Jump to content
All visa questions and fresh Immigration updates here ×

American with expired US drivers license but have Thai DL

george

By george
in Thailand Motor Discussion

 Share

Recommended Posts

george Legendary Member

george

Posted
Posted

An American friend of mine has a since 7 years expired US drivers license. He is unable to renew it online.

What option does he have for renting a car and driving legally on a short trip back in the US?

Rent a car in the States with his Thai DL?

Get an International DL here in Thailand based on his Thai license?

Thanks in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
barryofthailand Gold Member

barryofthailand

Posted
Posted

It depends on which State he is driving in, but most states will accept a Thai DL. Best to have him check with rental car agency there.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Your friend can go to the land transport office where you get a Thai drivers license in the Main province he lives in and obtain an international license. He must first go to Immigration and get a certificate of residence if he does not have a yellow house book.

You are unable to rent a car in the United States with a Thai drivers license.

Barry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WarpSpeed Diamond Member

WarpSpeed

Posted
Posted (edited)

It depends on which State he is driving in, but most states will accept a Thai DL. Best to have him check with rental car agency there.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Your friend can go to the land transport office where you get a Thai drivers license in the Main province he lives in and obtain an international license. He must first go to Immigration and get a certificate of residence if he does not have a yellow house book.

You are unable to rent a car in the United States with a Thai drivers license.

Barry

Seriously? How hard is it to READ the OP?

OP I'd get his International there, rent a car in the States and get his license renewed while there to avoid any future problems. If all was good previously likely it'll not be that difficult to do..

Of course having said that it's not mentioned if he's going to the same state in which his license is registered and that will complicate matters.

Edited by WarpSpeed
Link to comment
Share on other sites
WarpSpeed Diamond Member

WarpSpeed

Posted
Posted

Stuff like this all varies by state, as mentioned. Some states are MUCH more anal than others. I will tell you right now though, without even looking, you will NOT be driving in California with a Thai driver's licence. Just forget it.

There was a thread on another forum recently where the OP and his TG decided to stay stateside and they were in Ca and her Thai DL was easily enough transferred to a US one..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jcgodber Silver Member

jcgodber

Posted
Posted

Stuff like this all varies by state, as mentioned. Some states are MUCH more anal than others. I will tell you right now though, without even looking, you will NOT be driving in California with a Thai driver's licence. Just forget it.

Well thats's just WRONG I have in the past flown into LAX ( California) and rented an Avis car with my 5 year Thai drivers license AND an International license obtained from the Land and Transport in Bangkok. I had to use my Thai license because my California license had just expired

Link to comment
Share on other sites
T_Dog Platinum Member

T_Dog

Posted
Posted

It depends on which State he is driving in, but most states will accept a Thai DL. Best to have him check with rental car agency there.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Your friend can go to the land transport office where you get a Thai drivers license in the Main province he lives in and obtain an international license. He must first go to Immigration and get a certificate of residence if he does not have a yellow house book.

You are unable to rent a car in the United States with a Thai drivers license.

Barry

Agreed on your first point for most states, but I rented a car solely with a Thai drivers license just a few months ago. State laws vary on what you need to drive so you need to check those carefully.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
khwaibah Platinum Member

khwaibah

Posted
Posted (edited)

Mrs SP and I were just in California a month or two ago, and if there is a certified translation of the Thai drivers licence it was fine for Alamo rental car. Best thing is to check with the renta english and Thai.l car company op's friend decides to rent from.

The new Thai DL is a smart card and all info is in English and Thai. This is why most states and other countries do not require a IDP. Also I personally know of individuals that have been denied of use their Thai DL in the USA because it was a 1 year DL and across the top it says TEMPORARY. A 1 year Thai Dl is no good.You have to have a 5 year DL. Also you can only get an IDP on a 5 year Thai DL not a temporary or 1 year DL.

Edited by khwaibah
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Smokin Joe Silver Member

Smokin Joe

Posted
Posted

Getting the IDP for the Thai license will gaurantee acceptance in all 50 states. Not required in California but don't know about othet states.

One other factor since he is american. If his US license was suspended or revoked (vice expired) he wouldn't have trouble renting but if stopped and his name was run it would show up. The foreign license would not be valid until the problem with the US license was cleared.

The posts by Barryofthailand and isawasnake are incorrect.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
steelepulse Ruby Member

steelepulse

Posted
Posted

Mrs SP and I were just in California a month or two ago, and if there is a certified translation of the Thai drivers licence it was fine for Alamo rental car. Best thing is to check with the renta english and Thai.l car company op's friend decides to rent from.

The new Thai DL is a smart card and all info is in English and Thai. This is why most states and other countries do not require a IDP. Also I personally know of individuals that have been denied of use their Thai DL in the USA because it was a 1 year DL and across the top it says TEMPORARY. A 1 year Thai Dl is no good.You have to have a 5 year DL.

Mrs SP has one of the old permanent drivers licence that they stopped issuing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
khwaibah Platinum Member

khwaibah

Posted
Posted

Mrs SP and I were just in California a month or two ago, and if there is a certified translation of the Thai drivers licence it was fine for Alamo rental car. Best thing is to check with the renta english and Thai.l car company op's friend decides to rent from.

The new Thai DL is a smart card and all info is in English and Thai. This is why most states and other countries do not require a IDP. Also I personally know of individuals that have been denied of use their Thai DL in the USA because it was a 1 year DL and across the top it says TEMPORARY. A 1 year Thai Dl is no good.You have to have a 5 year DL.

Mrs SP has one of the old permanent drivers licence that they stopped issuing.

My wife also has the same Thai DL. Need to find out if these can be converted over to the new Thai DL and be good for life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
phuketrichard Ruby Member

phuketrichard

Posted
Posted

have rented a car many times in ca with my 5 year thai license and i have never owned an IDP

I also hold a ca license which at one time had expired.

For Califonia

You need to start all over, BUT if u have the 5 year thai license u will not have to take the driving test but will have to take the written , eye and color tests

Link to comment
Share on other sites
soidogs Explorer Member

soidogs

Posted
Posted

Stuff like this all varies by state, as mentioned. Some states are MUCH more anal than others. I will tell you right now though, without even looking, you will NOT be driving in California with a Thai driver's licence. Just forget it.

Well thats's just WRONG I have in the past flown into LAX ( California) and rented an Avis car with my 5 year Thai drivers license AND an International license obtained from the Land and Transport in Bangkok. I had to use my Thai license because my California license had just expired

Thanks everyone, I am the friend. I will get my International license. Probably will be in Fl, Ny and Ca. Had my license in FL before. Thanks for all the help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
isawasnake Gold Member

isawasnake

Posted
Posted

Stuff like this all varies by state, as mentioned. Some states are MUCH more anal than others. I will tell you right now though, without even looking, you will NOT be driving in California with a Thai driver's licence. Just forget it.

Well thats's just WRONG I have in the past flown into LAX ( California) and rented an Avis car with my 5 year Thai drivers license AND an International license obtained from the Land and Transport in Bangkok. I had to use my Thai license because my California license had just expired

I said you could not drive in CA with a Thai driver's license, I did not mention what you could or could not do there with an international driver's license.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Smokin Joe Silver Member

Smokin Joe

Posted
Posted

Stuff like this all varies by state, as mentioned. Some states are MUCH more anal than others. I will tell you right now though, without even looking, you will NOT be driving in California with a Thai driver's licence. Just forget it.

Well thats's just WRONG I have in the past flown into LAX ( California) and rented an Avis car with my 5 year Thai drivers license AND an International license obtained from the Land and Transport in Bangkok. I had to use my Thai license because my California license had just expired

I said you could not drive in CA with a Thai driver's license, I did not mention what you could or could not do there with an international driver's license.

Plrase stop posting incorrect information.

From the California DMV website:

"California does recognize a valid driver license that is issued by a foreign jurisdiction (country, state, territory) of which the license holder is a resident.

The IDP is only a translation of information contained on a person’s foreign driver license and is not required to operate a motor vehicle in California. Citations issued to a person in California who has an IDP, but does not have a California driver license will be placed on the Department of Motor Vehicle database."

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
frodo77 Advanced Member

frodo77

Posted
Posted

I am Canadian now living here on 1 year extension visa based on retirement. I have the 5 year Thai driving licence. If I let my Canadian driving licence expire, would I be able to use the IDP issued here to drive a rental car in Canada? I am from Ontario.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
stevenl Star Member

stevenl

Posted
Posted

I am Canadian now living here on 1 year extension visa based on retirement. I have the 5 year Thai driving licence. If I let my Canadian driving licence expire, would I be able to use the IDP issued here to drive a rental car in Canada? I am from Ontario.

Yes. I don't know the Canadian law in this respect, but you probably don't even need the IDP, your Thai license should be sufficient. I would recommend to check with the rental agency though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
johng Ruby Member

johng

Posted
Posted

My wife also has the same Thai DL. Need to find out if these can be converted over to the new Thai DL and be good for life.

khwaibah

My wife recently converted her paper "for life" licence to the new style plastic one " for life" no problem in Chonburi province.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
stevenl Star Member

stevenl

Posted
Posted

My wife also has the same Thai DL. Need to find out if these can be converted over to the new Thai DL and be good for life.

khwaibah

My wife recently converted her paper "for life" licence to the new style plastic one " for life" no problem in Chonburi province.

Does the same go for foreigners? I now have a 10 year DL and would like to keep 10 years in stead of the 5 year DL's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.







×
×
  • Create New...