Thai issued IDP accepted in Japan for British national?

[neek]

Hi all, I'm a British national with a British passport (no Thai passport), holding both British and Thai driving licenses, and planning a trip to Japan where we will hire a car.

 

Would an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in Thailand be accepted by a Japanese car rental company, given that I am not a Thai national?

 

I am in Thailand on a 1 year non-O visa, and do not have official Thai Residency or Nationality.

 

I believe Thailand is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, so technically an IDP issued in Thailand meets Japan's requirements, but I suspect the hire car company may refuse to give me a car unless I can show Thai residency/nationality.  This is a big deal for us, as no-one wants to book everything and fly into Japan only to find their car hire is refused at the counter.

 

I haven't found much searching these forums and the web, and although ChatGPT says rather vaguely that a Thai issued one may not be accepted, my Thai wife is sure that a Thai issued IDP would be accepted.  In fact, my latest attempt on ChatGPT clearly stated "Japan only accepts IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Thailand is not a signatory of that convention — it follows the 1968 Vienna Convention, which Japan does not recognize for IDPs. Therefore, an IDP issued in Thailand is not valid for driving in Japan, regardless of nationality."  Maybe the LLM is hallucinating again 😞

 

I can begin the process of getting an IDP from the UK and courier over here ASAP but the wife is insisting this is unnecessary, and just to get a Thai one from the Department of Land Transport (DLT) office.

 

Any personal experiences in this situation would be very gratefully received!

[neek]

A quick follow-up: on checking the UK Gov website  https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit it does seem that Japan uses the 1949 convention, and Thailand the 1968 convention, and so an IDP issued in Thailand is not valid for use in Japan.

 

Futher, since 2024 we can no longer acquire IDPs from the UK Post Office by post: https://www.postoffice.co.uk/help-support/international-driving-permits

It seems the only way to get one is to apply in person at a PayPoint store.  I've been out of the UK for 20 years and haven't heard of these, and am not planning to travel to the UK any time soon.

 

So it seems my only option is to take the UK license to Japan, and get a Japanese translation from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) once there.  This sounds like a real hassle for a family landing at CTS with luggage, and any alternative would be welcome!

[Smokin Joe]

45 minutes ago, neek said:

A quick follow-up: on checking the UK Gov website  https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit it does seem that Japan uses the 1949 convention, and Thailand the 1968 convention, and so an IDP issued in Thailand is not valid for use in Japan.

 

Futher, since 2024 we can no longer acquire IDPs from the UK Post Office by post: https://www.postoffice.co.uk/help-support/international-driving-permits

It seems the only way to get one is to apply in person at a PayPoint store.  I've been out of the UK for 20 years and haven't heard of these, and am not planning to travel to the UK any time soon.

 

So it seems my only option is to take the UK license to Japan, and get a Japanese translation from the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF) once there.  This sounds like a real hassle for a family landing at CTS with luggage, and any alternative would be welcome!

 

Thailand is a party to both the 1949 Treaty and the 1968 treaty and can issue both IDP's.  Just get a 1949 IDP in Thailand.

 

UK is the same. Party to both treaties and can issue both IDP's.  They can even issue the 1926 IDP if needed.

 

The gov.uk website you posted a link to is rubbish. It doesn't list both IDP's for countries that ratified both treaties. Pretty poor for an official govt website.

 

 

 

 

[redinvestor]

Yes you can get a 1949 ver of IDP from the DLT, they usually ask where you will be using it as both versions are available, I have used it in Japan previously.

 

Will need certificate of residence to get it and if you want both motorcycle/car they sometimes ask for a certificate of residence for each.

 

I don't think foreigners can book this service with the DLT queue app so you just need to go there are queue for it.

[Gaccha]

Putting the issues of the IDP aside, you must have the 5-year Thai licence (purple), not the provisional/ temporary (green) 2-year licence. Thailand will not issue the IDP for a 2-year licence.

[Krabi King]

On 7/3/2025 at 7:38 PM, Smokin Joe said:

Thailand is a party to both the 1949 Treaty and the 1968 treaty and can issue both IDP's.  Just get a 1949 IDP in Thailand.

 

I can confirm. Just got it myself

 

On 7/4/2025 at 11:12 AM, Gaccha said:

Thailand will not issue the IDP for a 2-year licence.

 

That's correct too

[TexasCowboy]

Of course the car hire company would be the final authority, but maybe contact the Japan Tourist office in Thailand for assistance.  https://www.japan.travel/en/contact/

 

I'm trying to think how you can avoid or mitigate the issue.  Maybe find a Japanese travel agency in Bangkok.  Book the car AND travel insurance through them and get in writing what you want to do.  That way if issues happen in Japan, at least you have some insurance claim or trip interruption claim.  You may also be able to buy travel insurance from some company like Alianz.

 

Let us know how you make out.

[neek]

On 7/4/2025 at 4:24 AM, redinvestor said:

Yes you can get a 1949 ver of IDP from the DLT, they usually ask where you will be using it as both versions are available, I have used it in Japan previously.

 

Will need certificate of residence to get it and if you want both motorcycle/car they sometimes ask for a certificate of residence for each.

 

I don't think foreigners can book this service with the DLT queue app so you just need to go there are queue for it.

Thank you - yes, I installed the DLT queue app, and when logging in you have to specify if it's as a foreigner or a Thai national.  Using it alongside my wife on her phone, there is no option to apply for a IDP as a foreigner.  I even don't see the same list of offices when accessing other parts of the app, offices we would visit in Bangkok are available on my wife's phone but greyed out on mine.  So, as you say, one seems to just have to go and try on the day.

 

luckily we were at Immigration the other day to sort a re-entry permit for my visa, and applied for a certificate of residency at the same time, which is in the post.  We will visit the DLT office with it once it arrives and try for a 1949 IDP.

 

Apologies for the delay in replying, I really appreciate all the responses here, it has been very reassuring.

[neek]

On 7/7/2025 at 12:04 PM, TexasCowboy said:

Of course the car hire company would be the final authority, but maybe contact the Japan Tourist office in Thailand for assistance.  https://www.japan.travel/en/contact/

 

I'm trying to think how you can avoid or mitigate the issue.  Maybe find a Japanese travel agency in Bangkok.  Book the car AND travel insurance through them and get in writing what you want to do.  That way if issues happen in Japan, at least you have some insurance claim or trip interruption claim.  You may also be able to buy travel insurance from some company like Alianz.

 

Let us know how you make out.

I appreciate the advice.  We've booked the care hire through Trip.com (Budget - direct attempt via Budget said no cars available but Trip.com had them, I guess they block-book), and the wife has sorted insurance already.  As a backup plan, I have applied for a JAF translation of my UK driving license (using NordVPN with a Japan endpoint tricked their system into thinking I was physically in Japan, a requirement of using the service) and a friend in JP has printed it at a 7-Eleven (there is no 7-Eleven in our arrival Chitose airport, apparently, so luckily I have a friend in the right place).  If I have any trouble with the IDP from Thailand I will wave my UK license translation politely and smile 🙂

 

@Krabi King says he was fine, so that's good to hear.

 

I'll try to feed back in due course and report on success/failure for others in this situation.

[richard_smith237]

On 7/3/2025 at 12:33 PM, neek said:

Hi all, I'm a British national with a British passport (no Thai passport), holding both British and Thai driving licenses, and planning a trip to Japan where we will hire a car.

 

Would an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued in Thailand be accepted by a Japanese car rental company, given that I am not a Thai national?

 

Direct answer: 1st Hand Experience: 

- Foreigner (Brit) with Full Thai License (5 yrs) 

- Obtained a Thai IDP - 1949 version.

 

No issues driving in Japan (two separate car hire companies used).

 

In Japan the car hire company expects to see both the Thai license and the IPD.

 

-----------------

 

Note: you need a 5 year Thai License to obtain an IDP in Thailand. 

IF someone just has the temp 2 year Thai Driving License, they cannot get the IDP

 

There are two main versions 1949 and 1968 (japan is only a signatory of the 1949 convention) 

 

----------

 

DLT Queue - there is no option for a foreigner in the Online IDP Queue Booking.

First hand experience again. Wife had an IDP Booking...   I couldn't get one.

The Non-online queue was huge, hours long.

I went to join the back, then noticed there was a 'foreigners queue'  (DLT Area 3 Bangchak).

We were in and out in about 30mins (both with 1949 IDP's for driving in Japan).

 

 

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, neek said:

Thank you - yes, I installed the DLT queue app, and when logging in you have to specify if it's as a foreigner or a Thai national.  Using it alongside my wife on her phone, there is no option to apply for a IDP as a foreigner.  I even don't see the same list of offices when accessing other parts of the app, offices we would visit in Bangkok are available on my wife's phone but greyed out on mine.  So, as you say, one seems to just have to go and try on the day.

 

At DLT Area 3 (Bangchak) there were 3 Queues

1) Those with Bookings.

2) Foreigners

3) Everyone else.

 

I could not make a booking for an appointment, as you have experienced. 

So I went to the foreigners queue... no issues, they checked my documents, gave me a ticket and directed me to the right area (along with Wife who'd gone through the booking queue)...  

 

All worked out - quickly. Both Wife and I drove in Japan (being doing so for a few years on the trot) - using the same process... Note: 1949 convention IPD is only valid for one year (whereas 1968 is for 3 years).

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, neek said:

If I have any trouble with the IDP from Thailand I will wave my UK license translation politely and smile 🙂

 

Ultimate backup plan (IF you are worried) and want to use your UK license.

 

Renew your UK driving licence (claiming loss) - have it delivered to your / a UK address where its registered. 

Post Passport photos (of you) to the Same address.

Have someone (friend / family) take that Driving license and PP photos to obtain an IDP on your behalf.

Post both DL and IDP out to you.

 

IDP's in the UK can be obtained on your behalf, but need to be done so in person (at participating PayPoint Store)