Told Driving License Renewal for 5 Years Not Possible

[davevi]

Last year I took my US license down to the licensing offices near the airport and got myself a motorcycle and car driving license. Not difficult since I had a valid US license -- just had to take the written test and a quick motorbike driving test.

I was told at their offices last year, and it was confirmed in Thai between my friend and the person behind the counter, that when my initial 1 year license expired I could renew for 5 years.

So I went to the same office last week with all my paperwork in hand to renew both of my driving licenses I spoke with a rep whose English was quite good. She looked at my paperwork and at my passport and told me I could only get a 1 year renewal because of my Visa. She said that if I had a Work Permit (and appropriate Visa) that a 5 year renewal is possible, but not on the Visa I have. I am currently 1.5 months into a double-entry tourist Visa. I cannot recall the type of Visa I was on last year at this time.

Did she tell me the correct information?

I don't mind getting only a 1 year renewal this time around, -- but if I can push and get a 5 year renewal then it is one less thing to hassle with next year.

[harrry]

She is correct. A tourist visa can only get one year licences.

[mimi9000]

I agree and know.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[transam]

Yep, one year for you laddie............

[kcore]

Student visa will qualify just for the record.

[onthedarkside]

Confirm - one year if on tourist visa.

[Torrens54]

I have a Five Year MDL issued in CNX but I am on a Spouse Visa.

Simple solution.....make "an honest woman of her" and you also get a 5-year MDL.

[Satcommlee]

You are on a Tourist Visa, and have no real reason to be here except for being on holiday...

They are right, you will only get 1 year renewal.

You need non-imm visa for a 5 year driving licence.

[khwaibah]

You are on a Tourist Visa, and have no real reason to be here except for being on holiday...

They are right, you will only get 1 year renewal.

You need non-imm visa for a 5 year driving licence.

That would be an O-muilty (12 months) every 90 days you do border hop, or an extension to stay based on marriage or retirement which are not visas, or an OA. Also can be done on a B. But never on a Tourist Visa.

[Bpuumike]

She is correct. A tourist visa can only get one year licences.

I'm afraid he is right.

You will only get a 5 year if you are on some sort of yearly visa/extension.

[Briggsy]

Yes, this is correct. My 5-year licence became a one-year licence because I am now on tourist visas.

[daoyai]

Holy (na) krap, op don't believe until you get 20 confirmations... anyone else? I love TV.

[transam]

Student visa will qualify just for the record.

I didn't know that, are you saying and ED visa can get you a 5 year DL ?

[khwaibah]

Student visa will qualify just for the record.

I didn't know that, are you saying and ED visa can get you a 5 year DL ?

There is no student visa but an ED visa does qualify for 5 year dl.

[Briggsy]

Holy (na) krap, op don't believe until you get 20 confirmations... anyone else? I love TV.

Just in case davevi is a "Doubting Thomas".

[kcore]

Student visa will qualify just for the record.

I didn't know that, are you saying and ED visa can get you a 5 year DL ?

Yes.

[PETDCAT]

retirement visa will also get you 5 years

[xoxman]

since it is an extension it is not required to do the test again, right ?

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Tapatalk

[Genericnic]

I have a Five Year MDL issued in CNX but I am on a Spouse Visa.

Simple solution.....make "an honest woman of her" and you also get a 5-year MDL.

Could make it a very expensive license.

David

[arunsakda]

Please confirm, is a TDL possible to get whilst on visa waiver (30 day stamp), in Chiang Mai?

[khwaibah]

Please confirm, is a TDL possible to get whilst on visa waiver (30 day stamp), in Chiang Mai?

Depends how they fell at the LTD on the day you go in. The trick is YOU have to go to your embassy/consult for your COR, 1500 baht at the US. You will not have an easy time at immigration for a COR on a via exempt. I have known it to be done.

[arunsakda]

Immigration has given me one before, based on my condo deed and some letter from the Condo manager. (At that time I thought we had an "in" to get the yellow tabien baan, but it did not work out. I haven given up on the tabien baan for now.

I do however need to get a driver license. I am on the process of adding a motorcycle endorsement on my overseas license. Then I plan on getting a local one. If it does not work on the Visa waiver next time I will take the time to apply for a Tourist visa at the Thai embassy in Tokyo.

[STUDMEYER]

Back from the dead...

Just wondering to those who have recently renewed their ( 1 year ) licenses:

Did you need a tourist (or other) visa to renew the license?

I received the 1 year license last year with a tourist visa, now it is expired and I need to renew.

Do ya figure a 30 day entry stamp do the trick? Do I need to get another Certificate of Residency for the renewal?

Cheers,

SM

[onthedarkside]

Yes, you need a new Certificate of Residency from Immigration.

[Beetlejuice]

Did she tell me the correct information?

Yes.

[BenCM]

"it was confirmed in Thai between my friend and the person behind the counter, that when my initial 1 year license expired I could renew for 5 years"

The confusion here is that people, through use of the word renew, incorrectly conflate a 1 year licence and a 5 year licence, as if one is simply a longer version of the other.

They are different beasts, require different documentation and are for different immigration situations.

As said above, why would someone here as a "tourist" (their immigration status being determined by their passport stamp) need a 5 year licence?

[STUDMEYER]

Well I wandered down to the Thai DMV today and double checked on the requirements for renewing my (1 year) drivers license

Showed the lady my two recently expired licenses (car & bike), she looked at them, then inspected my 30 day Entry Stamp Tourist Visa in passport from February 5th. She said it was OK. There is no need to get an actual Tourist Visa, the stamp will do just fine.

She gave me a list of the requirements for a 1 year drivers license - To Renew I only have to do the first 3 items (item 4 is have a foreign license translated to thai etc...):

1.) Affidavit of Residence Certificate from Embassy or Consulate (Valid for 1 year under Thai Law from issue date) or Thai Immigration office (valid for 30 days) or Work Permit or Residence Book (yellow book) original and copy.

2.) Passport (original) with photocopies of Passport page + Non Immigrant Visa with extensions page + last entry page OR Tourist Visa

3.) Medical Certificate (report for drivers license 5 diseases form) dated within 1 month time.

Tomorrow I'll see about getting another certificate of residency done up. Will report results back.

Cheers,

CM

[mesquite]

So you will end up with another one-year license, not a five-year.

[STUDMEYER]

Well I wandered down to the Thai DMV today and double checked on the requirements for renewing my (1 year) drivers license

...

She gave me a list of the requirements for a 1 year drivers license ...

So you will end up with another one-year license, not a five-year.

Yes, you have a good grasp of the situation.

Anyhoo, to finish the story, I RENEWED my set of (1 year) Drivers Licenses this morning. If I had a 1 year visa, they would have granted me the 5 year D/L. Since I only had a Tourist Visa (Entry Stamp), I was only given a 1 year temporary license renewal.

So in less than 24 hours, i went from expired (1 year) licenses to renewed (1 year) licenses. Total cost was 360 baht at Thai DMV building, 150 baht for a Medical certificate, 20 baht for the copy machine and the cost of the residency certificate from the embassy (your costs may vary).

For renewing (Qty x 2) (1 year) Drivers Licenses, you will need to bring to DMV:

1.) Old License(s)

2.) Passport with valid visa

3.) 2 x Copy of passport page (signed and dated by you)

4.) 2 x copy of visa page (signed and dated by you)

5.) Residency Certificate (original + signed and dated copy)

6.) Medical Certificate (original + signed and dated copy)

The procedure was fast and easy. Took about 30 minutes at the DMV office.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

SM

[Showbags]

Can we get any more confirmations please.

^by the way OP...you got ripped off on your medical cert...mine was 50b.....did you have to go see the doc yourself ?