Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre

Foreign visitors in Nha Trang are facing stricter checks when renting and riding motorbikes as police intensify enforcement across the popular coastal destination. Khanh Hoa traffic police have spent more than a month working with local officers and other agencies on patrols, traffic checks and public-order enforcement.

Coordinated inspections identified nine businesses renting motorbikes to foreigners, mainly in Nha Trang Ward. Hundreds of foreign nationals have received administrative penalties for failing to meet the requirements for renting and personally riding vehicles, most of them motorbikes.

Rental businesses demand more paperwork

Motorbike rental signs have become far less common than they were about three months ago. On tourist streets including Tran Phu, Hung Vuong, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Ton Dan, large rows of rental bikes are no longer routinely displayed on pavements.

One Nguyen Thien Thuat Street resident said rental signs had previously been everywhere. Businesses now tend to display a sign and bring out a bike only when a customer requests one.

A rental operator on Hung Vuong Street said companies now require the necessary documents and must verify that customers hold valid driving licences and related paperwork. The operator said some businesses had stopped offering self-drive rentals because few foreign customers met the requirements.

Police focus on licences, insurance and safety

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Dao Xuan Truong, chief of Nha Trang Ward Police, said inspectors found many rental firms operating without business licences. Some hotels, guesthouses and boarding houses were combining accommodation with vehicle rental services.

Truong said both businesses and customers had failed to follow regulations in some cases. Several traffic collisions involving foreigners had occurred, including cases with serious consequences.

Police have required operators to commit to following rules on business conditions, driving licences, insurance and vehicle safety. Truong said most providers had now broadly complied.

Officers in Khanh Hoa and Ho Chi Minh City have previously encountered foreign riders who refused instructions or behaved improperly. Police also stressed that many foreigners obey the law and carry valid international driving permits. Language barriers and unfamiliar road signs remain difficulties during enforcement.

What foreign riders need to know

A shop being willing to hand over a motorbike does not by itself establish that the customer may legally ride it. Visitors should confirm that their licence and any international permit are valid for the vehicle category in Vietnam, and check the rental agreement, registration, insurance and condition of the bike before leaving.

The crackdown means travellers without suitable documents may find self-drive rentals unavailable and could face penalties if they ride anyway. Using licensed transport, taxis or ride-hailing services is the safer course when there is any uncertainty about driving entitlement.

1 August 2026

On 8/1/2026 at 2:51 PM, Uncle Claude said:

A shop being willing to hand over a motorbike does not by itself establish that the customer may legally ride it

Why not a shop be responsible that the customer may legally ride motorbike and require insurance for personal injury and motorbike damage?

They need to incorporate these laws in Thailand and give big fines to the companies that don’t follow the rules. It’s up to the customer to show proof of insurance and the ability to drive it legally in Thailand. Just an international driver’s license is not enough.

I like that they are also clearing the roads up from 100’s of motorcycles for rent and only pulling them out once they know they are 100% qualified and have insurance.

They have plenty of people to monitor everything else, I’m sure they could make up one to do this and just pray that the police will follow the rules and not just a quick hand exchange of a few hundred baht. We can always wish.