Driver's License Procedures Chiang Mai

[sharktooth]

On 2/18/2017 at 4:09 PM, thetruth revealer said:

This incorrect since the rules changed recently. Allowed per year are TWO land Border Crossings and all nations get 30 days.

 

Tell that to a North Korean...

[silverdales]

I've sent you a pm MrKfc

[dickyknee]

As an Australian, does anyone know if a stat-dec from the Australian honorary consul is accepted in lieu of a residence certificate?

 

I have used one before, but maybe 4 years ago and at the time he wasn't sure how much longer it would be accepted as proof of residency for a drivers license.

[Ace of Pop]

Is the cost of 5year Licence going up to 6K Bht for all folk.?


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[manarak]

22 minutes ago, Ace of Pop said:

Is the cost of 5year Licence going up to 6K Bht for all folk.?


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what ???

 

[Ace of Pop]

Yes everybody I've just asked,was500. Plenty of Thais won't re New I bet


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[silverdales]

I'm trying to find out about getting a residence permit, as precious poster mentioned a hotel invoice ..how many nights stay is required. Somebody else said a letter from my girlfriend who I stay with would work? ..any idea where I could get a template?

Thanks 

[thetruth revealer]

On 24.4.2015 at 9:33 PM, Rob8891 said:

Try looking here....usually #1 source for info

<removed>

why not if its helpful...? Strange Rule !!!

[silverdales]

Yes I've sort of hit a brick wall 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I'm trying to find out about getting a residence permit, as precious poster mentioned a hotel invoice ..how many nights stay is required. Somebody else said a letter from my girlfriend who I stay with would work? ..any idea where I could get a template?
Thanks 

I went to get a residence certificate for driving license in January and this is the form supplied by Pathum Thani immigration ( there are a couple of variations knocking about but basically the same).


http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/res_cert.pdf

[dickyknee]

I renewed my license today and was pleasantly surprised. Previously they wouldn't issue a 5 year license with an elite visa, was specifically told when renewing 2 years ago it had to be a non-imm visa only (oddly enough told it had to be a long term visa to get a 5 year license???)

I was expecting another 2 year temporary. Anyways I don't have to go back for 5 years now :)


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[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

For a 2 year license renewal, is there any grace period after it expires?





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[tyznd]

I've got to renew my 5 year license this week.  Could someone please confirm what times they do the renewals?  Thanks

[NigelKennedy]

Dont forget to let your licence expire by a couple of days and the new one will be for 6 years.

[tyznd]

8 minutes ago, NigelKennedy said:

Dont forget to let your licence expire by a couple of days and the new one will be for 6 years.

What would happen if you had an accident with an expired license?  Could your insurance carrier legally opt out of paying any claims associated with the accident?

[eyecatcher]

46 minutes ago, tyznd said:

I've got to renew my 5 year license this week.  Could someone please confirm what times they do the renewals?  Thanks

Yes me also; so went to the application form and requirements.

Seems the fees have gone up but after reading a few comments here about not needing medical certif clearly it IS needed.

 

Also wondering what these reaction tests are...not done them before only the computer game.

 

The wife always insists getting the right info from the facility itself and not hearsay on here!

 

So dont believe anything i have said

 

 

[eyecatcher]

Well I succeded in obtaining a 5yr licence for car and bike. 

The cost of the car was 605bt and the bike 355bt. I was charged a further 100bt because my address was different when I applied previously.

 

the medical certificate is definitely required, and a copy if you need a licence for car and bike.

 

I arrived at 8.10am thinking the place opened at 8.30 and would be hundreds outside. no one outside because it opens at 8.00 and those hundreds were already inside.

However, there was no queue at the info checking desk and I was on a fast track route.

Only had to do the colour eye test again, photos again but I was out by 10.15  just 2 hours.

 

Some tips to save at least half an hour on my time.

 

1. Get your photocopies done before you arrive. when I arrived they hadn't even opened the copy area and there was a long queue by 8.30. they also charge 2bt whereas costs usually elsewhere are 4 copies for 2 bt.

2.  About 20/30 in a group do the eye tests. Afterwards you have to collect all your paperwork from the desk and take it back to the information desk for a queue number to pay.

If you pick up your papers towards the end you will lose/have to wait about 2 minutes  per person for everyone in front of you. I was almost last, being polite and it cost me about half an hour....

3. The ladies taking the photographs always ask for 20bt and unless you ask; you don't know its only for the plastic wallet to carry your new licence. If you don't want one tell them and save  20bt. 

4. If like me you were there when they encountered a power cut it cost everyone about 15 minutes but for those watching the video it saved them 15 minutes because they just shuffled everyone out. but a power cut with everyone following the number system just grinds the whole operation to a halt.

 

Overall its a day you dread but of all the Government Office procedures in Chiang Mai I have to say this is the most efficient one I have encountered processing 200 hundred people every day and all wanting different things.

 

thumbs up from me.

[kurtmartens]

On 2/13/2017 at 10:54 PM, tonboy said:

So, if you have a driverlicense already (in my case a valid till 2026 Dutch carlicense) , you do not have to do any tests ?
I will be in CM from March 20 onwards, have a O-A (year) Visa, so can easily get this Thai car-license ?

Okay so here is a potentially stupid question.  US passport, expired US (Virgina) license, valid UAE residency permit and valid UAE drivers license (in English) ... can I transfer the UAE license over without taking the practical test since I have a valid UAE residency permit still OR will they say US passport must equal a US license?

[ramrod711]

Does anyone know whether one should renew a drivers license after getting a new passport? The passport number on my d/l  does not match my new passport. Thanks

[gaelen]

Is it possible to show Work Permit for Driving License application instead of a Certificate of Residence?  Anybody have RECENT experience with this in Chiang Mai? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[HullyGully]

My understanding is a CoR or Yellow Book

 

If you pay 500B to Imm Prom would get your CoR quicker instead of the 3/4 weeks wait

[rawhod]

On 5/22/2017 at 7:50 AM, ramrod711 said:

Does anyone know whether one should renew a drivers license after getting a new passport? The passport number on my d/l  does not match my new passport. Thanks

I have the same problem. However, I carry my old passport/copy, as additional evidence of my old number should I be stopped. When my Thai licence is due for renewal later this year,  I'll change the number then.

Not been stopped to test it out so far...

[ttkeric]

Hello. I renewed my licenses (car and motorcycle) last Friday at the LTA along Hang Dong Road. "Renewed", as in I was on the 2 year probationary (temporary?) license. Thought I'll just drop a report here for all you fine folks 

 

What was needed:

 

1) Passport - Details page, Visa page, Immigration card (I'm on a Non O, have not applied for 1 year extension yet)

2) Certificate of Residency or Yellow Book 

3) Health certificate 

 

One copy for the car license, another for the motorbike making it two copies of everything. 

 

I drove over at 3pm, was asked to head straight to counter 23 where a nice, English speaking lady went through my documents and gave her nod of approval. The rest were pretty straight forward. Make payment (500 car, 250 bike, then 200 for the 2 photo licenses) , a simple eye test for colour blindness, photo taking and then I was out of there by 4pm+

 

Something I learnt that day:

 

My licenses were going to expire over the weekend. I dragged my feet a little because I had a valid ASEAN license to fall back on. Where I come from, you could allow your license expire for up to a certain grace period. Not that you want to be driving around with an expired license but public transport is good.  

 

Wife told me that over here, if I were to allow my licenses to expire, they expire. Finito. Back to zero again. hence my Friday afternoon mad rush to the LTA. 

[bbarrow13]

Hey everyone,

 

I am wondering if it is possible to get a Thai Drivers License on a METV? I am here for six months and want to easily commute around town without having to avoid traffic stops by the police (and the 400 baht fee, lets be honest). Anyone have any input on this? From my research, I've seen that you must have a non-immigrant visa in order to apply for a drivers license here in CM. 

 

Let me know.

Best,

Brian

[HullyGully]

I thought you could a 2 year temporary license with a tourist visa

[JimGant]

One hour, forty-five minutes today to get my temporary 2-year license. Got there at 1:00pm, with medical form, Cert of Residence, copies of passport pages, with all the recent stamps, plus copy of TM6. Also, copies of my current US license, and current International Drivers Certificate. Information gal collected all these copies, plus the original IDC and drivers license, and, of course, passport. Then, I filled out an application form -- mainly name, address, type of license (temporary auto, in my case), then sign. Head to counter 23, where they'll check the package, then hand you a card for the 1330 group grope (if you get there by about 1 o'clock, as in my case), that includes color vision check, after which you grab your package and head to the one-hour video that explains why double parking is a capital offense. Four of us farangs went to a separate, overly air conditioned room, for the English version. Our packages were retrieved after about 15 minutes into the video, and then after the video, the packages were at (or about) counter 23, now complete with a form for your license, complete with the details (name, address, passport number, etc) previously provided in the package. Take this to the information counter, where you'll double check the entries, sign, and get a number to await a call to the counter. Ten minutes later my number was called, I handed in my package, got a bill for 305 baht (not 605, as seems to be reported in several posts), got the package back with some new forms, and was then sent to get a waiting number for final processing, including photo. Ten minutes later, photo and driver's license was being processed. Optional payment of 10 baht for a plastic holder was turned down (card already comes laminated).

 

Observation: Pleasant, helpful folks working there. Parking was somewhat problematic, finally having to park in a dirt area, under some trees (where I was not alone, as this seems to be an expanded parking area). Just glad it wasn't raining, as mud might have been a problem.

 

Never needed two copies of anything. Originals sufficed for medical and cert of residence, but copies of US driver's license and International Driver's Certificate were accepted in my package (tho' I don't know if they were needed, as they also took the originals -- Pattaya forum gave advice on having copies of these). I also don' t know what would have been different if I didn't have an IDC -- or if my US driver's license had expired (?).

 

Anyway, that's my trip report -- for whatever it's worth.

 

 

 

[Dipterocarp]

On 3/29/2017 at 11:35 AM, dickyknee said:

I renewed my license today and was pleasantly surprised. Previously they wouldn't issue a 5 year license with an elite visa, was specifically told when renewing 2 years ago it had to be a non-imm visa only (oddly enough told it had to be a long term visa to get a 5 year license???)

I was expecting another 2 year temporary. Anyways I don't have to go back for 5 years now :)


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I also got 5 year when renewing my 2 year temporaries on an Elite Visa. Applied for IDP also.

[scotbeve]

Hi all. Cheers to the helpful info posted. I went for my 5 yr. renewal last month and was pleasantly surprised that it was quick and efficient. Mind you, there were still the medical and proof of residence to sort. For some reason, I didn't have to watch the video. Total time for tenewal was 45 min.

 

A word of advice for folks that have to get their proof of residence, start planning it 6 weeks before. The proof of residence is the only item that is slow to get. Check on the third floor of promenada. Also, the proof of residence is only valid for one month.

 

 

[JimGant]

Quote

A word of advice for folks that have to get their proof of residence, start planning it 6 weeks before. The proof of residence is the only item that is slow to get

Or go to room 7 on the ground floor, as has been reported in several posts, pay 500 baht, and pick up the next day.

[gobs]

On 6/6/2017 at 11:45 AM, ttkeric said:

...

 

Wife told me that over here, if I were to allow my licenses to expire, they expire. Finito. Back to zero again. hence my Friday afternoon mad rush to the LTA. 

Hi,

I was a bit surprised with what you say here...

I already applied 2 times for a 5 years driver licence (car + motorbike) and each time I’ve been told “better to do it a little after the due date has expired” (but no explanation, just no worry). Have things changed?

As I and my wife have to renew our 5 Years DL next month, my wife called the Transport office this morning (Hang Dong road).

 

- Answer from the lady officer:

You have a 3 months window before and after the expiring date. Up to you to choose, no problem…

If more than 3 months after the due date, you don’t have you DL cancelled and you don’t have to go back from zero. You just have to pay a “special fee” (didn’t tell the amount)…

 

- Asking how long before the due date the medical certificate must be issued, answer from the same lady officer:

If you are going to apply for renewing a 5 years DL you don’t need a medical certificate. The medical certificate is only mandatory for the first one year DL, then the first 5 Years DL. After that, the medical certificate is no more needed…

 

Ah-ah-ah! A bit confusing, isn’t it?

Oh well… Better to take it easy...

BTW thanks all for your reports.