Today I went to the DLT Area 3 office to get an international driving permit in preparation for an upcoming trip abroad.

I was informed by the senior officer in charge that there is a new regulation that restricts the issuance of an IDP to persons with a lifetime license to Thai citizens with a Thai ID card. I was given the option of surrendering my lifetime license and getting a 5-year one and the IDP, or keeping the lifetime license and doing without the IDP.

Looks like going forward I won't be driving anywhere that an IDP is a requirement.

Amazing that a 'lifetime' licence was ever issued and I'm not surprised you need a 5-year one for a IDP. Does any country issue lifetime licences?

16 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Amazing that a 'lifetime' licence was ever issued and I'm not surprised you need a 5-year one for a IDP. Does any country issue lifetime licences?

Before 2003 Thais and foreigners with PR were routinely issued lifetime licenses. It's only since then that the DLT stopped issuing them altogether.

I was also advised that if my current license card is lost or destroyed, I'd only be issued a five=year replacement. I don't know if that would also apply to Thai citizens.

Over the years, I've had many IDPs issued by the DLT. The most recent one was two years ago, so this is a recent change.

2 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Before 2003 Thais and foreigners with PR were routinely issued lifetime licenses. It's only since then that the DLT stopped issuing them altogether.

I was also advised that if my current license card is lost or destroyed, I'd only be issued a five=year replacement. I don't know if that would also apply to Thai citizens.

Over the years, I've had many IDPs issued by the DLT. The most recent one was two years ago, so this is a recent change.

Lifetime driving licences were abolished in 2003, so no, Thais would only get a 5-year licence if they lost their lifetime licence. Quite right too!

10 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Lifetime driving licences were abolished in 2003, so no, Thais would only get a 5-year licence if they lost their lifetime licence. Quite right too!

My wife was advised that she would be issued an international driving permit based upon her lifetime license as she has a Thai ID card. I was denied an IDP unless I surrendered the lifetime DL. That's the issue.

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1 minute ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

My wife was advised that she would be issued an international driving permit based upon her lifetime license as she has a Thai ID card. I was denied an IDP unless I surrendered the lifetime DL. That's the issue.

What a pain! Where did you need the IDP for?

13 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

My wife was advised that she would be issued an international driving permit based upon her lifetime license as she has a Thai ID card. I was denied an IDP unless I surrendered the lifetime DL. That's the issue.

They don`t really want us pesky farangs here do they.....

44 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

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What a pain! Where did you need the IDP for?

A few states in the US require an IDP along with a foreign license even if the foreign license is in English. . Rental car companies sometimes require one, too.

In some countries (like Germany, France) a certified translation in the national language is as good as an IDP, though car rentals are likely to frown at a translation more than at an IDP.

I just missed getting a lifetime license,

On 3/31/2026 at 3:31 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

Amazing that a 'lifetime' licence was ever issued and I'm not surprised you need a 5-year one for a IDP. Does any country issue lifetime licences?

I have Thai vehicle and motor cycle driving licenses. I had previously done the test and practical, and passed and got 1 year licenses.

About Thai year 2440 the expat admin. lady at my company took me to the LTO office at Rayong to get them renewed. the officer asked me, in full English, 'would you lke to replaice the 2 licenses with Thai lifetime driving licenses, you qualify and you can be gone in 15 minutes.

Fifteen minutes later all done.

About 12 years ago I went to the national LTO in Bkk, they claimed back the old paper pased with photo glued on licenses to plastic cards with photo (taken at their office) embedded. All done in 15 minutes.

Don't give up just yet...

The DLT is notoriously inconsistent in the application of the regulations.

Case in point: acceptance of Yellow House Book and Pink ID as proof of address at some DLT's and not others.

So - Give it a try at a different DLT.

IF its important to you - I can suggest a 'backup' method that can get you an International Driving Permit (i.e. if you hold an overseas driving license such as a UK license etc).

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Don't give up just yet...

The DLT is notoriously inconsistent in the application of the regulations.

Case in point: acceptance of Yellow House Book and Pink ID as proof of address at some DLT's and not others.

So - Give it a try at a different DLT.

IF its important to you - I can suggest a 'backup' method that can get you an International Driving Permit (i.e. if you hold an overseas driving license such as a UK license etc).

Thanks. I have also thought of going back to the DLT at a later date, or going to a different office, to try again.

I don't have a valid DL other than my Thai DL.

We're visiting our children in the US and they have cars, so I'll lean on them to drive us around this time.

3 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Thanks. I have also thought of going back to the DLT at a later date, or going to a different office, to try again.

I don't have a valid DL other than my Thai DL.

We're visiting our children in the US and they have cars, so I'll lean on them to drive us around this time.

I got an international DL at area 4 without any difficulty about 6 months ago.

You can rent a car using your Thai DL in the US without any difficulty, and it's cheaper.

I think you can get the international DL online as well from a few companies.

27 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I got an international DL at area 4 without any difficulty about 6 months ago.

You can rent a car using your Thai DL in the US without any difficulty, and it's cheaper.

I think you can get the international DL online as well from a few companies.

Renting a car without an IDP can be hit or miss. Some places are ok and others not. In New York a couple of years ago I had no problem. In Ohio I was asked for the IDP. Same company, different location.

Was your Thai DL a lifetime DL when you got your IDP at Area 4 six months ago?

I was given the option of surrendering my lifetime DL and then getting an IDP based upon a five year license. I declined.

I think the online IDPs are actually just translations and not permits issued under the road traffic conventions. In some situations they may suffice. In others, perhaps not. I don't know.

3 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Renting a car without an IDP can be hit or miss. Some places are ok and others not. In New York a couple of years ago I had no problem. In Ohio I was asked for the IDP. Same company, different location.

When I rent the car, I use the Thai DL to book the car. They have only ever asked for my Thai DL, but that's just been California, Florida, Texas and Tennessee.

3 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Was your Thai DL a lifetime DL when you got your IDP at Area 4 six months ago?

No, a five year.

3 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

I was given the option of surrendering my lifetime DL and then getting an IDP based upon a five year license. I declined.

I think the online IDPs are actually just translations and not permits issued under the road traffic conventions. In some situations they may suffice. In others, perhaps not. I don't know.

All IDPs are just a translation.

26 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

All IDPs are just a translation.

This is true, but to be an IDP under one of the road traffic conventions it needs to be issued by a contracting party to one of the conventions or an organization authorized by a party to one of the conventions. I think many of the online IDPs are not issued by an authorized organization.