Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving Licences

[tavarich]

OK, The Mrs. called and asked what we needed to get my 5 year renewal license. She got the list and off we went. 1 hour later (traffic mai deeeeeee) we are there. Went to number 18 and all of a sudden my address was needed from the embassy. When the call was made all I needed was a bill with my name and address. This is the third time I have been down this road and the two times before the bill was good enough. I told the wife to offer some tea money but she thought the lady had a sour face and didn't want to take the chance I agreed she did look like a sour old thing so I will be back. I just laugh at things like this anymore. It's just the price of living here. When it stops being funny I think it will be time to leave.

[MJo]

OK, The Mrs. called and asked what we needed to get my 5 year renewal license. She got the list and off we went. 1 hour later (traffic mai deeeeeee) we are there. Went to number 18 and all of a sudden my address was needed from the embassy. When the call was made all I needed was a bill with my name and address. This is the third time I have been down this road and the two times before the bill was good enough. I told the wife to offer some tea money but she thought the lady had a sour face and didn't want to take the chance I agreed she did look like a sour old thing so I will be back. I just laugh at things like this anymore. It's just the price of living here. When it stops being funny I think it will be time to leave.

Well the requirement has always been either yellow book, work permit, embassy letter or immigration letter for address proof.

If you have managed to get away with providing some utility bill only and done it twice consider yourself extremely lucky.

Where was this ?

[rdteth]

No Mine was more than a month expired and I had no problem getting the 5 year one. Same documents as the 1 year.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[phutoie2]

Have to apply after one year has expired.

Rubbish!!, try reading some recent posts at the top of the motoring forum for the up to date info!!!

[MJo]

Have to apply after one year has expired.

Rubbish!!, try reading some recent posts at the top of the motoring forum for the up to date info!!!

I'd still apply right after expiry. Validity is based on your birth date so applying just after expiry get's you effectively six years.

[g00dgirl]

I understand it is not possible to renew a 5 year license before it expires. What if I am not in the country when my 5 year licenses (car and bike) expire and it will be a couple of months at least until I could go in for the renewal? I am worried that it might be harder to renew if it has been expired for that long, will I have to do tests again or end up with a 1 year license again?

Should I go there and ask if it's better to renew before I leave the country as an exception (which is about 2 weeks before my 5 year licenses will expire)? This would be in Phuket.

If I say, well in 2 weeks when they expire I won't be here, but if I drive from the airport in 4 months with expired licenses when I come back, it might get into trouble, maybe they would renew it before?

[MTH]

I understand it is not possible to renew a 5 year license before it expires. What if I am not in the country when my 5 year licenses (car and bike) expire and it will be a couple of months at least until I could go in for the renewal? I am worried that it might be harder to renew if it has been expired for that long, will I have to do tests again or end up with a 1 year license again?

Should I go there and ask if it's better to renew before I leave the country as an exception (which is about 2 weeks before my 5 year licenses will expire)? This would be in Phuket.

If I say, well in 2 weeks when they expire I won't be here, but if I drive from the airport in 4 months with expired licenses when I come back, it might get into trouble, maybe they would renew it before?

There should be no problem renewing before expiry. Up to two months is usually OK, somewhat different rules at different LTOs.

You can also renew up to one year after expiry.

Used to be that you had to let your one year license expire before you could apply for the five year one, but that has since changed.

[KhunBENQ]

I searched with no success for the address of the DLT office (issuing drivers license) in Khon Kaen (seems to be on "Soon Rachakarn" Road?).

Does someone have precise address or link/coordinates for it?

Have to go there on wednesday March 21.

Edited March 17, 2012 by KhunBENQ

[silentnine]

i already have a 5yr car licence. i had a 1yr bike licence which would of expired 3 years ago. have lost the original. would i need to re-apply for another 1 yr bike licence ir do they have records and would reissue. in which case i've not seen my uk licence around now for a long time (we had a bag stloen with lots of documents in a few yaers back)

[OxfordWill]

In case nobody said it, or in case it needs confirmation, if your one year is over 1 year expired, they will require you to redo the 1 year and you cannot apply directly for a 5 year. Be sure to apply for the 5 year within one year of the 1 year expiring.

[OZEMADE]

Fellow motorists ,

Do I have to apply for a 5 year liscence before my I year liscence is up ?

YES

[MTH]

Fellow motorists ,

Do I have to apply for a 5 year liscence before my I year liscence is up ?

YES

NO, you don’t have to apply before the one year license has expired. Some LTOs will not even let you do that.

As Will states above your post, you have up to one year after expiry to renew.

[Firfox]

Can anyone help me please.

I am about to apply for one year licenses for both a car and a bike. I have a UK driving license (car) and an International Driving Permit (from December 5th 2011). I have got my medical certificate from the hospital and the two stamped letters from Immigration.

My question is will I have to take a driving test for the bike for I have not rode a bike for twenty years and do not hold a UK bike license. However, in the IDP on page one it says I am entitled to ride a bike. If I have toi take a bike riding test I think I better get some practice first prior to going for the bike license. I have been told for the car I will not have to take a driving test maybe just colour (sight) and written test.

I have trawled the forum and asked on other forums and keep getting conflicting information.

Any guidance will be very much appreciated

Kind regards

Andy

[Kwasaki]

Can anyone help me please.

I am about to apply for one year licenses for both a car and a bike. I have a UK driving license (car) and an International Driving Permit (from December 5th 2011). I have got my medical certificate from the hospital and the two stamped letters from Immigration.

My question is will I have to take a driving test for the bike for I have not rode a bike for twenty years and do not hold a UK bike license. However, in the IDP on page one it says I am entitled to ride a bike. If I have toi take a bike riding test I think I better get some practice first prior to going for the bike license. I have been told for the car I will not have to take a driving test maybe just colour (sight) and written test.

I have trawled the forum and asked on other forums and keep getting conflicting information.

Any guidance will be very much appreciated

Kind regards

Andy

If you have a full valid UK license for a car but it does not have motorbike on it you will only get a Thai 1 year car license.

Many provinces do different things, there is no written test or practical driving test unless you are applying for a license for a vehicle you do not have on your full license.

You may have to watch a video, mainly it's a colour and distance test, an alignment test and a reaction test on braking.

I don't really want to get into the question of an IDP there is too much conflicting information and belief on TV what they are suppose to do, I have never had one for Thailand and have never needed one and I have both Thai licenses acquired by just having my UK full driving license.

If you happen to get a bike license showing the IDP don't be surprised I wouldn't. Goodluck anyhow. K

Edited April 6, 2012 by Kwasaki

[phutoie2]

"If you have a full valid UK license", Its a licence in the UK, whats the frigging matter with you!

[Kwasaki]

"If you have a full valid UK license", Its a licence in the UK, whats the frigging matter with you!

And !!

[Spoonman]

In case nobody said it, or in case it needs confirmation, if your one year is over 1 year expired, they will require you to redo the 1 year and you cannot apply directly for a 5 year. Be sure to apply for the 5 year within one year of the 1 year expiring.

Not in Au Udom, my 1yr had been expired for 18months by the time I got around to renewing it, I had to do the road rule test but they gave me my 5 yr license.

[dogeatinghotchips]

Can anyone help me please.

I am about to apply for one year licenses for both a car and a bike. I have a UK driving license (car) and an International Driving Permit (from December 5th 2011). I have got my medical certificate from the hospital and the two stamped letters from Immigration.

My question is will I have to take a driving test for the bike for I have not rode a bike for twenty years and do not hold a UK bike license. However, in the IDP on page one it says I am entitled to ride a bike. If I have toi take a bike riding test I think I better get some practice first prior to going for the bike license. I have been told for the car I will not have to take a driving test maybe just colour (sight) and written test.

I have trawled the forum and asked on other forums and keep getting conflicting information.

Any guidance will be very much appreciated

Kind regards

Andy

I just went to the Chiang Mai office this morning armed with my full UK drivers License (no IDP). I also had the required documents;

• Passport Original and copies of all relevant pages
  
• Work Permit and copies of all relevant pages
  
• Drivers License (UK) and copies, front and back incl Photo ID card
  

All photocopies have to be signed. I visited Khun Kung on the 2nd floor at window 23, I was told to go to her. NO problems with getting a drivers license for a car (no IDP needed, mine recently expired) but as I never passed a bike test in the UK I was going to have to sit a test in order to gain that license. You don't need photos as your photo is taken at the last part of the process and integrated into your license prior to printing. ! hour later I had my car license. Car cost 205THB and Bike 155THB. I'm sure different regions have slightly differing rules.

I drove home on my bike!

[tboxcar]

I received my 1 one License back in June of 2011, and will be going back on May 14th to get my 5 year. I use the office off of Soi 99.

Everything here sounds right, photos are taken their, and will probably need a medical certificate again.

My issue is the Residency form, Thai Immigration would not give me one last time, (my wife is Thai but I don't live Thailand long enough to get anything more than a tourist visa). So I had to visit the US Embassy and get the residency form from them. I think it was $ 50 or so, do all Embassies charge this fee (other nationalities)?. Just trying to figure out how to get of out this fee.

[eaustev]

Did my 1 year license in DLT Bangna office. I previously had a Thai license many years ago but it expired some time back so thought I would just start again. My idea was that May 1st was a convenient day as the government offices were open but my office was closed. Unfortunately everybody else in Bangkok had the same idea so it was very crowded.

I took the BTS to Bang Chak station, wandered off at Exit 3 and the entrance to the DLT was about 70 meters up on the left hand side. Wandered the 150 meters or so down the driveway to the processing office on the left.

As you walk in the door there is an information counter on the left, I explained what I was there for and they had me write my name on the top of the application form and sent me to counter 9. They did not speak English so I spoke Thai with them but I think you could manage speaking in English.

At counter 9 they checked all the papers and had me sign the photocopies. As mentioned by other posts I had a photocopy of my license from my country of origin, copy of passport (photo page, latest visa stamp, re-entry, latest entry stamp). Just to be sure I had the correct pages I gave them copies of every page of my work permit, but could probably have gotten away with just the cover page, address page, and latest extension. Once all of this was checked they asked me to sit and wait.

I noticed that Thais going to counter 9 were after processing collecting their papers from counter 8 along with a queue number. I checked on this but for myself after quite some time I was called back to counter 10 to collect my papers, which now included a cover letter which included my name, address, and I guess what I was there for. I was not given a queue number but was told to go to Room 16.

Room 16 was for the test. The Thais were there in their assigned queue number order but foreigners just fit in where necessary it seems. Don't wait outside just wander in and fit in where you can. There was a colour/peripheral vision test, then a red/green brake test, and I guess it is a depth perception test whereby you line up 2 sticks. Imposssible to fail as if you get somthing wrong you just try again or they tell you the answer. Then they sent me to counter 18 which is the "one stop" service desk.

Queued up for counter 18 at which you are then given a queue number. When your number is called it is very straight forward and they type in your details, take your photo, print out the license card, and collect your 205 baht.

I was not asked to sit through any road safety video. Not sure if this is no longar a requirement or if it was an exception due to the number of people there on this day. I arrived at 8.45am and departed at aout 12.15pm.

No complications but patience required. Take a book, newspaper, or some music to listen to.

[Tomtomtom69]

OK so this has been covered many, many times but since different driver license offices seem to interpret the rules differently here's my situation and what I'd like to know.

I was working in Bangkok in 2008 so got a 1 year driver licence converted from my Aussie licence with no tests required and I held a non-IM B at that time. I also got a motorcycle licence at the same for the first time in my life also valid for a year, but I had to do both the theory and practical tests since I never previously held a motorcycle licence. I went to the Mo Chit land transport department that time.

Then in July 2011 I went back to the land transport department at Mo Chit to renew my 1-year licence that expired in early 2009. I had a tourist visa that time and that was accepted. They took my old licence and destroyed it, then gave me a new 1-year licence. Took about 30 mins all in all.

My question is: can I come back in 2 months with a tourist visa to get a 5-year licence or will they only give me a 1-year licence again since I won't have a non-IM visa then? Perhaps I could kindly request a 5-year licence if they don't want to issue it (I speak fluent Thai anyways).

I know an American chap in his 70s who lives in west Texas in the states and is married with a Thai wife from Kanchanaburi. He merely visits THailand yearly on 2 or 3 month tourist visas (not non-imm O as he lives in the USA due to his poor health requiring specialised care) AND he showed me his 5-year licence that he got from the Kanchanaburi driver licence office. This confirms that he was able to obtain a 5-year Thai licence on a tourist visa.

Should I consider trying the same as him in Mo Chit or would a provincial office be better (Lampang comes to mind, as my gf comes from there, but she also owns a property in Bangkok).

Edited May 5, 2012 by Tomtomtom69

[Tomtomtom69]

@tboxcar

The Aussies charge about 640Baht (A$20 or about US$21) for this document. This fee is higher than the license itself, but it's not something you can get out of. While the process of obtaining all these documents (proof of residential address from your embassy and a medical report) is annoying, it's a lot cheaper than getting say a Cambodian or Vietnamese license. However, I have both Vietnamese and Cambodian licenses and unlike the bureaucracy in Thailand, in those countries you pay and you shall receive. I wish that were an option in Thailand too so we could just pay and get a 5 year Thai license no matter what our status is in Thailand.

For example, a 5-year Cambodian license can be obtained by any foreigner on any visa for about US$250 if you go through an agent such as a driving school. Included in this fee is the 'driving test waiver' and possibly another fee for 'expedited processing'. You supply a photograph and a copy of your passport and voila, a couple of days later your new license will arrive. A 1-year license can also be obtained for about US$40-60 on showing yr own national license, but why wouldn't you want to just get a 5-year license from the beginning and be done with it?

The process was only slightly more complicated in Vietnam. For the dong equivalent of about US$220 or so, I got a license valid for 6 years (up until the expiry of my foreign license) and it took about 3 weeks to issue the license. Again I went through an agent as doing it the official way is too complicated and bureaucratic, not to mention the fact that I don't speak Vietnamese.

[OLDAUSSIE]

I don't have a current license from my home country Australia, expired long ago. My current drivers license is from Cambodia, Will that be accepted?

I went in with all my papers in order. They would not accept my Khmer Licence & told me to get it certified at the Cambodian embassy. The Cambodian embassy in BKK can not do any certified documents and they told me I must return to Phnom Penh to get this done, it seems they only do visas.

So with out a current licence that will be accepted I will have to do the full test. The officer at TLD tells me I must sit through a Four Hour Video in Thai, Does this seem correct?

My Khmer licence will not be accepted because she has not seen one before, everything on the licence is written in Khmer and English, I walked away scratching my head.

Anyone.

[stevenl]

I don't have a current license from my home country Australia, expired long ago. My current drivers license is from Cambodia, Will that be accepted?

I went in with all my papers in order. They would not accept my Khmer Licence & told me to get it certified at the Cambodian embassy. The Cambodian embassy in BKK can not do any certified documents and they told me I must return to Phnom Penh to get this done, it seems they only do visas.

So with out a current licence that will be accepted I will have to do the full test. The officer at TLD tells me I must sit through a Four Hour Video in Thai, Does this seem correct?

My Khmer licence will not be accepted because she has not seen one before, everything on the licence is written in Khmer and English, I walked away scratching my head.

Anyone.

Simply do the full test, will be a lot easier than doing things with your Cambodian license.

The video will be an hour, nothing to worry about. Sleeping during the video is allowed BTW.

[OLDAUSSIE]

Thanks for your reply Steve.

I keep getting conflicting stories, some say the video last 20 minutes, some 1 hour & some say say 4 hours.

Im getting too old old for all of this confusion, perhaps I will take my MP3 player with me and listen & sing along with "Lady Gaga" while I'm watching the video.

[stevenl]

Thanks for your reply Steve.

I keep getting conflicting stories, some say the video last 20 minutes, some 1 hour & some say say 4 hours.

Im getting too old old for all of this confusion, perhaps I will take my MP3 player with me and listen & sing along with "Lady Gaga" while I'm watching the video.

Yes, that's what I would recommend (except for the Lady Gaga thing). Just go with it and accept it.

[NomadJoe]

I don't have a current license from my home country Australia, expired long ago. My current drivers license is from Cambodia, Will that be accepted?

I went in with all my papers in order. They would not accept my Khmer Licence & told me to get it certified at the Cambodian embassy. The Cambodian embassy in BKK can not do any certified documents and they told me I must return to Phnom Penh to get this done, it seems they only do visas.

So with out a current licence that will be accepted I will have to do the full test. The officer at TLD tells me I must sit through a Four Hour Video in Thai, Does this seem correct?

My Khmer licence will not be accepted because she has not seen one before, everything on the licence is written in Khmer and English, I walked away scratching my head.

Anyone.

I suspect the problem is that there is no way for them to know what class your Cambodian license is for and thus would not know what license they could issue you. Cambodia uses arbitrary codes to describe the classes.

A1 - able to ride 49-125cc motorbike

A2 - able to rid the above and anything >125cc

B - able to ride any motorbike and car up to 9 seater, 3 tonnes, trailer at the back

In Cambodian law you are authorized to operate some types of vehicles in the lessor included classes. I.E. a class A2 can operate vehicles in A1 and A2, and a class B can operate vehicles in A1 and B, but not A2. This may work in your favor if you were able to get it "certified", (in the khmer440 thread you didn't say certified, you said "translated".) If you hold a class B license, there is a very good chance that if you were simply able to provide a government document explaining the classes, even a printout in English from the Cambodian transport ministry website, they may issue you a car and motorbike license since in Thailand they do not have different classes for different motorbike engine cc's. California also uses arbitrary codes, and a printout from the DMV website explaining the classes I am licensed for (C for car and M1 for motorcycle) is what they asked of me. Unfortunately it does not appear the Cambodian transport ministry has a website, as I see you also discovered via your post over on khmer440.

My next suggestion...it may be worth the time to contact a few of the many companies in PP which provide assistance in obtaining licenses for foreigners to see if they can provide you with some kind of document explaining the classes in English. The Cambo tests and texts are available in English, so the info you seek must also be.

The excuse that they won't accept your Khmner license because they haven't seen one before is absolute bullshit, but of course this being Thailand they can say whatever they want. I think the point they were making was they weren't familiar with it.

Any license from anywhere can be fake. The burden is on them to prove it is, not on you to prove it isn't. This was likely told to you because they were tired of talking to you. Putting you in an impossible position is very common for government official once they realize you are going to continue arguing because what they are telling you is utter nonsense. A translation of a fake document doesn't make it any less fake. Try a different person or a different LTD.

Good luck.

Here is what you need to find from some semi-official source and present to them.

ARTICLE 40:

There are 5 types of driving license for the road vehicles of the Kingdom of Cambodia as follows:

Type A: For motorcycle and tricycles

A1 - For the motorcycle with the cylinder size from 49 to 125 cc

A2 - For the motorcycle with the cylinder size over 125 cc

The vehicles with trailers and tricycles.

Type B: - For the vehicles transporting the passengers not over 9 passengers including the driver.

- The goods loading vehicles with total weight in maximum not over 3.5 tons.

- The vehicle in type B can tow the trailers with total weight not over 0.75 tons.

ARTICLE 41:

Other conditions involving the driving license will be defined as the following:

1- The drivers can only drive the vehicles based on the types of driving licenses they are holding.

4- Those who have the driving license type A2 can drive the vehicle in type A1

5- Those who have the driving license type B can drive the vehicle in type A1, agricultural vehicle or vehicle equipped with usable tools with the maximum speed not over 40km/h, but cannot drive the vehicle in Type A2

More info:

Cambodian Traffic Law

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2081127

Edited May 28, 2012 by NomadJoe

[lujanit]

Hello all,

I am very confused about what documents are required.

1. My situation is that my one year license is valid until tomorrow (15th). Can I apply tomorrow for a five year one tomorrow or do I have to wait until next week? Surely this means I would be driving illegally over the weekend.

2. Is a medical certificate necessary for the conversion from a one year license to a five year one?

3. When I went to get my one year license I was told I did NOT need a letter from my embassy. My passport has the necessary visa and I have a valid receipt from Immigration describing my address from my last 90 day report (TM47). I report at the One Stop Centre at Chumchari Square.

3. I went to the Mo Chit office for the first license, is there somewhere closer as I live in Nontaburi?

Would someone please clarify the situation for me please. TIA

[stevenl]

Hello all,

I am very confused about what documents are required.

1. My situation is that my one year license is valid until tomorrow (15th). Can I apply tomorrow for a five year one tomorrow or do I have to wait until next week? Surely this means I would be driving illegally over the weekend.

2. Is a medical certificate necessary for the conversion from a one year license to a five year one?

3. When I went to get my one year license I was told I did NOT need a letter from my embassy. My passport has the necessary visa and I have a valid receipt from Immigration describing my address from my last 90 day report (TM47). I report at the One Stop Centre at Chumchari Square.

3. I went to the Mo Chit office for the first license, is there somewhere closer as I live in Nontaburi?

Would someone please clarify the situation for me please. TIA

1. I would wait till next week. You wil not be driving illegaly in the mean time.

2. yes, although I'm sure there will be people who got away without on.

3. (1) correct, yopu do need address confirmation. Can be from immigration, embassy or workpermit.

3. (2) no idea.

[Danielsiam]

So, I had the 1 year DL expired on the 18 May 2012.

I have a non-imm "O" visa single 90 days. ( or need a 1 year visa for renew to 5 years ? )

Can I renew it for 5 years already ? or only one year?

I have to plan to renew at Banglamung ( Pattaya )

Thanks