When To Renew 5 Year Driving License?

[mojaco]

My current 5 year Thai driving license expires August 23. I have read posts on this forum that one must renew NO LATER than 90 days before expiration. But the back of my license says:

ต่อใบอนุญาตก่อนวันสิ้นอายุ

ล่วงหน้าไม่เกิน 3 เดือน

I am fair at Thai, and I have also asked two Thai people what this means. Everyone says that I CANNOT renew the license MORE THAN 90 days before expiration. So I could renew it 1day, 2 weeks, 2 months, 87 days before expiration, but not 91 days, 4 months, and so forth.

Has anyone had experience renewing their license in Bangkok just shortly before expiration (like one or two weeks?)

Thanks for helping me in my confusion.

[wimpy]

I just renewed mine in Chiang Mai 4 days after expiration. No problem with that.

[Tywais]

You have to renew within 90 days of expiration. Meaning, from 90 days before expiration to the expiration date you can renew. You are taking a chance to try and renew after the expiration date - not like the 1 year to 5 year license where it has to be expired.

[mojaco]

You have to renew within 90 days of expiration. Meaning, from 90 days before expiration to the expiration date you can renew. You are taking a chance to try and renew after the expiration date - not like the 1 year to 5 year license where it has to be expired.

Thanks Tywais for clearing that up for me

[Tywais]

Thanks Tywais for clearing that up for me

No problem. I had just done my 5 year to 5 year renewal in December. I have a friend at work who misunderstood it (90 days) and went in around 95 days before expiration of his license only to be told to come back in a few days to be within the 90 day window.

[yumidesign]

You have to renew within 90 days of expiration. Meaning, from 90 days before expiration to the expiration date you can renew. You are taking a chance to try and renew after the expiration date - not like the 1 year to 5 year license where it has to be expired.

Not in Chiang Mai

Today went to first floor of license office, transport office, handong road chiang mai, the nice efficient lady (first window on the left) who speaks perfect english that i have had contact with for more than 6 years states current rules for 5 year license

Can renew 90 days before expiry date, i e your birthday, and up to 1 year after expiry date

If you renew before 90 days you will only get a valid license till the date of the current 5 year

If you do not renew in 12 months you will have to apply for a 1 year license before you can then apply for a 5 year one

You need: (this from the printed form she gave me)

1. Non_Immigrant visa

2. Residence certificate from Embassy, consulate (Valid from one year from issue date), Immigration Office (valid from 30 days from issue date), or work permit or Residence Book. (yellow book - original and copy)

3 Medical Certificate

4 Thai Drivers License

5 Fee 500 tbt car 255 tbt motorcycle

You must take eye exam, reaction test and training course for 1 hour before you renew your license

Monday - Friday 9.30 am or 1.00 pm

[Tywais]

You have to renew within 90 days of expiration. Meaning, from 90 days before expiration to the expiration date you can renew. You are taking a chance to try and renew after the expiration date - not like the 1 year to 5 year license where it has to be expired.

Not in Chiang Mai

All my renewals were in Chiang Mai. Also note the OP date was 2.5 years ago so perhaps they've changed things in CM but wouldn't rely upon it unless printed somewhere. My information was from brochure on the board at the department and a handout 'at that time' and verbal statement from an officer. The list you shown though hasn't changed since then.

[MTH]

Noticed this is an older tread, but I'd like to add this advice to others that need to renew their so called 5 year licenses.

Wait until the license has expired. Then you will get 6 years validity instead of 5.

[WarpSpeed]

You have to renew within 90 days of expiration. Meaning, from 90 days before expiration to the expiration date you can renew. You are taking a chance to try and renew after the expiration date - not like the 1 year to 5 year license where it has to be expired.

Not in Chiang Mai

All my renewals were in Chiang Mai. Also note the OP date was 2.5 years ago so perhaps they've changed things in CM but wouldn't rely upon it unless printed somewhere. My information was from brochure on the board at the department and a handout 'at that time' and verbal statement from an officer. The list you shown though hasn't changed since then.

In the process just now in Bangkok and all the info posted above is what I've been told as well. Just went for my proof of address letter at Immigration and have to go back the 26th on my report date to pick it up.

[yumidesign]

this from CM Transport last week:

RENEWAL OF THAI DRIVERS LICENSE FOR 5 YEARS

1.

Passport

– Original

2.

Photo Copies

of passport. Front page. Last entry page.

Non-Immigrant Visa page

3.

Residence Certificate

from Embassy, Consulate, dated within 1 year of license application date

OR

Residence Certificate

from Thai Immigration Office, dated within 30 days from license application date

OR

Work Permit

, original and photo copy

OR

Residence Book

(yellow book), original and copy

4. Medical Certificate – Original,

(Doctors report for driver’s license 5 diseases form)

Dated within 30 days of license application date

5

.

Thai Drivers License

. 90 days before or 1 year after expiry date

6

. Fees: Car 505 tbt Motorcycle 255 tbt Smart Card 100 tbt

7

. At the Transport Office,

Before you renew your license you must take:

Eye Exam, Reaction Test and 1 hour Training Course

starting

9.30 am OR 1.00 pm Monday to Friday

[Jockey]

this from CM Transport last week:

RENEWAL OF THAI DRIVERS LICENSE FOR 5 YEARS

35]

1.

Passport

– Original

35]

2.

Photo Copies

of passport. Front page. Last entry page.

Non-Immigrant Visa page

35]

3.

Residence Certificate

from Embassy, Consulate, dated within 1 year of license application date

OR

Residence Certificate

from Thai Immigration Office, dated within 30 days from license application date

35]

OR

35]

Work Permit

, original and photo copy

35]

OR

35]

Residence Book

(yellow book), original and copy

4. Medical Certificate – Original,

35](Doctors report for driver’s license 5 diseases form)

Dated within 30 days of license application date

5

.

Thai Drivers License

. 90 days before or 1 year after expiry date

6

. Fees: Car 505 tbt Motorcycle 255 tbt Smart Card 100 tbt

7

. At the Transport Office,

Before you renew your license you must take:

Eye Exam, Reaction Test and 1 hour Training Course

starting

9.30 am OR 1.00 pm Monday to Friday

I renewed my Thai Driving licence this week. The original was 2 months expired but they allow up to a year expiry for renewal purposes. I went to the Government Transport Office at Cha Am.

The medical certificate I took with me was not required so getting it was a waste of time.

My passport was required along with signed photo copies of the front page and current visa.

My Yellow Resident book was required along with signed photo copies.

My old driving licence was required.

I was then told I needed to attend a driving instruction seminar to be held at 1pm before my licence could be renewed. Apparently a new law has been passed that everyone requiring renewal of their licence must attend a driving lesson class. I was the only Farang in the class of about 20 people. My Thai is very limited so I didn't have much of a clue what the police officer was saying. During the class the policeman interrupted his presentation, looked at me and spoke in broken English things like "no get angry when drive ok?" to which I replied "ok" and the rest of the class laughed.

After 1 hour I was removed from the class, had my photo taken, paid my 560 baht fee, then waited 5 minutes for my new licence to be processed. The lady taking the picture said her friend thought I was handsome man and asked me if I wanted her friends phone number.

A bizarre but amusing experience.

[WarpSpeed]

You're lucky you only had an officer giving you a class in driving at least you didn't have to suffer through the 45 minute crappy, childish and patronizing video that must have been produced by teens for teens. I especially enjoyed the part about them portraying drivers who race cars on tracks or enjoy racing on the weekends as being bad drivers as compared to the guy who drives like a grandma. That is so bassackwards and insulting it's not even worth discussing. When you learn HOW to drive properly (I.E. proper car control) and the dangers of doing it on an open road and also get it out of your system in the proper, safe environment (I.E. race track) it makes you a better driver not worse.

Just had mine renewed a couple of weeks ago and that was the highlight, the tests given are also a bad joke as not a single one is applicable to anything you do while driving..

We had a light color check in which the yellow light was green as noticed by several other people in the room but they don't give you a look at the entire light set lit up before you begin so if the yellow comes up first (and of course it does) you think it's green not having seen the real yellow light before to compare it against and of course it's not in the position a yellow light would commonly be in.. Once you see the actual yellow light you know there's clearly a difference but not without something to compare to.

Then the reaction test didn't work 3 times and was really pissing me off as I know I have much higher then average reactions and it wasn't reacting at all in spite of noticeably mashing the pedal, until the last time, the guy finally noticed due to my extensive protests that it was wasn't working so he rebooted the machine and Oh! Guess what? It turns out the farang does have excellent reactions after all. But still this test is a complete waste of time because whenever do you drive directly behind someone completely un-sighted waiting for them to stand on their brakes while staring only at their brake lights, same thing for any other lights for that matter..

The peripheral vision test is also a waste of time being as no one reacts to any traffic lights after you've past them do they? Or out of the corner of your eye?

No depth perception test this time though I was ready for it, guess they realized how impractical that one was too finally as not once in 35 years of driving have I had a need to line up perfectly next a post especially one which is in front of me and not next to me, I'd always stop before hitting it, not next to it....

Then during my photo the technician kept posing me into something completely unnatural and slumped to one side instead of sitting up straight, it all seemed to me like let's F@#$ around with the farang day to me..

But no medical necessary for 5 year renewal.. Curious that too, as like everyone else getting renewed, I got 5 years older since my last medical. Not complaining mind you, I think it a daft policy anyways but still seems a bit bass ackwards just like a rookie video AFTER you've already been driving 6 years in Thailand (actually 10 but only 6 on a Thai driving license)..

Edited January 29, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[essox essox]

my advice would BE TO RENEW BEFORE it runs out.....SIMPLE....

[essox essox]

On 1/29/2012 at 8:15 PM, WarpSpeed said:

You're lucky you only had an officer giving you a class in driving at least you didn't have to suffer through the 45 minute crappy, childish and patronizing video that must have been produced by teens for teens. I especially enjoyed the part about them portraying drivers who race cars on tracks or enjoy racing on the weekends as being bad drivers as compared to the guy who drives like a grandma. That is so bassackwards and insulting it's not even worth discussing. When you learn HOW to drive properly (I.E. proper car control) and the dangers of doing it on an open road and also get it out of your system in the proper, safe environment (I.E. race track) it makes you a better driver not worse.

Just had mine renewed a couple of weeks ago and that was the highlight, the tests given are also a bad joke as not a single one is applicable to anything you do while driving..

We had a light color check in which the yellow light was green as noticed by several other people in the room but they don't give you a look at the entire light set lit up before you begin so if the yellow comes up first (and of course it does) you think it's green not having seen the real yellow light before to compare it against and of course it's not in the position a yellow light would commonly be in.. Once you see the actual yellow light you know there's clearly a difference but not without something to compare to.

Then the reaction test didn't work 3 times and was really pissing me off as I know I have much higher then average reactions and it wasn't reacting at all in spite of noticeably mashing the pedal, until the last time, the guy finally noticed due to my extensive protests that it was wasn't working so he rebooted the machine and Oh! Guess what? It turns out the farang does have excellent reactions after all. But still this test is a complete waste of time because whenever do you drive directly behind someone completely un-sighted waiting for them to stand on their brakes while staring only at their brake lights, same thing for any other lights for that matter..

The peripheral vision test is also a waste of time being as no one reacts to any traffic lights after you've past them do they? Or out of the corner of your eye?

No depth perception test this time though I was ready for it, guess they realized how impractical that one was too finally as not once in 35 years of driving have I had a need to line up perfectly next a post especially one which is in front of me and not next to me, I'd always stop before hitting it, not next to it....

Then during my photo the technician kept posing me into something completely unnatural and slumped to one side instead of sitting up straight, it all seemed to me like let's F@#$ around with the farang day to me..

But no medical necessary for 5 year renewal.. Curious that too, as like everyone else getting renewed, I got 5 years older since my last medical. Not complaining mind you, I think it a daft policy anyways but still seems a bit bass ackwards just like a rookie video AFTER you've already been driving 6 years in Thailand (actually 10 but only 6 on a Thai driving license)..

totally agree, I had to sit and watch a video at Pattaya DLT.

The audio was all in thai.....THE EFFIN SUBTITLES were ALL IN THAI....I do not understand THAI....so why was I subjected to this complete BUNKUM???

[pontious]

On 5/30/2019 at 7:47 AM, essox essox said:

totally agree, I had to sit and watch a video at Pattaya DLT.

The audio was all in thai.....THE EFFIN SUBTITLES were ALL IN THAI....I do not understand THAI....so why was I subjected to this complete BUNKUM???

The only reason you watch the video is to separate the green and red ticket holders. Otherwise there are a zillion headless chickens in one room. Take a book in 5 years time.

[Denim]

Anyone ever failed the peripheral vision color test with dire consequences ?