Driving Licences - You don't additional months until your next birthday when renewing

[bbi1]

I went to Chonburi Provincial Transport Office (Banglamung Branch) to extend my 2 year motorbike licence. I've been reading all over this forum that when you renew, you get extra months until your next birthday, which could mean potentially up to a year extra. This is absolutely false and a lie. My licence was due to expire in January 2025. My renewed licence was only given until 9 December 2026, so it's 2 years from today. That really means I even lost a month because my old licence would expire January 2025.

[KhunBENQ]

No one ever stated that a TEMPORARY license ends on your birthday.

Two years and that's it.

 

December >2026<?

And why didn't you get a regular 5 year license as is usual after the temporary?

That's the real topic.

 

What's your visa/extension status?

[bbi1]

3 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

No one ever stated that a TEMPORARY license ends on your birthday.

Two years and that's it.

 

December >2026<?

And why didn't you get a regular 5 year license as is usual after the temporary?

That's the real topic.

Lots of people have posted in the past when you renew your licence, then it gets extended until your birthday.

 

They wouldn't give me one, even though I asked for it. They said on a DTV I can only get 2 years. It sucks they won't give 5 year licences on renewals if you have a DTV.

[KhunBENQ]

No 5 year on DTV? Yes that sucks.

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, KhunBENQ said:

No 5 year on DTV? Yes that sucks.

Yes, it sucks big time. You have a long-term visa valid for 5 years but can only get a 2 year licence again 😞

[scubascuba3]

Temporary licences are only 2 years from the day of application, not connected to birth date

[MadAtMatrix]

If your licence expired on your birthdate and you were going to get a new five year licence, you go the day after your birthdate and you get an extra 364 days. 

 

Your DTV visa isn't a long stay visa, as it is an entry of 180 days at a time. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:11 PM, bbi1 said:

Lots of people have posted in the past when you renew your licence, then it gets extended until your birthday.

 

They wouldn't give me one, even though I asked for it. They said on a DTV I can only get 2 years. It sucks they won't give 5 year licences on renewals if you have a DTV.

 

They will. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:12 PM, KhunBENQ said:

No 5 year on DTV? Yes that sucks.

 

They do give you a 5 year license on a DTV. A number of reports on that recently. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/10/2024 at 8:13 PM, MadAtMatrix said:

If your licence expired on your birthdate and you were going to get a new five year licence, you go the day after your birthdate and you get an extra 364 days. 

 

Your DTV visa isn't a long stay visa, as it is an entry of 180 days at a time. 

A "long stay visa" only gives you 11-12 months at a time. A DTV is valid for 5 years with 180 days per time. I think a mistake was made, since other offices give you 5 years on a DTV and even on a 12 month multiple entry visa with 90 days per entry, they're giving 5 year licenses.

[bbi1]

4 hours ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

They do give you a 5 year license on a DTV. A number of reports on that recently. 

Not in Pattaya they don't, they clearly said no to me when I questioned them. The one report from a while ago I saw was from some rural place and the dude already had a 5 year.

[jacko45k]

14 hours ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

A "long stay visa" only gives you 11-12 months at a time. A DTV is valid for 5 years with 180 days per time. I think a mistake was made, since other offices give you 5 years on a DTV and even on a 12 month multiple entry visa with 90 days per entry, they're giving 5 year licenses.

Removed

[bravo19]

16 hours ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

They do give you a 5 year license on a DTV. A number of reports on that recently. 

Absolut wrong. In Rayong only 2 years with DTV.

[dayo202]

I applied to renew my 5 year licences a day after my BD back in June, I got 6 years minus 1 day !!! 😁 

[Ralf001]

8 minutes ago, dayo202 said:

I applied to renew my 5 year licences a day after my BD back in June, I got 6 years minus 1 day !!! 😁 

 

That is correct for a 5yr licence but not for a 2yr temp licence which is what the OP mentions.

[Nid_Noi]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:12 PM, KhunBENQ said:

No 5 year on DTV? Yes that sucks.

Same in Pranburi. Just 2 years for renewal from the day of the application, not from the expiry date of the previous license.

Also make sure you renew at least 15 days before your « visa » expiry date and make sure your certificate of residence matches your « visa ».

Visa means the stamps on your passport not the document issued by the Thai consulates.

Also rules differ based on the immigration office or DMV office and no point arguing about the fees paid or the forms used. Many forms pulled out of the Thai official website are not valid in certain offices which have their own.

[Wake Up1]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:11 PM, bbi1 said:

Lots of people have posted in the past when you renew your licence, then it gets extended until your birthday.

 

They wouldn't give me one, even though I asked for it. They said on a DTV I can only get 2 years. It sucks they won't give 5 year licences on renewals if you have a DTV.

Your first renewal from two years to five years must be renewed  before the two year license expires. If you renew it after the two year license expires you only get two years again and not five years. 
 

 

When you get your five year license you wait until after your birthday month to renew your five year license and you get six years instead of five years. 
 

Big difference between the two year and five year license renewal strategy. 

 

[bluemoon58]

3 hours ago, dayo202 said:

I applied to renew my 5 year licences a day after my BD back in June, I got 6 years minus 1 day !!! 😁 

Same same! 

[flexomike]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:01 PM, bbi1 said:

I went to Chonburi Provincial Transport Office (Banglamung Branch) to extend my 2 year motorbike licence. I've been reading all over this forum that when you renew, you get extra months until your next birthday, which could mean potentially up to a year extra. This is absolutely false and a lie. My licence was due to expire in January 2025. My renewed licence was only given until 9 December 2026, so it's 2 years from today. That really means I even lost a month because my old licence would expire January 2025.

Sorry you thought that was a lie. You only get the extra year if you go in at least one day after your current license has expired. Sorry this would only apply if you already had a five year.

[Njoku]

7 hours ago, dayo202 said:

I applied to renew my 5 year licences a day after my BD back in June, I got 6 years minus 1 day !!! 😁 

Lucky you, just renewed my car licence early, from 2 to 5, they made it to 2030 on my birthday which is 3 months short of the actual 5ys, 18months on bike licence now same date as car, lost 6months...haha but I dont mind.

[sandyf]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:01 PM, bbi1 said:

I've been reading all over this forum that when you renew, you get extra months until your next birthday, which could mean potentially up to a year extra. This is absolutely false and a lie.

The only thing false is your understanding of what you were reading.

Many of us have never had a 2 year licence and like all the posts you probably read I got about a week short of 6 years on last renewal.

[PoorSucker]

DTV?

I go go DLT, department of land transport.

They give me 5 years until the birthday that year.

Of course you need an nonimmigrant visa extension, else you get only two years

[PoorSucker]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:13 PM, bbi1 said:

Yes, it sucks big time. You have a long-term visa valid for 5 years but can only get a 2 year licence again 😞

You need nonimmigrant visa extension.

[MadAtMatrix]

On 1/1/2025 at 4:14 PM, Tomtomtom69 said:

A "long stay visa" only gives you 11-12 months at a time. A DTV is valid for 5 years with 180 days per time. I think a mistake was made, since other offices give you 5 years on a DTV and even on a 12 month multiple entry visa with 90 days per entry, they're giving 5 year licenses.

Q. How many days are you stamped in for on a DTV?

 

A.180

 

That is not a “long stay”. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a long stay in the photo

[Tomtomtom69]

21 hours ago, MadAtMatrix said:

Q. How many days are you stamped in for on a DTV?

 

A.180

 

That is not a “long stay”. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a long stay in the photo

 

Yes, that's a long stay visa but most people only get 1 year extensions.

 

The DTV is considered to be a "long stay" tourist visa. Semantics I guess, but given the visa is valid for multiple entries over 5 years, it should qualify.

 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 1/3/2025 at 11:48 PM, PoorSucker said:

You need nonimmigrant visa extension.

 

You don't. 

 

Depends on the office. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 1/3/2025 at 11:33 PM, PoorSucker said:

DTV?

I go go DLT, department of land transport.

They give me 5 years until the birthday that year.

Of course you need an nonimmigrant visa extension, else you get only two years

 

That is not true. You can get a 5-year license on a 12 month multiple entry non-O visa with 90 day stamps. A DTV also entitles you to a 5 year license (or at least, it should, given there are reports of 5 year licenses being granted). Pattaya is the first office I've heard of, which doesn't grant you a 5 year license on a DTV. A bit weird, considering each stamp is for 180 days, which can be extended and the visa lasts for 5 years. 

Having said that, reports of people going for driver license renewals and are on a DTV are far and few between. 

We don't know how different offices interpret the DTV as so few people have gone for a 5 year license extension while holding this visa, as it's still very new. We currently only know that Pattaya and apparently Rayong say no, while Chiang Mai says yes. The various Bangkok offices are probably a yes as well (to be confirmed though). 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 1/1/2025 at 8:52 PM, bbi1 said:

Not in Pattaya they don't, they clearly said no to me when I questioned them. The one report from a while ago I saw was from some rural place and the dude already had a 5 year.

 

No, a guy on a DTV called Sefton Hanley (look him up, he's in all the Facebook Thailand forums and groups) got a 5 year license in Chiang Mai city. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:13 PM, bbi1 said:

Yes, it sucks big time. You have a long-term visa valid for 5 years but can only get a 2 year licence again 😞

 

I don't think that's true. Shop around - depends on the office you apply at. 

 

Chiang Mai is giving 5 year licenses to DTV holders. Bangkok probably as well, but check first. 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/9/2024 at 1:12 PM, KhunBENQ said:

No 5 year on DTV? Yes that sucks.

 

Depends on the office.