Hello,

I want to buy motorcycle in thailand.

Can someone help me with the legal procedure of buying a motorcycle ?

(can I register motorcycle on my name ? how ?)

Which documents I have to provide and check?

If its matter,

I have non immigrant visa (type "O") and my wife has non immigrant visa (type "B") with work permit.

Thanks in advanced

I have always bought my bikes on tourist visas and either given them to friends after I've been hospitalised, or sold them back to the shop I bought them from. I reckon that if you're on a non-o you should have no trouble with a reputable shop sorting out the paperwork for you, but I can't say I've ever got that lucky, so that's all I can advise.

The most important document that you need when buying a motorbike in Thailand from a dealer or privately is to make sure that a green book is available and that it describes your motorbike.

This mainly applies to bigger motorbikes rather than scooters and 125 cc bikes and especially older bikes.

If that is what you want and the seller says that there is no green book " but it is not a problem", run, don't walk away as you could lose your bike and be fined if the BiB catch you.

Yesterday I bought a scooter from a deaIer. Dont know if its the same procedure for a motorbike, but i guess wouId be. Of course this onIy appIies if you are buying from a deaIer. I bought new from Yamaha. AII they requested:

My passport.

A Ietter of residency.

Money!

You cannot (to my knowIege) get a Ietter of residency on a tourist visa. Your visas wiII be fine. Go to your IocaI immigration with 2 photos, photocopies of your passport pages (forget which..but the usuaI ones requested), fiII out a form, and pay 500 baht.

The deaIer wiII keep the originaI residency Ietter. They wiII deaI with aII the paperwork for you.

License not required?

Moved to Bikes.

Yesterday I bought a scooter from a deaIer. Dont know if its the same procedure for a motorbike, but i guess wouId be. Of course this onIy appIies if you are buying from a deaIer. I bought new from Yamaha. AII they requested:

My passport.

A Ietter of residency.

Money!

You cannot (to my knowIege) get a Ietter of residency on a tourist visa. Your visas wiII be fine. Go to your IocaI immigration with 2 photos, photocopies of your passport pages (forget which..but the usuaI ones requested), fiII out a form, and pay 500 baht.

The deaIer wiII keep the originaI residency Ietter. They wiII deaI with aII the paperwork for you.

you can get a "Certificate of Residence" on any kind of visa, and its supposed to be free from Immigration.

If its a second hand bike, it must come with a green registration book. Make sure this book is for this bike(model, engine, frame-and engine number, age of bike etc), and for the selling owner (id number match for thai, passportnumbermatch for farang). Avoid payments before bike is approved by Land Transport department and registered in your name

If its new and made in Thailand, purchase from any authorised main dealer and they will register it for you in your name within 90 days as required by law.

If its new and imported, be aware some dealers will never manage to register it, it will be illegal.

License not required?

No, not to be owner

Yesterday I bought a scooter from a deaIer. Dont know if its the same procedure for a motorbike, but i guess wouId be. Of course this onIy appIies if you are buying from a deaIer. I bought new from Yamaha. AII they requested:

My passport.

A Ietter of residency.

Money!

You cannot (to my knowIege) get a Ietter of residency on a tourist visa. Your visas wiII be fine. Go to your IocaI immigration with 2 photos, photocopies of your passport pages (forget which..but the usuaI ones requested), fiII out a form, and pay 500 baht.

The deaIer wiII keep the originaI residency Ietter. They wiII deaI with aII the paperwork for you.

you can get a "Certificate of Residence" on any kind of visa, and its supposed to be free from Immigration.

If its a second hand bike, it must come with a green registration book. Make sure this book is for this bike(model, engine, frame-and engine number, age of bike etc), and for the selling owner (id number match for thai, passportnumbermatch for farang). Avoid payments before bike is approved by Land Transport department and registered in your name

If its new and made in Thailand, purchase from any authorised main dealer and they will register it for you in your name within 90 days as required by law.

If its new and imported, be aware some dealers will never manage to register it, it will be illegal.

Letters from immigration are NOT free have not been 3 years, 500 baht.

Some Immigration offices charge. Some do not.

Some will not even issue them and you have to go to your Embassy.

Yesterday I bought a scooter from a deaIer. Dont know if its the same procedure for a motorbike, but i guess wouId be. Of course this onIy appIies if you are buying from a deaIer. I bought new from Yamaha. AII they requested:

My passport.

A Ietter of residency.

Money!

You cannot (to my knowIege) get a Ietter of residency on a tourist visa. Your visas wiII be fine. Go to your IocaI immigration with 2 photos, photocopies of your passport pages (forget which..but the usuaI ones requested), fiII out a form, and pay 500 baht.

The deaIer wiII keep the originaI residency Ietter. They wiII deaI with aII the paperwork for you.

you can get a "Certificate of Residence" on any kind of visa, and its supposed to be free from Immigration.

If its a second hand bike, it must come with a green registration book. Make sure this book is for this bike(model, engine, frame-and engine number, age of bike etc), and for the selling owner (id number match for thai, passportnumbermatch for farang). Avoid payments before bike is approved by Land Transport department and registered in your name

If its new and made in Thailand, purchase from any authorised main dealer and they will register it for you in your name within 90 days as required by law.

If its new and imported, be aware some dealers will never manage to register it, it will be illegal.

Letters from immigration are NOT free have not been 3 years, 500 baht.

Depends on your immigration.. Some do some dont..

Technically you need a non imm visa to own any vehicle.. The fact is on the ground they dont usually stick to that.