3 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

The subject of validity of a an IDP often comes up, I have always asked the persons to provide a government, DLT, Police link etc which says it is only valid for 3 months,

I insured my current vehicle by producing my U.K. driving licence which was accepted by the company MSIG Insurance Group.

You're actually asking two different questions that often get conflated.

 

Nobody is claiming that the physical IDP document suddenly expires after 90 days. Under the 1968 Vienna Convention, which Thailand ratified in 2020, an IDP remains valid for its stated period (provided your home licence also remains valid). This is usually 3 years under the Vienna Convention.

 

The issue is whether you can continue relying on it to drive in Thailand after you've effectively become a resident rather than a temporary visitor.

 

There isn't a single sentence in Thai legislation saying, "An IDP is valid for only 90 days." The 90-day figure comes from the way several rules interact. Once you've been in Thailand long enough to fall into the Immigration Bureau's 90-day reporting regime, the Department of Land Transport generally regards you as someone who should be driving on a Thai licence rather than continuing indefinitely on a foreign licence and IDP.

More importantly, the real-world issue is often insurance, not the police.

 

You say MSIG accepted your UK licence when you took out the policy. That's not the same as saying they'll honour a claim. Insurers routinely accept information at the proposal stage and only scrutinise licence validity when there's a significant claim to pay.

 

If, following a serious accident, they conclude you've been driving for months as a resident using only a foreign licence and IDP, they may argue that you weren't correctly licensed under the terms of the policy and decline or limit cover. That's when the question becomes expensive.

 

For that reason alone, anyone spending more than 90 days in Thailand would be well advised to obtain a Thai driving licence rather than rely on assumptions about how an insurer might interpret the rules after the event.

Edited Friday at 08:04 AM5 days by kwilco

17 minutes ago, Smokin Joe said:

Laws are not made by the DLT, Immigration, or insurance companies.

The law is what determines whether a license is valid.

As far as insurance policies, as stated in an earlier post, no one has ever posted an actual quote from a policy that says a valid Foreign license (with IDP) is only valid for 90 days. It has always been unsubstantiated claims.

And again, it's because you won't see those actual words. A policy will say something along the lines of you must hold a valid driving license. Over 90 days and no Thai driving license then in the eyes of the insurance companies (and the DLT) you fail that test.

It's wooly as with many things here, but that's how it works in practice.

BTW – this is about getting your IDP in the UK – I assume other countries are the same...

You cannot buy a legally valid International Driving Permit (IDP) online if you hold a UK driving licence.

The UK government strictly mandates that official IDPs must be bought in person. Beware of online websites offering "international driving licences" or digital permits, as these are unofficial, legally unrecognized, and classified as fake products by international driving authorities

59 minutes ago, treetops said:

It's a grey area and one I've not heard of being tested. In a link I gave upthread it says:

There's a new word for me....upthread., which would not be allowed on Countdown as it should be hyphenated.

Do you mean Earlier?

Edited Friday at 08:49 AM5 days by wil iam not

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Clear and concise information is hard to come by which is one of the reasons this is such a frequent topic of debate.

But - first and foremost - its incredibly easy to obtain a Thai driving license - so there really isn't any excuse not to.

Now... As I understand it (and this always seems to spark debate):

1. A UK licence can be used to obtain a Thai driving licence without taking a full driving test (an IDP is not required for this).

2. There is a bilateral agreement between Thailand and the UK - if a British person is only visiting (i.e. visa exempt or tourist visa) they can generally drive using their UK licence - an IDP is not required (as I understand it - this one is often heavily debated), that said, the safest position is to carry an International Driving Permit.

3. If a person holds a resident visa (i.e. Non-Immigrant Visa - retirement, marriage, work, etc.) they are considered resident - and thus must hold a Thai Driving license.

4. Many insurance policies only provide cover for a driver with an IDP for limited period, often 90 days, so it's worth checking the wording of the policy rather than making assumptions.

Do you have a link for the bilateral agreement?

56 minutes ago, wil iam not said:

There's a new word for me....upthread., which would not be allowed on Countdown as it should be hyphenated.

Do you mean Earlier?

Go away.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/upthread

4 minutes ago, treetops said:

Go away.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/upthread

So sorry, I was using the Oxford English Dictionary.

Gemini explains that it a word used in forums, and means 'posted earlier'.

Edited Friday at 09:48 AM5 days by wil iam not

When I first took insurance out my licence details were required, I gave my U.K. Licence, I have since renewed my insurance 3 times and I have never been asked for an updated licence albeit I have an IDP.

I questioned the broker a German fella who said I might have problems if the Police stopped me though ?

47 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Do you have a link for the bilateral agreement?

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Clear and concise information is hard to come by which is one of the reasons this is such a frequent topic of debate.

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

1 hour ago, SunsetT said:

Do you have a link for the bilateral agreement?

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Clear and concise information is hard to come by which is one of the reasons this is such a frequent topic of debate.

So it is just hearsay.

8 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

So it is just hearsay.

Call it whatever you want - for well over 20 years the information has been 'hard to come by' regarding the precise regulations - what we do read is a lot of advice.

Just look at obtaining a licence in the first place - some DLT's will accept a Yellow House Book as proof of address, some will not - this 'hearsay' becomes irrelevant when you get a Thai Diving licence anyway.

Equally so - Police in Phuket and Pattaya often accept your UK Driving Licence with IDP when riding a motorcycle - even though there is no motorcycle endorsement - figure that one out !

The advice I always give - regardless of what we believe the regulations to be get a Thai Driving / Motorcycle licence - that removes any ambiguity and stops the discussion dead in its tracks if the Police or insurance were to start getting awkward

On 6/30/2026 at 10:25 AM, michaeljamos255 said:

I have been reading different discussions about driving in Thailand and the use of International Driving Permits for long-term visitors. There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding insurance validity and when a person should switch to a Thai driving licence.

An IDP is only good for a year. You'll want an unexpired IDP when you apply for a Thai DL otherwise you'll be doing all of the tests. If you have an IDP, it's assumed you know how to drive.

2 minutes ago, connda said:

An IDP is only good for a year. You'll want an unexpired IDP when you apply for a Thai DL otherwise you'll be doing all of the tests. If you have an IDP, it's assumed you know how to drive.

If your home country's driving licence is already in English, you won't need an IDP when applying for a Thai driving licence. That was certainly my experience at DLT Area 3 in Bangkok, and I'm sure others who have been through the process there can confirm the same.

I let my Thai licence lapse for more than 12 months a few years ago, so I had to start from scratch. I was issued a new 2-year temporary licence, followed by a 5-year licence, which I've since renewed. At no point, either when reapplying or when I first obtained my Thai licence decades ago, was I ever asked to produce an IDP. The only time an IDP would generally be needed is if your home licence isn't in English, in which case the DLT will usually require either an IDP or a certified translation.

8 minutes ago, connda said:

An IDP is only good for a year.

Debatable - the 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year / The 1968 IPD is valid for three years.

Validity of 'use' from date of entry is often debated - with many suggesting that 90 days is the limit - and this limit is based on 'residency' because after 90 days, theoretically a person has conducted a 90 day report and their status here is no longer considered temporary.

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Debatable - the 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year / The 1968 IPD is valid for three years.

Validity of 'use' from date of entry is often debated - with many suggesting that 90 days is the limit - and this limit is based on 'residency' because after 90 days, theoretically a person has conducted a 90 day report and their status here is no longer considered temporary.

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Debatable - the 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year / The 1968 IPD is valid for three years.

Validity of 'use' from date of entry is often debated - with many suggesting that 90 days is the limit - and this limit is based on 'residency' because after 90 days, theoretically a person has conducted a 90 day report and their status here is no longer considered temporary.

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Debatable - the 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year / The 1968 IPD is valid for three years.

Validity of 'use' from date of entry is often debated - with many suggesting that 90 days is the limit - and this limit is based on 'residency' because after 90 days, theoretically a person has conducted a 90 day report and their status here is no longer considered temporary.

All foreigners are on temporary stays unless you have Thai citizenship.

2 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

All foreigners are on temporary stays unless you have Thai citizenship.

Semantics

37 minutes ago, connda said:

An IDP is only good for a year. You'll want an unexpired IDP when you apply for a Thai DL otherwise you'll be doing all of the tests. If you have an IDP, it's assumed you know how to drive.

The 1968 Vienna IDP is actually the correct one for Thailand and lasts 3 years if your home licence is still valid.

28 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

All foreigners are on temporary stays unless you have Thai citizenship.

Or residency

6 minutes ago, kwilco said:

The 1968 Vienna IDP is actually the correct one for Thailand and lasts 3 years if your home licence is still valid.

The only English speaking country than can issue the 1968 Vienna IDP is the UK.

The USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand have not. They can only issue the 1948 Geneva IDP that is good for one year. None of them ratified the 1968 Vienna Treaty.

59 minutes ago, Smokin Joe said:

The only English speaking country than can issue the 1968 Vienna IDP is the UK.

The USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand have not. They can only issue the 1948 Geneva IDP that is good for one year. None of them ratified the 1968 Vienna Treaty.

Don't see what 'English speaking" has to do with it. Countries like Oz and the US didn't sign because they ussue state D/L s and not national ones.... they also have higher accident dawth and injury rates.. Although Thailand 'recognises" the 1849 treaty, technically the 1968 supercedes all previous agreements

1 hour ago, kwilco said:

Don't see what 'English speaking" has to do with it. Countries like Oz and the US didn't sign because they ussue state D/L s and not national ones.... they also have higher accident dawth and injury rates.. Although Thailand 'recognises" the 1849 treaty, technically the 1968 supercedes all previous agreements

The 1968 treaty does not apply to countries like Oz and the US because they did not ratify it. Understand?

I just mentioned "English speaking" because this is an English language forum and most members are from English speaking countries.

Many non-English speaking countries also didn't ratify the 1968 treaty. But in any case, any country that did not ratify the 1968 treaty can not issue a 3 year IDP. The 1968 treaty doesn't supersede anything for a country that is not a party to the treaty.

1 hour ago, Smokin Joe said:

The 1968 treaty does not apply to countries like Oz and the US because they did not ratify it. Understand?

I just mentioned "English speaking" because this is an English language forum and most members are from English speaking countries.

Many non-English speaking countries also didn't ratify the 1968 treaty. But in any case, any country that did not ratify the 1968 treaty can not issue a 3 year IDP. The 1968 treaty doesn't supersede anything for a country that is not a party to the treaty.

what's the matter with you? Haven't you actually read any of my posts? If you're too dim to understand just don't bother trying to post - you just make yourself look stupid. BTW - repeating what others have already said is not contributing to the discussion, and trying to divide the conversation by language just misses the whole point of the thread.

17 minutes ago, kwilco said:

what's the matter with you? Haven't you actually read any of my posts? If you're too dim to understand just don't bother trying to post - you just make yourself look stupid. BTW - repeating what others have already said is not contributing to the discussion, and trying to divide the conversation by language just misses the whole point of the thread.

You should read my posts again when you're not drunk.

4 hours ago, Smokin Joe said:

You should read my posts again when you're not drunk.

I don't drink... however, I do think - you should try it sometime.

18 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

All foreigners are on temporary stays unless you have Thai citizenship.

In the eyes of immigration, but they don't hand out driving licenses or deal with insurance claims so their definition is not pertinent.

22 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Call it whatever you want - for well over 20 years the information has been 'hard to come by' regarding the precise regulations - what we do read is a lot of advice.

Just look at obtaining a licence in the first place - some DLT's will accept a Yellow House Book as proof of address, some will not - this 'hearsay' becomes irrelevant when you get a Thai Diving licence anyway.

Equally so - Police in Phuket and Pattaya often accept your UK Driving Licence with IDP when riding a motorcycle - even though there is no motorcycle endorsement - figure that one out !

The advice I always give - regardless of what we believe the regulations to be get a Thai Driving / Motorcycle licence - that removes any ambiguity and stops the discussion dead in its tracks if the Police or insurance were to start getting awkward

Can't get a residency certificate if only here for 6 months every year.

21 minutes ago, SunsetT said:

Can't get a residency certificate if only here for 6 months every year.

What do you mean by ‘residency certificate’ ???

Affirmation of Address from Embassy ? Certificate of Address from Imigration ?

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

What do you mean by ‘residency certificate’ ???

Affirmation of Address from Embassy ? Certificate of Address from Imigration ?

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

What do you mean by ‘residency certificate’ ???

Affirmation of Address from Embassy ? Certificate of Address from Imigration ?

I haven't a clue but it's been listed somewhere here(say?) as a requirement.

11 hours ago, SunsetT said:

I haven't a clue but it's been listed somewhere here(say?) as a requirement.

Take the TM30 from your landlord to immigration, and they should certify it. A work permit gets around a lot of this.

Edited Saturday at 09:03 PM4 days by kwilco

16 hours ago, SunsetT said:

I haven't a clue but it's been listed somewhere here(say?) as a requirement.

Certificate of Residence

1. Application Form: You can pick up or download the Application for Residence Certificate (TM.18/TM.16)form. [1, 2]

2. Passport: Original passport with clear photocopies of your bio-data page, current visa stamp, and latest entry stamp. [1]

3. Address Notification (TM.30): The original and a copy of your TM.30 receipt, proving your landlord or hotel has reported your residency. [1, 2]

4. Proof of Address: A signed copy of your lease agreement, alongside a copy of your landlord’s Thai ID card and their house registration book (Tabien Baan). [1, 2]

5. Photos: 2 to 3 recent passport-sized photos with a white background. [1, 2]

6. Fee: Typically 200 to 500 THB, depending on the provincial