Renewing Driver's licence at Bang Chak Bangkok - update?

[TerraplaneGuy]

Hi all, my 5 year car and motorbike licences will be expiring so it's time to renew.  Last time I did it at the Bang Chak location (Sukhumvit 101).  Can anyone please update me on the requirements?

Last time I needed:

 

-copies of passport pages (identity and visa) and original passport

-residence certificate

-copies of current (expired) licence front and back, and original licence

-eye test (no written test) and have to watch a movie

-fee

 

Is this still it?  Also, about timing, it used to be you'd get almost an extra year if you waited til just past expiry of the licence (which is your birthday), because they give you 5 years starting from your NEXT birthday.  Still true?

 

Thanks for any info.

[TylerBKK]

You are correct on the documents.
 

You'll also need a medical certificate no older than one month from the date you are renewing. 

 

You can do the training (watch the video and answer a few multiple choice questions) online now. After you complete the online training it's valid for up to 180 days to renew your license. Here is the link:

 

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

After you complete the online training you will need a QR code issued by the website and then screen capture that QR code onto your phone and show it to them at DLT. You can see my other post below about how to get that QR code out of the site as it was a bit confusing for me.  
 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

5 minutes ago, TylerBKK said:

 

You'll also need a medical certificate no older than one month from the date you are renewing. 

 

 

Thanks.  Last time I remember I'd read that you need a med certificate but they didn't ask me for one.  Is there any special form?  What does it need to say?  And can you get one at any clinic or does it have to come from a hospital?

[TylerBKK]

I think they started requiring the medical certificate since Covid. I didn't need one the last time either. 
 

I got mine from a small old clinic next to Chatuchak DLT that does them for 150 Baht. 
 

They provide the form. It is all in Thai. I didn't bother to try and read it. But they know what is needed. 
 

I suggest you ask around in your area. There is probably a similar clinic close to the DLT office where you will be renewing that everyone uses and it will be fast and easy. 
 

Also, fee is 505 Baht for car and 255 Baht for motorcycle license renewal of 5 years. 
 

Yes, if you renew just after expiry of your existing license then still end up with almost 6 years on the renewal.  

[TylerBKK]

If you want to book an online appointment for your renewal you can also download an app called DLTSmartQueue

 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 7/9/2024 at 10:45 AM, TylerBKK said:

I think they started requiring the medical certificate since Covid. I didn't need one the last time either. 
 

I got mine from a small old clinic next to Chatuchak DLT that does them for 150 Baht. 
 

They provide the form. It is all in Thai. I didn't bother to try and read it. But they know what is needed. 
 

I suggest you ask around in your area. There is probably a similar clinic close to the DLT office where you will be renewing that everyone uses and it will be fast and easy. 
 

Also, fee is 505 Baht for car and 255 Baht for motorcycle license renewal of 5 years. 
 

Yes, if you renew just after expiry of your existing license then still end up with almost 6 years on the renewal.  

Is there a time limit, after it expires, for renewing it this way without having to start all over with a driving test?  Like if you wait 6 months is it still as above?

[TylerBKK]

21 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Is there a time limit, after it expires, for renewing it this way without having to start all over with a driving test?  Like if you wait 6 months is it still as above?

Yes, one year is the limit. 

[polmoutre]

On 7/9/2024 at 11:31 AM, TylerBKK said:

If you want to book an online appointment for your renewal you can also download an app called DLTSmartQueue

 

 

 

Been to bang chak today, no walk in for foreigners, have to book appointment at the counter (no queue online), current waiting list is almost 1 month.

[TerraplaneGuy]

20 hours ago, polmoutre said:

 

Been to bang chak today, no walk in for foreigners, have to book appointment at the counter (no queue online), current waiting list is almost 1 month.

That is terrible!  How can there be such a long wait?  Used to be so easy to just walk in .... and why doesn't the online queue work, any idea?

[TerraplaneGuy]

Is it still true that farangs can't just walk in at Bang Chak to renew licences?    Above it says you have to go there, make an appointment, which can be as long as a month away.  Still the case?  No online queue method?

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

4 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Is it still true that farangs can't just walk in at Bang Chak to renew licences?    Above it says you have to go there, make an appointment, which can be as long as a month away.  Still the case?  No online queue method?

 

Our son needed to go to the DLT to get his 5-year license while he was briefly back home a couple of years ago. The only appointments we could get at Bang Chak were well past the date he needed to return to his university in the US. Other DLT offices in Bangkok were also booked solid. We drove to the DLT office in Samut Prakan, walked in, and were able to get the new license. Not sure if this would work in all cases, but it did in ours.

[TerraplaneGuy]

2 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

 

Our son needed to go to the DLT to get his 5-year license while he was briefly back home a couple of years ago. The only appointments we could get at Bang Chak were well past the date he needed to return to his university in the US. Other DLT offices in Bangkok were also booked solid. We drove to the DLT office in Samut Prakan, walked in, and were able to get the new license. Not sure if this would work in all cases, but it did in ours.

Did you find out Bang Chak and the other offices were booked up by walking in or is there a way to find out/book online?

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

19 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Did you find out Bang Chak and the other offices were booked up by walking in or is there a way to find out/book online?

 

 

I think we checked the online queue on the DLT website first: https://gecc.dlt.go.th/dltsmartqueue/register and then my wife called the Bang Chak office and was told to make a booking online.

 

Good luck.

[josephbloggs]

On 5/4/2025 at 3:16 PM, TerraplaneGuy said:

Is it still true that farangs can't just walk in at Bang Chak to renew licences?    Above it says you have to go there, make an appointment, which can be as long as a month away.  Still the case?  No online queue method?

It is true that they want you to book online but when I tried to book a slot online there were none available for weeks. So I prepared my documents, watched the video online and got my QR code, and turned up at Bang Chak at 1pm midweek. This was about six weeks ago. I handed over my docs, they checked them, then said they were full but could get me in on a date in about six weeks' time (by which time my CoR and medical certificate would have expired).

I very politely explained that would be tricky for me as my license had expired already about a week earlier and getting new documents would be troublesome. He went away, came back and said he could get me in in three weeks. I said I wasn't going to be in Thailand that week (which was true), he went away again and came back and said "ok, today". He gave me a queue number and I was straight in to do the physical tests, then off for a photo and  payment. It was a breeze.

I left there with a new almost six year license an hour after turning up and being told come back in six weeks. 

If I'd just accepted what I was told I would have had to wait. But with a smile, speaking some Thai (I spoke to him in Thai, he translated all his replies to me into English using an app on his phone), and being super polite people will try to help you, they were genuinely nice. And no, they didn't ask for a bribe in case anyone is thinking that.

Maybe I got very lucky, maybe he got laid that morning, maybe it was his birthday, or maybe they are just helpful if you ask nicely, I don't know. But no harm in trying as long as you go there with the mindset of being prepared to accept failure.

Definitely the best and proper way to do it is to book a slot online though, for sure.