5 Year Driver's License Renewal Question

[Colby]

I already have a 5 year license which is expiring next week and I will actually be away from Bangkok 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 possibly? 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 just called The head office at Chatuchak in Bangkok and the lady who answered the telephone 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 grace period permitted on renewal.

I asked her then what the law was exactly and again she said "about 2 weeks". All she seemed to be certain about was that I would have to pay a penalty and redo the driving test if I exceeded the grace period after expiry, but how long the grace period is exactly is still a mystery!!!?!?!

Any info would be appreciated.

Many thanks...

Edited June 17, 2009 by Colby

[culicine]

I'm not sure about renewal times so can't help you there. However, I just renewed (about 6 weeks early) and had to sit though a video in Thai on driving, do the reaction test, and identify some colours. Easy and nothing to worry about. No questions were asked regarding the video. Was in and out in 90 mins or so. This was the Nonthaburi office in Tiwanaon. Cost was about 600 baht or so.

[Geckos]

When I did it two years ago they told me I had up to 1 year to renew !! But better to do it sooner you never know when they mite change their mind !!

[Cuban]

I have read recently the period five months.

[Colby]

2 weeks, 5 months, and 1 year. All about the same period of time. Thanks

[Pash]

I already have a 5 year license which is expiring next week and I will actually be away from Bangkok 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 possibly? 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 just called The head office at Chatuchak in Bangkok and the lady who answered the telephone 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 grace period permitted on renewal.

I asked her then what the law was exactly and again she said "about 2 weeks". All she seemed to be certain about was that I would have to pay a penalty and redo the driving test if I exceeded the grace period after expiry, but how long the grace period is exactly is still a mystery!!!?!?!

Any info would be appreciated.

Many thanks...

You can renew late. The time is officially posted somewhere but I dont have a copy at the moment.

I just did mine last month, 6 months late, at Chatuchuk. And no video etc.

[Colby]

You can renew late. The time is officially posted somewhere but I dont have a copy at the moment.

I just did mine last month, 6 months late, at Chatuchuk. And no video etc.

Thanks for that. When you just renewed were you renewing from a 1 year or a 5 year license?

Some people told me Chatuchak is a nightmare. I was thinking about going to the Sukhumvit Road branch. Any thoughts on that?

Also, how long did it take you at Chatuchak?

Thanks...

[kurtgruen]

Hi there,

I have my Thai 5 year drivers license, which is due to expire in May 2010. Problem is, I am not coming back to Thailand until mid December the same year (about 7 month later). Will it be too late to renew my 5 year license then?

[Bagwan]

I'm not sure about renewal times so can't help you there. However, I just renewed (about 6 weeks early) and had to sit though a video in Thai on driving, do the reaction test, and identify some colours. Easy and nothing to worry about. No questions were asked regarding the video. Was in and out in 90 mins or so. This was the Nonthaburi office in Tiwanaon. Cost was about 600 baht or so.

Same same for me at Pattaya office. I had been incapacitated and renewed a month late. Since the licence expires on your birthday it pays to renew after that event and then you get an extra year - or nearly so. Licences expire on your next birthday after a period of five years. Go a day late and then you get 6 years for the same money. I like!

[DickFarang]

Beginning September 2008, I got my temporary driving licences for 1 year (car and motorcycle) at the office of Pattaya near Regent School.

I needed copies of my passport, European driving licence and international driving licence, as well as 2 residence certificates and 2 medical certificates I got for THB 60 at a clinic in Soi Nern Plab Waan.

I only had to pass the colours test and some brake tests with a pedal box.

Some weeks before the expiration of my temporary driving licences, we went back to the same office, but my wife was told not to come back before the expiration date.

I have been told that there is a grace period of 30 days, but I did not want to run any risks.

As the expiration date was a Sunday, we went back on Monday with copies of my passport, my temporary driving licences, 2 residence certificates and 2 medical certificates.

No tests at all were required this time.

As they had copied my old passport number instead of the new one, everything had to be redone, including taking pictures, which took much more time now (“face”, you know).

I paid THB 505 + 100 for the “Private Car” driving licence and THB 255 + 100 for the “Private Motorcycle” driving licence.

[DickFarang]

I'm not sure about renewal times so can't help you there. However, I just renewed (about 6 weeks early) and had to sit though a video in Thai on driving, do the reaction test, and identify some colours. Easy and nothing to worry about. No questions were asked regarding the video. Was in and out in 90 mins or so. This was the Nonthaburi office in Tiwanaon. Cost was about 600 baht or so.

Same same for me at Pattaya office. I had been incapacitated and renewed a month late. Since the licence expires on your birthday it pays to renew after that event and then you get an extra year - or nearly so. Licences expire on your next birthday after a period of five years. Go a day late and then you get 6 years for the same money. I like!

You are right, the new driving licences expire on my birthday, i.e. I got 5 years + 11 days.

BTW I noticed the ID card of my wife expires the day before her birthday.

[DickFarang]

In the local newspaper P@tt@y@ T0d@y, Pete writes he got a driving licence for 10 years.

[MJo]

There is quite a lot of people around with DL valid for life. The law changed only few years ago limiting it to 5 years.

[kurtgruen]

Two questions about renewing a Thai drivers license...

1. I have a five year Thai (ASEAN) Driver's License, which expires on my birthday, in May. Does anyone know, how early I can come in, before that date, and get another 5 year one? Reason being, my Thai wife has a one year license and I think she can't renew early?

2. What is the exact proceedure for my wife to renew her one year license and get a five year license? Can she show up a few weeks/months late and still get a 5 year license or not?

Her birthday is Mid February and mine Mid May. We would like to come back to Thailand for about a month, so we'll have to figure out, when we can get these renewals done, so I end up with a 5 year renewal and she ends up with a 1-5 year upgrade.

Anyone have the info

Thanks

Mon and Kurt

[richieudon]

It just goes to show it depends on where you do it and the mood of the sergeant major behind the desk!

I recently went to renew mine in Nong Han up in Esaan 2 days before it expired because I was going on holiday the next day.

I was told I could only renew it on THE DAY OF EXPIRATION or I would have to re-do the whole thing and only be issued a 1 year license.

I canceled my holiday and went on the said day like a good little school boy.....

[Guest mascot]

I renewed mine 3 weeks late without any problem, and of course got nearly 6 years. Logic would have it that provided you renewed before next birthday it would be OK but then this is LOS. My inlaws said there was no problem in doing it late.

[Tonto21]

I'm not sure about renewal times so can't help you there. However, I just renewed (about 6 weeks early) and had to sit though a video in Thai on driving, do the reaction test, and identify some colours. Easy and nothing to worry about. No questions were asked regarding the video. Was in and out in 90 mins or so. This was the Nonthaburi office in Tiwanaon. Cost was about 600 baht or so.

I had to go though the riggers of Thai Driving school when I first applied for a Thai license with a depth perception and reaction time test…. Most amusing! I felt like a young trainee for the Royal Flying core, intake of 1914. Was all done with stings and pulleys, Fantastic afternoons entertainment, the reason I was given at the time for me having to do the tests was: Foreigners when in accidents with Thais were nearly always found to be at fault, and there for, obviously the standard of foreigners driver was not up to Thai standards!!!!!! I know….. I know! Where do you start to address that statement. I just smiled and paid the fee.

[MTH]

Two questions about renewing a Thai drivers license...

1. I have a five year Thai (ASEAN) Driver's License, which expires on my birthday, in May. Does anyone know, how early I can come in, before that date, and get another 5 year one? Reason being, my Thai wife has a one year license and I think she can't renew early?

2. What is the exact proceedure for my wife to renew her one year license and get a five year license? Can she show up a few weeks/months late and still get a 5 year license or not?

Her birthday is Mid February and mine Mid May. We would like to come back to Thailand for about a month, so we'll have to figure out, when we can get these renewals done, so I end up with a 5 year renewal and she ends up with a 1-5 year upgrade.

Anyone have the info

Thanks

Mon and Kurt

I would be back after mid May to renew both licenses. If you get there after your birthday you both will get close to 6 years validity on your new licenses. There should be no problem for your wife to show up late for renewal, however if she shows up before the expiry date, she risks just getting another 1 year license.

[bankruatsteve]

For what it's worth... I have been renewing Thai drivers licence for 16 years now (they only used to issue farangs for 1 year at a time).

Anyway... Every time I have tried to renew before expire date, I am told I cannot. "have to wait until expire". So then I have waited up to several months to do it. Now they sync to your birthday and last time (08) I ended up getting 6 years to expire. And, didn't have to watch the video.

There you go.

[aussiebebe]

It's true, you should wait until your license expires until you renew; I did mine in Bangkok at the Sukumvit Road centre and the lady at the couter just said it had to be done within the month. I noticed the same thing as the previous poster that the licence expires on your birthday, not exactly 5 years. Interesting.

[Crip]

I just renewed my license last week and it had been expired for 9 months. I recieved nearly 6 years and did not have to sit the test again or video. Just walked into the Chatuchak license centre and was out in about 10 minutes with my license renewed. Excellent.

[oMega69]

I did try to renewal my motorbike license today !

But because i didnt have more then Tourist Visa i cant do like that and needed to do all test again and only get 1 year at the time...

So i did just walk away because in November i get my non-ED visa then i can renewal it to 5yrs.

After the expire date etc . 4 May . . then you have 12 month to make the renewal for 5yrs license . . . !

[MAJIC]

As is usually the case in Thailand one can't take anything for granted,in my case of a 5 year renewal of my Driving

Licence I arrived 1 day early and they refused to renew it until I came back the next day.

Seems a question of who you get on the day,same as Visa renewal.

Good luck.

[oMega69]

Any one here renewal to 5yrs license on a Non-ED visa ? ., Is the Non-ED visa valid 1yrs right ? ..,, I know its 90days then immigration.

[writeshack]

I asked my wife this question just last month, and she said wait till it has expired and then you have three months to renew it. But then she's from Isan and has never done anything on time in her entire life. She let her last licence lapse for eight years before renewing a few years ago - and was a bit put out when she had to sit the test again.

Edited June 7, 2010 by writeshack

[INTJ]

I just renewed mine yesterday and asked how long the grace period is........answer one year

Cheers

[WarpSpeed]

Isn't it just like Thai law to penalize someone who renews either on time or early and reward those who procrastinate and renew late ... The irony is overwhelming..