Renewal Thai 5 Year Driving Licence

[Thaihog]

I just thought that I would share my experience in renewing my 5 year driving licence. It took me nearly all day yesterday, couldn't believe it.

Firstly I went to Immigration at about 10am for my residence letter, left Immigration about 10:40.

I arrived at the licence centre at about 11am, completed all the paperwork and was given a number and told to return at 1pm.

Returned at 1pm and was part of a group of about 30 or 40 people. We were then lined up to do a simple eye test (check for colour blindness). Next step is to watch a safety driving video which lasted about an hour (no test). You then take your paperwork to the information counter and are given a number. When your number is called you pay the 660 baht and have your picture taken and the smart licence issued.

I eventually left at 3pm.

A whole day to renew a licence, only in Thailand...

[iainiain101]

Thank you, good information for when I re-new.

I cant help noticing the advert for an International Driver Document coming up wheen I read your post. I dont know if this is an advert imbedded in your post, but it is not legal in Thailand. This is bad advice or advertising. Only an International Driving License is valid, and then for a max of a 90 day stay.

Regards

Iain

[Thaihog]

Thank you, good information for when I re-new.

I cant help noticing the advert for an International Driver Document coming up wheen I read your post. I dont know if this is an advert imbedded in your post, but it is not legal in Thailand. This is bad advice or advertising. Only an International Driving License is valid, and then for a max of a 90 day stay.

Regards

Iain

The advert has nothing to do with me. Wouldn't even know how to do such a thing....

[earlofwindermere]

Two items....

1. I renewed my licence a week ago in Chiang Mai. It took an hour. It could have been much quicker but I forgot to photocopy the Visa page in my passport. If you have the immigration/residency letter, it seemed pretty quick. I never had to do any kind of exam (ie eye test).

2. Last year, I bought the International Driving License advertised on this forum. It is exactly what the fine print says - it is a translation of your official driving license. (translation is the key word). However; the new Thai driver's license are in Thai and English so it's not really necessary anymore.

[iainiain101]

Two items....

1. I renewed my licence a week ago in Chiang Mai. It took an hour. It could have been much quicker but I forgot to photocopy the Visa page in my passport. If you have the immigration/residency letter, it seemed pretty quick. I never had to do any kind of exam (ie eye test).

2. Last year, I bought the International Driving License advertised on this forum. It is exactly what the fine print says - it is a translation of your official driving license. (translation is the key word). However; the new Thai driver's license are in Thai and English so it's not really necessary anymore.

Was that for a renewal after 5 years, or your first renewal after an initial one year licence?

I got my first 5 year licence recently after having a one year one and agree it took around an hour with all the correct paper work. I think the OP is referring to the 5 years being completed then renewing and diferent criteria such as eye exams being necessary.

[brommers]

I just thought that I would share my experience in renewing my 5 year driving licence. It took me nearly all day yesterday, couldn't believe it.

Firstly I went to Immigration at about 10am for my residence letter, left Immigration about 10:40.

I arrived at the licence centre at about 11am, completed all the paperwork and was given a number and told to return at 1pm.

Returned at 1pm and was part of a group of about 30 or 40 people. We were then lined up to do a simple eye test (check for colour blindness). Next step is to watch a safety driving video which lasted about an hour (no test). You then take your paperwork to the information counter and are given a number. When your number is called you pay the 660 baht and have your picture taken and the smart licence issued.

I eventually left at 3pm.

A whole day to renew a licence, only in Thailand...

You can't blame the Traffic Department for the time that you had to wait at Immigration. Today I renewed my 1 year license for a 5 year one. I arrived at 08:25 with a copy of my passport, a copy of my visa, a medical certificate & a residency letter. 8, yes eight minutes later I left with my new license, having paid 700 baht, had my documents checked, my photograph taken & the new license produced. In South Africa the documentation process takes ten times longer & then you wait for 8 weeks for the actual license to be produced, & hope that it is not stolen from the office before you return to collect it. Give me an experience like this anytime.

All in all a complete pleasure. It just goes to show that if you get your own act together it is certainly possible to be handled efficiently and with grace by Thai bureaucracy. Now if only the Traffic Dept could advise Immigration on how to get the budget to expand their facilities that they apply for every year we could all have a wonderful life. I for one would put tea money into the hands of the man in Bangkok who holds the Immigration purse strings.

[clokwise]

Today I renewed my 1 year license for a 5 year one.

My 1 year license will expire middle of July. I read somewhere that the timing is critical in order to acquire the 5-year renewal license. Could anyone shed some light on that?

[iainiain101]

If you renew before the expiry date of the 1 year licence, you will get only a 1 year renewal. You have to renew after the expiry date to get aa 5 year licence.

If driving to the licence center, they advise driving very carefuly, as you have no valid license!

[goatfarmer]

I need to renew my 5 year license. Is it the case that I will need a letter from embassy certifying residence?

[brommers]

I need to renew my 5 year license. Is it the case that I will need a letter from embassy certifying residence?

Yes you will need a residency letter, the original & a copy of your passport, a copy of your visa, & a medical certificate. Take all those, along with your current license & 700 baht to Hang Dong & you will be fine. They will process your document speedily, take your photo & produce the card in a minute or two. You will only have to wait if there are a lot of applicants at one time, so go early, like at 8:30.

[ThaiPauly]

What kind of medical certificate do you need?

[Tywais]

What kind of medical certificate do you need?

Just your regular 60/80/100 Baht clinic or hospital "he has a pulse" so ok certificate.

Here is a copy of the requirements.

And a topic of my experience in December > 5 year to 5 year renewal

[Thaihog]

I need to renew my 5 year license. Is it the case that I will need a letter from embassy certifying residence?

Yes you will need a residency letter, the original & a copy of your passport, a copy of your visa, & a medical certificate. Take all those, along with your current license & 700 baht to Hang Dong & you will be fine. They will process your document speedily, take your photo & produce the card in a minute or two. You will only have to wait if there are a lot of applicants at one time, so go early, like at 8:30.

Dream on Brommers, I renewed my 5 year licence last week, it is not a 2 minute job, read the OP.

I was not asked to produce a medical certificate by the way, offered it, but it was given back to me.

[Colby]

I realize this discussion is in regards to renewal in Chiang Mai, but I have a 5 year license which is expiring next week and I will actually be away when it expires. As I already have a 5 year license now, is there any sort of grace period on renewal, say 30-60 days maybe possibly?

So I am hoping I can wait to renew it when I get back to Bangkok at the end of the month rather than trying to get it done in the next couple of days.

I also recall when I got this 5 year driver's license that the clerk had told me that I would get 10 years on my next renewal. I guess the laws have changed again since the time I renewed my license the last time 5 years ago and now and that the most they are giving to foreigners at this point is only 5 years?

Many thanks...

[Tywais]

I also recall when I got this 5 year driver's license that the clerk had told me that I would get 10 years on my next renewal. I guess the laws have changed again since the time I renewed my license the last time 5 years ago and now and that the most they are giving to foreigners at this point is only 5 years?

It's 5 years for everyone, Thai or foreigner. Not heard of a 10 year version, prior to 5 years one could get a lifetime license (not sure about foreigners on that one though).

I suspect 30 days late won't be a problem, not certain for 60 days though. Why don't you contact them and see if it will be a problem, I find them to be very helpful if there are any questions?

BTW: An advantage of being a little late is you will get nearly 6 years. I was one day late due to my bday being on a Sunday and my license was good for 5 years and 364 days. I do not advocate intentionally going late because different offices may respond differently to this.

[Ajarn]

What kind of medical certificate do you need?

Just your regular 60/80/100 Baht clinic or hospital "he has a pulse" so ok certificate.

Here is a copy of the requirements.

And a topic of my experience in December > 5 year to 5 year renewal

Not really. There are two different certificates. The one you ask for has a name, but I can't remember it. I have tried to use the second kind, and it was refused...

[Tywais]

Not really. There are two different certificates. The one you ask for has a name, but I can't remember it. I have tried to use the second kind, and it was refused...

The one they accepted was the standard Bpai Lahp Long Phad (which just means medical certificate) that I get every year for my work. I ask for it by that name and never any confusion as to what it is. A minimalist exam and it's issued. You just tell them it's for the purpose of obtaining a drivers license. As I mentioned, I used this 80 baht certificate in December for my renewal.

[Thaihog]

Not really. There are two different certificates. The one you ask for has a name, but I can't remember it. I have tried to use the second kind, and it was refused...

The one they accepted was the standard Bpai Lahp Long Phad (which just means medical certificate) that I get every year for my work. I ask for it by that name and never any confusion as to what it is. A minimalist exam and it's issued. You just tell them it's for the purpose of obtaining a drivers license. As I mentioned, I used this 80 baht certificate in December for my renewal.

I DID NOT NEED a medical certificate when I renewed my 5 year licence last week. I offered my medical certificate to the official and he said it was not required, not on his check list, go figure...

[brommers]

I need to renew my 5 year license. Is it the case that I will need a letter from embassy certifying residence?

Yes you will need a residency letter, the original & a copy of your passport, a copy of your visa, & a medical certificate. Take all those, along with your current license & 700 baht to Hang Dong & you will be fine. They will process your document speedily, take your photo & produce the card in a minute or two. You will only have to wait if there are a lot of applicants at one time, so go early, like at 8:30.

Dream on Brommers, I renewed my 5 year licence last week, it is not a 2 minute job, read the OP.

I was not asked to produce a medical certificate by the way, offered it, but it was given back to me.

OK maybe not 2 minutes, but I got mine in under 10 minutes one week ago. So it can be done. Just get your stuff organised & they are easy to deal with. I fail to see why people are so negative, it only takes a short time to get yourself organised, or is that too much o ask?

[Tywais]

OK maybe not 2 minutes, but I got mine in under 10 minutes one week ago. So it can be done. Just get your stuff organised & they are easy to deal with. I fail to see why people are so negative, it only takes a short time to get yourself organised, or is that too much o ask?

Lot of variables here, day of week, holiday weekend, etc. All my documents were in order (organized) but started around 10:00 AM and wasn't out until 4:30PM. There were around 400 people at that time due to the long New Year holiday weekend. Also everyone was required to sit through a 1 hour training video (as shown on the attached form above) for the 5 year to 5 year renewal plus eye + reaction tests. Not sure how you got by that one to do it in 10 minutes.

Thaihog - "go figure" Have to agree with that one since the form they handed me specifically shows it and they took it. I rarely use the TiT, but seems appropriate in this case.

Looks like this needs to be updated on a month by month basis since the parameters seem to keep changing. Probably plan for the worse and hope for the best.

[Colby]

I suspect 30 days late won't be a problem, not certain for 60 days though. Why don't you contact them and see if it will be a problem, I find them to be very helpful if there are any questions?

BTW: An advantage of being a little late is you will get nearly 6 years. I was one day late due to my bday being on a Sunday and my license was good for 5 years and 364 days. I do not advocate intentionally going late because different offices may respond differently to this.

I called The head office at Chatuchak in Bangkok just now and the lady said as long as I renew in about 1 to 2 weeks after expiry there wont be a problem. The point is she said "about" and didn't seem to know the exact time period permitted. I asked her then what the law was and again she said "about 2 weeks". Wonderful. So I called the government office and couldn't even get a clear answer on the law. All she seemed to be certain about was that I would have to pay a penalty and redo the driving test if I excedded the grace period after expiry, but how long the grace period is exactly is still a mystery!!!?!?!

Back to square 1 it seems.

[Thaihog]

Brommers, you upgraded your 1 year licence to a 5 year licence.

Totally different scenario when renewing a 5 year licence which is what this topic is about, stop confusing everybody...

[PoorSucker]

As a replacement for residency letter you can bring copies of your WP or Yellow Thabien Bahn.

[Drew Aitch]

Ok, I've just this minute got back from the Hang Dong License center with a friend who has now got a 5 year license. Total time in and out was just 20 minutes. I couldn't see from the procedure why it would take longer to renew a 5 year license as opposed to getting your first 5 year license? It seems that the required documents are the same and the desks you apply at are the same?

I think what probably happened with the OP is that he rolled his day into one. First by starting with a trip down to the immigration in order to get the Residence Certificate, then arriving at the Hang Dong center later in the morning (around 11:00), which is probably why he was asked to return after lunch. It actually says on the renewal check list to arrive at either 09:30 AM or 13:00 PM The OP turned up at 11:00 AM

Just for reference, the Residence Certificate from an Embassy of Consulate is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

The Residence Certificate from the Immigration Office is valid for 15 days from the date of issue. Either or, it can be obtained well in advance of a trip to the License Center, meaning it's not necessary to run around doing everything on the day.

I also got reconfirmation that a 5 year renewal can be applied for 90 days prior to expiry which might be useful to those on Non Immigrant visas that might expire before your license does. I have known some people that have left Thailand on Non B visas and came back on Tourist visas, and if you haven't already got your Thai driving License, you cannot apply, or renew an old license with a Tourist or Transit Visa.

Btw, all required documents were taken with the application, but the procedure did not require any tests of any description, despite the check list saying the applicant will be required to take a Driver's Training Course.

Cheers

Aitch

Edited June 18, 2009 by Drew Aitch

[Colby]

Isn't it great how everyone's experiences are different in terms of what was required and what wasn't? Some have to submit a medical certificate, others don't. Some have to sit through the driving video, some don't. Some have to take an eye test, others don't. Some people are in and out in less than an hour. Others spend a full day. What I like about inconsistency is that it often is at least consistent

[Drew Aitch]

Reading through this post (and other before it), there seems to be some favour for those who turn up early (09:30) It seems to be the early birds that are in and out without too much ado.

I'm sure that there are some too who arrive without making enough copies, or have a missing paper doc etc. Generally speaking, disgruntled people in any situation want to spread and share their 'bad' experiences (whatever they may be), with anyone who'll listen to them, whereas those who sail though any bureaucratic office with ease and surprising speed would not normally post such a boring event even though they themselves are as pleased as punch.

Aitch

[Thaihog]

Ok, I've just this minute got back from the Hang Dong License center with a friend who has now got a 5 year license. Total time in and out was just 20 minutes. I couldn't see from the procedure why it would take longer to renew a 5 year license as opposed to getting your first 5 year license? It seems that the required documents are the same and the desks you apply at are the same?

I think what probably happened with the OP is that he rolled his day into one. First by starting with a trip down to the immigration in order to get the Residence Certificate, then arriving at the Hang Dong center later in the morning (around 11:00), which is probably why he was asked to return after lunch. It actually says on the renewal check list to arrive at either 09:30 AM or 13:00 PM The OP turned up at 11:00 AM

Just for reference, the Residence Certificate from an Embassy of Consulate is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.

The Residence Certificate from the Immigration Office is valid for 15 days from the date of issue. Either or, it can be obtained well in advance of a trip to the License Center, meaning it's not necessary to run around doing everything on the day.

I also got reconfirmation that a 5 year renewal can be applied for 90 days prior to expiry which might be useful to those on Non Immigrant visas that might expire before your license does. I have known some people that have left Thailand on Non B visas and came back on Tourist visas, and if you haven't already got your Thai driving License, you cannot apply, or renew an old license with a Tourist or Transit Visa.

Btw, all required documents were taken with the application, but the procedure did not require any tests of any description, despite the check list saying the applicant will be required to take a Driver's Training Course.

Cheers

Aitch

The OP did not get it wrong. I have said repeatedly it is a different scenario renewing a 5 year licence as opposed to upgrading a 1 year licence to a 5 year.

I just wanted to let fellow TV's know that the 5 year renewal is NOT a five minute job. It was a shock to me as I remember getting my first 5 year license very quickly and painless.

[mcgriffith]

Got my 5 year ASEAN magstrip license on Jan 3, 2008. Good till my b-day in Oct 2013.

Milked nearly 6 years on this renewal.

As to the various experiences of posters- a few possible explanations.

Did you have a current valid driver license from your home country, for both auto and motorcycle?

What was the country?

How much time was left on the validity of the home country license?

With a current home country license from Nevada USA for both moto and car, good for at least a few years, and after the staff at Land Transport checked on their database....I was issued a 5 year with very little bother. I did have to take the reaction test, color test, depth perception test. Maybe because I'm over 50.

It is not really that big a deal, and I strongly recommend anyone who drives here regularly to get a valid license.

[iainiain101]

Got my 5 year ASEAN magstrip license on Jan 3, 2008. Good till my b-day in Oct 2013.

Milked nearly 6 years on this renewal.

As to the various experiences of posters- a few possible explanations.

Did you have a current valid driver license from your home country, for both auto and motorcycle?

What was the country?

How much time was left on the validity of the home country license?

With a current home country license from Nevada USA for both moto and car, good for at least a few years, and after the staff at Land Transport checked on their database....I was issued a 5 year with very little bother. I did have to take the reaction test, color test, depth perception test. Maybe because I'm over 50.

It is not really that big a deal, and I strongly recommend anyone who drives here regularly to get a valid license.

This whole thread is about renewing an existing 5 year Thai licence, so what the #### does it matter about your US licence. Are you saying you presented it as well as your expired or soon to expire Thai 5 year licence?

[nookiebear]

It would seem to vary from Office to office,I went to get my first 5 year licences the day after both my 1 year expired,I had to produce 2 residence certs,2 medical certs,2 copies of the passport page showing my photo/details & my passport.The whole process from me entering to leaving took around 8 minutes..........This office is Nang Rong....