (with a certificate of residence), but after that, to get a proper 5-year license, you will eventually need a non-immigrant visa (and then after that you may get an IDP).

 

but i wonder if anyone got the 5-year license with just a tourist visa?

 

if it's not possible or too much hassle to get the 5-year, i'll skip it. It just would be really convenient to have a license in this part of the world, with a simple process.

 

also, is 800 baht for a 'certificate of residence" a crazy price? i read 300, 500, but i was quoted 800 at my local corrupt immigration office here in Ayutthaya city. The driver's license total cost is less than that! (which is incredible compared to many Western countries!)

 

pro-tip: for anyone doing this, the city's transport offices were booked like two months in advance (Chiang Mai city, Ayutthaya city) when i checked, but you can get an appointment within the same week easily in a smaller town in the same province (Maha Rat, Ayutthaya province)

 

sources: expatden

Edited September 13, 2022 by rahil627
random bold

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, rahil627 said:

was thinking about trying to get a driver's license (again), before i leave the country, since i hear its pretty easy, and because for the countries i want to go to, it's near impossible

I find your post vague.

Seems that you don't even need the licence for driving in Thailand.

You would need to obtain 2 yr license first up.

 

I would describe it as not simple.

Things have change and you require residence certificate.

In some places such as Bangkok that's difficult on TV.

The 5 year license comes after the 2 yr one.

There is a forum on AseanNow dedicated to this topic. 

Check it out. 

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by DrJack54

[AsianAtHeart]

It's my understanding that the first issuance of the DL will be for two years, perhaps even on a Non-O, but then, with the Non-O visa, it can be renewed for another five.  That is, at least, what happened in my case, though I may have had the tourist visa the first time. 

 

Unfortunately, when I renewed my driver's license after having had it expired for many years, I lost its original CDL qualifications.  Yes, I at one time had the license to drive 6- and 10-wheel trucks.  I know of only one other foreigner to have had this license in Thailand--the man who got his license at the same time with me.

 

But, that CDL was neither on a Non-O visa nor a tourist visa, and I am no longer on that original visa type (whether that had anything to do with it or not, I do not know).

[FriendlyFarang]

The first Thai license is always for two years.

When you go to extend it after these two years and hold a non-immigrant visa you will get a 5 years license, without a non-immigrant visa you will get another 2 years license.

[Jack1988]

I have 5 years driver's license and that time I had to also show my extension based upon marriage

[MrJ2U]

If you are in Pattaya this place can help you get a 5 year license in one day. 

 

Heads up it's not cheap but it's foolproof. 

[paahlman]

Its like this. You can apply for a DL based on tourist visa and get 2 years temporary license.. IF you want to renew it again under a tourist visa you get 2 more years.. If you have a Non Immigrant(O, A , X or other) or of course different visas like diplomatic, Education visa or whatever you get 5 years on the extension.

[Saigon]

Hello,

 

I did extend my 1st 2-year Thai DL by 5 years

on a Non-B visa last January.

 

Hope that helps.

[MrMuddle]

My licences have all been with a Non-Imm "O" visa, the first one lasted for one year, my second one lasted for 10 years, and my latest one is for 6 years!

[topt]

25 minutes ago, MrMuddle said:

My licences have all been with a Non-Imm "O" visa, the first one lasted for one year, my second one lasted for 10 years, and my latest one is for 6 years!

That's just confusing to the OP! ????

 

It used to be the first licence was only 1 year but that was changed 6/7 years ago or possibly longer than that, to 2 years for everybody.

Not sure on the 10 year but guess quite a long time ago.

 

On renewal, as others have said, with the right visa/extension, and for Thai's, you officially get 5 years. However for subsequent renewals if you go just after the renewal date (which is normally your birthday), you can get nearly 6 years.

[MajorTom]

15 hours ago, rahil627 said:

but i wonder if anyone got the 5-year license with just a tourist visa?

Very difficult. I did try in different provinces with no luck (and i was renewing an expired 5yr). Maybe an agent/driving school could fix it. But if you don't even have a 2 year license and have to start from scratch, 
I would say its unlikely.

[Saigon]

Dear MajorTom,

 

What did you do then? Did you extend

your 5-year DL by only 2 years?

Edited September 14, 2022 by Saigon

[SAFETY FIRST]

I was working in Thailand for a few years, had my 5 year bike and car license, then I got relocated in another country. I was working on rotation, 28/28 so I just came back every month on a tourist visa. I renewed my license, no more 5 year, I only got 1 year. Back then there was no 2 year license. 

[brianthainess]

On 9/13/2022 at 6:27 PM, rahil627 said:

is 800 baht for a 'certificate of residence" a crazy price? i read 300, 500,

They are supposed to be free, Apparently Trat will no longer give them for DL, maybe 'coz there is no money in it for them.

[MrMuddle]

23 hours ago, topt said:

That's just confusing to the OP! ????

 

It used to be the first licence was only 1 year but that was changed 6/7 years ago or possibly longer than that, to 2 years for everybody.

Not sure on the 10 year but guess quite a long time ago.

 

On renewal, as others have said, with the right visa/extension, and for Thai's, you officially get 5 years. However for subsequent renewals if you go just after the renewal date (which is normally your birthday), you can get nearly 6 years.

I actually went just before my Birthday, so that's even more confusing!  lol

[problemfarang]

You dont need a DL at all. you have a TR visa which  gives you the rights to drive in thailand for 3 months. You dont need to show anything to the police. just tell them you are on TR and you can drive 3 months. If you get a new TR then again you will have 3 months. 

 

 

[MajorTom]

On 9/14/2022 at 10:34 AM, Saigon said:

What did you do then? Did you extend

your 5-year DL by only 2 years?

Yes

[FriendlyFarang]

2 hours ago, problemfarang said:

You dont need a DL at all. you have a TR visa which  gives you the rights to drive in thailand for 3 months. You dont need to show anything to the police. just tell them you are on TR and you can drive 3 months. If you get a new TR then again you will have 3 months. 

 

 

A tourist visa doesn't give you a right to drive, don't post such nonsense.

[Photoguy21]

I would doubt if you would get one on a TV. Even if you did, the fist licence you get is just for 1 or 2 years (not sure but I know it isnt 5 years as my daughter has just obtained hers).

[DrJack54]

42 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

I would doubt if you would get one on a TV. Even if you did, the fist licence you get is just for 1 or 2 years (not sure but I know it isnt 5 years as my daughter has just obtained hers).

Yes it's for 2 years.

Then you obtain the 5 year license.

The bummer is that you need to obtain another residence certificate and go through a process. 

It's not just rock up to transport office and hand over some baht. 

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, problemfarang said:

You dont need a DL at all. you have a TR visa which  gives you the rights to drive in thailand for 3 months. You dont need to show anything to the police. just tell them you are on TR and you can drive 3 months. If you get a new TR then again you will have 3 months. 

 

 

So one does not even need a license according to your post, you just rock on into the country jump into a car with no license or insurance covering you and off you go much like the motorbike tourists that then crash and there health and tourist insurance does not cover it.....you must be the go to guy for the ones needing to set up the GoFundMe pages......but wait the new 300 Baht HI fee should cover a non-licensed, non insured driver right?

 

I think you meant that if on a Tourist Visa, and with your countries license and an IDP your good to go for 90 days.

[Photoguy21]

14 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes it's for 2 years.

Then you obtain the 5 year license.

The bummer is that you need to obtain another residence certificate and go through a process. 

It's not just rock up to transport office and hand over some baht. 

True. I am here on a visa based on marriage and the agent I use took me to the centre and took care of everything for me. I had to do the eye test but not the full amount.

[problemfarang]

1 hour ago, FriendlyFarang said:

A tourist visa doesn't give you a right to drive, don't post such nonsense.

well as even you can understand, the topic is about thai DL. 

and yes, you have the right to drive with that visa type with your DL. International would be better. Imagine that a tourist come to thailand and rent a car... cannot? with your logic cannot. reality is, yes can

26 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

I think you meant that if on a Tourist Visa, and with your countries license and an IDP your good to go for 90 days.

yes thank you for the note. i didnt mention that because the topic is thai DL. though people can understand.. again thanks for making it clear. i didnt mean with NO driving license. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by problemfarang

[Mavideol]

did anybody came across the requirements to renew for the 2nd time DL, brother lived in Krabi province, had original 2 years license there, renew 1st time for a 5 years and now wanted to renew again for another 5 year and was faced with a request to attend a 1 hour training at their place or over the internet, has anybody done that? attached is copy of their documentThai Drivers License Info.pdf

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

did anybody came across the requirements to renew for the 2nd time DL, brother lived in Krabi province, had original 2 years license there, renew 1st time for a 5 years and now wanted to renew again for another 5 year and was faced with a request to attend a 1 hour training at their place or over the internet, has anybody done that? attached is copy of their documentThai Drivers License Info.pdf

On-line DLT E-Learning module. It's a 1 hour course and when done print of the QR code they give you after passing a few question test. Just completed it last month and renewed my licenses for another 5+ years two weeks ago.

 

https://www.dlt-elearning.com/

Edited September 15, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Mavideol]

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

On-line DLT E-Learning module. I hour and print if the QR code they give you after passing a few question test.

 

https://www.dlt-elearning.com/

how difficult are they, hope all in english as brother doesn't speak Thai

[ThailandRyan]

25 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

how difficult are they, hope all in english as brother doesn't speak Thai

It's subtitled. Then there is a section in English. Questions are in English.  You need to register on the website and you can do it for English speaking.

 

[Mavideol]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It's subtitled. Then there is a section in English. Questions are in English.  You need to register on the website and you can do it for English speaking.

mine still valid for another 3 years, my brother's needs to renew and has to go back to Krabi or can he do it in another province as his residence is closer to Trang province but town belongs to Krabi

 

sorry forgot to ask, is there a time limit on the answers

Edited September 15, 2022 by Mavideol

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

mine still valid for another 3 years, my brother's needs to renew and has to go back to Krabi or can he do it in another province as his residence is closer to Trang province but town belongs to Krabi

 

sorry forgot to ask, is there a time limit on the answers

There is a time limit but not sure how long. You can not move forward on the modules unless actively viewing and participating.  Not sure about where he should do it, but it can basically be done anywhere for the actual DLT portion. Just remember he will jeed a medical certificate done no more than 20 days prior, a certificate of residence, his passport and copies of his past extension stamp and his Visa he entered on. He also will jeed his actual licenses I  hand to turn in with his paperwork and a new application. That was in BKK it might he different elsewhere.

[Mavideol]

54 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

There is a time limit but not sure how long. You can not move forward on the modules unless actively viewing and participating.  Not sure about where he should do it, but it can basically be done anywhere for the actual DLT portion. Just remember he will jeed a medical certificate done no more than 20 days prior, a certificate of residence, his passport and copies of his past extension stamp and his Visa he entered on. He also will jeed his actual licenses I  hand to turn in with his paperwork and a new application. That was in BKK it might he different elsewhere.

on the paper they gave him, for Renewal,  no mention of anything other than the passport, old license and tabian ban and the QR from the test