Hi All, 

 

My 5 Year Thai Driving License expired during COVID.

 

If I want to get a new one/renew, do I have to apply from scratch and go through the whole process again, or am I exempt from some of the process and/or tests?

 

Thanks!

 

I'm afraid that you have to do it from scratch again.

 

AFAIR 3 months is the limit.

 

 

After 1 year of the licence expiring, you will need to apply from scratch again 

OK thanks guys...🫣🙂

6 minutes ago, Dazzler said:

OK thanks guys...🫣🙂

And now they will make you do the 50 question test, happened to me, but I did get another 5 year, not two

6 hours ago, Seppius said:

And now they will make you do the 50 question test, happened to me, but I did get another 5 year, not two

Having just recently (3 weeks ago)renewed mine being late renewing by just over 3 months the 50 questions as referred to above was not a requirement. All that was required was watching two videos ( I renewed my bike licence as well as my car) and their (pointless) manual tests of which there were 3. It would appear from what @Seppius has said that like everything else here in Thai officialdom the driving license application varies from office to office.

 

 

6 hours ago, Seppius said:

And now they will make you do the 50 question test, happened to me, but I did get another 5 year, not two

Your licence was expired for how long ?

7 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

 

Your licence was expired for how long ?

By just over 3 months.

6 minutes ago, Utalk2mutt said:

By just over 3 months.

 

Yes, you already posted that.

 

My question was to Seppius, the person I quoted.

 

11 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Yes, you already posted that.

 

My question was to Seppius, the person I quoted.

 

My apologies hadn’t kick started the body with my morning coffee  so failed to pick up on your quote. Sorry.

Expired more than one year: do the theory (multiple choice, 45/50) again.

Expired more than three years: do from scratch (theory and "driving" test).

A couple of wrong numbers in the thread.

I have moved this topic into the motoring forum, where OP should get more replies.

I went through the process last year.  My 5 year car licence was 3+ years expired.  An "agent" had told me that a new "rule" existed that if you still had a valid license from your home country you could renew without the need to start over, but she also said that it was up to the DLT office if they followed the rule or not.  If any of that was true I have no idea as my DLT (Bangkok 1) weren't playing along.  So I had to do the theory and driving tests.  

4 hours ago, Upnotover said:

I went through the process last year.  My 5 year car licence was 3+ years expired.  An "agent" had told me that a new "rule" existed that if you still had a valid license from your home country you could renew without the need to start over, but she also said that it was up to the DLT office if they followed the rule or not.  If any of that was true I have no idea as my DLT (Bangkok 1) weren't playing along.  So I had to do the theory and driving tests.  

 

Mine expired mid 2020 so I will ask at Bang Chak my local DLT....

I have just been through the process of renewing my Thai motorcycle and car licences and apart from it being a three day process and having queues of over 100 people at a time, I finally managed to do it.
However perhaps relevant to the OP, one is able to do the theory tests online and then copy the number allocated to your tests and take that along to the DLT centre in order to get processed and save a bit of time.
However there appears to be huge differences between the different DLT centres, because here in Phuket it was a nightmare what with queues, waiting time, and the fact that after 30 foreigners had been given a "ticket", no more were issued and anyone outside of that had to go back and come another day!!

 

All in all it was a nightmare of three days, so good luck with your efforts........

4 minutes ago, xylophone said:

However perhaps relevant to the OP, one is able to do the theory tests online and then copy the number allocated to your tests and take that along to the DLT centre in order to get processed and save a bit of time.

How exactly does that work?  I am familiar with the DLT E-learning thing but never heard about the theory test being possible?  At the DLT it is done in an exam-like environment, no talking, no phones and with a time limit.  How is that replicated online?

Just now, Upnotover said:

How exactly does that work?  I am familiar with the DLT E-learning thing but never heard about the theory test being possible?  At the DLT it is done in an exam-like environment, no talking, no phones and with a time limit.  How is that replicated online?

Well the e-learning thing was online and all one had to do was to watch it and then answer a few questions online and that was all and was accepted at the DLT centre without question!
The only thing tested at the DLT centre was one's reaction time on the foot pedals of the mockup accelerator and brake, which took less than a minute and the test regarding traffic light colours, which was all over and done with just as quickly.
Bear in mind that my visit was for licence renewals, perhaps different for first time applicants?

1 minute ago, xylophone said:

Well the e-learning thing was online and all one had to do was to watch it and then answer a few questions online and that was all and was accepted at the DLT centre without question!
The only thing tested at the DLT centre was one's reaction time on the foot pedals of the mockup accelerator and brake, which took less than a minute and the test regarding traffic light colours, which was all over and done with just as quickly.
Bear in mind that my visit was for licence renewals, perhaps different for first time applicants?

 

Ah.  OK, yes the e-learning thing is very different from the theory test which is 50 multi-choice questions with a 90% pass mark.  As the OP's licence expired more than 3 years ago it is highly likely he will need to do both theory and practical driving tests.  These tests do not apply for first time conversion or for renewals.

6 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

How exactly does that work?  I am familiar with the DLT E-learning thing but never heard about the theory test being possible?  At the DLT it is done in an exam-like environment, no talking, no phones and with a time limit.  How is that replicated online?

You are correct. The other poster is incorrect.

If applying for a new licence or a renewal after expiry of your old licence, then the Theory test with multiple questions is mandatory at the actual DLT office or at an accredited Driving School.

The DLT e-learning video is now compulsory and is done online, with a QR code printout after you pass.

7 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

 

Your licence was expired for how long ?

About a year if I remember, might have been more, it was after covid,

 

I had been back in the UK for 3 years a while, it was past the “holiday” they gave because of Covid

 

They were not having a renewable, had to do the full tests, even the driving one, which I had never done before

 

When i got the new licence, the date was 2012 till 2028

 

2 minutes ago, Seppius said:

About a year if I remember, might have been more, it was after covid,

 

I had been back in the UK for 3 years a while, it was past the “holiday” they gave because of Covid

 

They were not having a renewable, had to do the full tests, even the driving one, which I had never done before

 

When i got the new licence, the date was 2012 till 2028

 

You were issued with a 5 year licence, valid until March 2028.

The 2012 date is when you were first issued with a licence in Thailand.

3 minutes ago, Seppius said:

About a year if I remember, might have been more, it was after covid,

 

I had been back in the UK for 3 years a while, it was past the “holiday” they gave because of Covid

 

They were not having a renewable, had to do the full tests, even the driving one, which I had never done before

 

When i got the new licence, the date was 2012 till 2028

 

Yeah, under 12 no theory test... over 12 full testing.

15 hours ago, Dazzler said:

Hi All, 

 

My 5 Year Thai Driving License expired during COVID.

 

If I want to get a new one/renew, do I have to apply from scratch and go through the whole process again, or am I exempt from some of the process and/or tests?

 

Thanks!

Yep - don't let it expire the next time.  I renewed mine during Covid in 2021.  No issues other than a bunch of people wearing masks.

12 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

The DLT e-learning video

Anyone have a link for this?  My renewal is coming up in March 2026.

32 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

You were issued with a 5 year licence, valid until March 2028.

The 2012 date is when you were first issued with a licence in Thailand.

In this period of me living here yes, but i had another one long before that one in 2012, around 2002 I would say, but had a long period back in my home country, so basically started again in 2012

1 hour ago, connda said:

Anyone have a link for this?  My renewal is coming up in March 2026.

Next year in March you can go to the DLT to make your appointment to renew your licence. They will give you a list of requirements to bring for your appt (which is normally 1-3 weeks later). The DLT e learning link is on their list (which I will add on this post for you perusal). Remember renew just after expiry to get an extra year.

 

PS.. This is for Pattaya/Banglamung DLT.

 

Renewed mine 3 years ago, had expired over 3 years before that.

No problems, Covid exemption they said.