Driver's License Procedures Chiang Mai

[CMBob]

4 hours ago, st11x said:

Do you need passport photos for the driver's license as well or just for the residency certificate? If you do, may I ask is it also 2x2?

 

thanks

  Matt

No...no photos needed at driver's license bureau.  At the end of the process, they'll take your photo and a few minutes later hand you your license(s). 

 

Edit:  Come to think of it, I don't remember having to take photos to get a Certificate of Residence at CM Immigration either.

Edited April 5, 2018 by CMBob

[st11x]

5 hours ago, CMBob said:

No...no photos needed at driver's license bureau.  At the end of the process, they'll take your photo and a few minutes later hand you your license(s). 

 

Edit:  Come to think of it, I don't remember having to take photos to get a Certificate of Residence at CM Immigration either.

Yes, I just went to apply for the Certificate of Residence today and had to submit 2 2x2 photographs. I wasn't offered a "free" option or a paid express overnight option, just told to come back on Monday at a specific time to pick up.

 

[Nick ZepTepi]

How many days before the expiration date can I renew my first 2 year license?



Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk

[atecom]

Has anyone encountered any denials of Drivers Licence under the more restrictive system.

 

They took my blood pressure (Of course instantly right after a 30 minute walk to the medical centre), and noted me down as 165/91. They filled out the medical certificate and eventually handed it to me in an envelope. When I looked at it, that was the blood pressure they ad noted on the certificate. I will return to the clinic in a month for a followup, to see if I need t be put on meds, however in the meantime, if I hand in te medical certificate with that reading, will I be denied at the department of land transport?

 

Regards

~Eamon Delaney

[atecom]

On 17/04/2018 at 8:26 PM, atecom said:

Has anyone encountered any denials of Drivers Licence under the more restrictive system.

 

They took my blood pressure (Of course instantly right after a 30 minute walk to the medical centre), and noted me down as 165/91. They filled out the medical certificate and eventually handed it to me in an envelope. When I looked at it, that was the blood pressure they ad noted on the certificate. I will return to the clinic in a month for a followup, to see if I need t be put on meds, however in the meantime, if I hand in te medical certificate with that reading, will I be denied at the department of land transport?

 

Regards

~Eamon Delaney

Ok, I can confirm 2 things there were no problems with obtaining a drivers licence with that BP on the medial certificate, went in at 1PM, Came out at 2:30PM with my car driving licence. However If you have an Australian Provisional licence (As I do for Motorcycles) They will require you to do the motorcycle course and written test.

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by atecom

[Trujillo]

If I want to renew my existing driver's license, how long before it expires can I do that? 

Also, how long after it expires can I still renew without having to start the process as if I had no license at all? 

[RegularGuy77]

Regarding the original medical certificate for 5 diseases, I received my retirement visa while still in th USA. I didn’t bring it with me to Thailand. Do I need to get a new 5 disease certificate in Chiang Mai as well as the new required med certificate?

 

[Greenside]

What's the position on a medical certificate now?  I'm renewing a 5 year car licence.

[Sparkles]

6 hours ago, Greenside said:

What's the position on a medical certificate now?  I'm renewing a 5 year car licence.

Believe its now required,did read somewhere. Dr Morgans is just down the road or whatever suits

[Greenside]

It is needed.  I stopped at the Klaimor Hospital by Tesco and got mine there.  Price has increased to 150 baht and they do the colour blindness test at the same time as your blood pressure.  I guess a clinic would have been cheaper but I was out of options and running out of time.

[Greenside]

Update:

 

For renewal of 5 year license a medical certificate is not required.  They took mine without comment but I went to the document checking lady and asked specifically.  Going from a two to a five does need one.

 

Tip: I had to go early on Monday because I missed the afternoon session on Friday.  Arrived at 7:30 and was awarded ticket number 1.  After the colour blindness test the first batch of people went off to watch the awful video - about 40 people for the Thai version and two of us for the English in room 3.  Here's the tip:  skip the last few minutes of the video if possible and race for the Enquiries/Document Checking desk at the other end of the hall.  There they give you another number which determines how long you'll have to wait to pay before moving on to get your picture taken and the license issued.  The Thai video must have finished just before ours and by the time we got to the number issuing desk there were about 50 people in front of us which probably added a couple of hours to the whole experience.

 

For those who have advocated going in the afternoon, the girls on duty last Friday covered up the afternoon option when they told me I had to come back yesterday (I couldn't have managed that time anyway).  It looked to me as if they have some staff issues as of the eight stations they have for actually issuing the license, a maximum of two were working of which one was only processing minibus drivers (who, incidentally, are given a smart(ish) jacket to wear for their photo, presumably to instil confidence in the unfortunate passengers who have to use them).

[Dmaxdan]

My understanding is that a medical certificate is now required for the renewal of a five year license. Can anyone confirm this please.  

 

Thanks in advance.

[Rinrada]

I would confirm that when I renewed my  5 year License a few months ago I did not need nor was asked for a medical certificate. Also from memory I  dont remember providing one 6 years ago for my earlier DL.....maybe I just looked healthy....R

[Samuel Smith]

7 hours ago, Rinrada said:

I would confirm that when I renewed my  5 year License a few months ago I did not need nor was asked for a medical certificate. Also from memory I  dont remember providing one 6 years ago for my earlier DL.....maybe I just looked healthy....R

 

I believe "having a pulse" is sufficient to get the certificate ?

 

[KhunBENQ]

I should have a template :

 

For extension of standard ("5 year") to another 5 year, med. cert. IS NOT required.

Med. cert. IS required for first/initial application  for temporary DL

Med. cert. IS required for extension from temporary (2 year) to standard DL.

[st11x]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

I should have a template :

 

For extension of standard ("5 year") to another 5 year, med. cert. IS NOT required.

Med. cert. IS required for first/initial application  for temporary DL

Med. cert. IS required for extension from temporary (2 year) to standard DL.

I would add that if your 5 year has expired for more than 2 years (mine was 2.5 years), they also require the medical certificate plus sitting through the video and the theory test. 

 

On 6/15/2018 at 3:49 AM, Greenside said:

It is needed.  I stopped at the Klaimor Hospital by Tesco and got mine there.  Price has increased to 150 baht and they do the colour blindness test at the same time as your blood pressure.  I guess a clinic would have been cheaper but I was out of options and running out of time.

I got mine for 100 THB, but the old doctor insisted you need true copies for each license, so I had to pay him for 2, one for the car and the other for the bike. I suspected that copies were fine, but I didn't think he could be persuaded. 

 

I did mine about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Kohsamida]

Department of Land Transport Office(s) in Chiang Mai:  There seems to be two locations for the DLT in Chiang Mai.  It seems that the one by the airport is where most people say you need to go for drivers licenses and motorcycle registration, but I noticed that the one in WatKet seems to be set up for this too.  I mean, it looks like there is in area in the back for driver testing and vehicle inspection.

 

I'm just wondering if anybody know whether it's possible to use the WatKet location for drivers' license and vehicle registration??

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Kohsamida

[thomo1978]

Hangdong Rd location is the only one for drivers licence.

 

I go to Watket location for motorbike change of ownership (Green book), yearly registration and govt insurance.

 

I believe the Hangdong Rd location is the go to for car change of ownership (bluebook) but I have never done that.

[kurtmartens]

Just a bit of info which may have been posted already in the 24 pages or helpful to someone else like that got lazy and let a non Thai license expire.  Apologies if already covered, etc.

 

My US Virgina license expired a few years ago, I had been using my UAE license in its place.  I wanted to/try to convert my UAE license to a Thai license before it expired last month, but the DMV/Dept of Land Transport was quite adamant that since it was an "Arabic" license I would need to send it to the UAE Embassy in Bangkok and get it "translated" and a letter saying it was a real license (my word not theirs).  This even though the license is in Arabic AND English clearly and I have my UAE (now revoked since we moved back to Thailand) residency visa in my passport.  

 

If I didn't want to send my UAE license to Bangkok, then I would have to take both the driving test and the written test and hope for the best, etc.  

 

I found a driving school that for 5,000 Baht gave me both the driving test and written test with a passing mark (2 day class) and an approval license to go get my license at the DMV today.  I know some might balk at paying for a service I could have done myself, but ...my choice.

 

I did just want to pass on the information about the driving school(s) for folks who might not having a license that is easily transferred to a Thai license.  Or was stupid and let one that does, expire ... like me in the first place.

[kurtmartens]

Sorry to add another comment.  But.  I just looked at my new license.  I thought temporary (new) licenses were good for 1 year?  Mine says 2 years?  Or am I just confused as to what I thought about 1 year.

[Rinrada]

2 Years it is....My first temp was only for one year followed by  a 5/6 Year DL....Believe it all changed recently...or may have been longer...R

[Trujillo]

A head's up about the Residency Certificate you need to renew your 5-year license. 

 

Went to immigration at Promenada and was told, in a chilly and barely polite reply, that it takes 10 days to get it. So if you are like me and waited, you will be out of luck (to get the new driver's license before it expires) unless you plan in advance. 

Moreover, they want the TM 30 BS so that's going to slow you down even more if you don't have the receipt already. 

 

By the way, I had not been up to the second floor digs before and I have to say, the people working there are very, very testy and bordering on hostile. I don't know what goes on up there, but they act like they'd love to see all the farangs rounded up and shipped out.

[falangUK]

Can I convert a UK DL to a Thai one? does anyone know? 

[johng]

Can I convert a UK DL to a Thai one? does anyone know? 

Yes you can...need a "residence certificate"
medical certificate and to do a few eyesight and reaction tests at the DLT
If your UK licence shows a picture of a motorcycle (even if thats just provisional or limited to 50cc) you can get a Thai motorcycle licence and (for the moment) drive any size bike...they are thinking of changing motorcycle rules so it may be worth getting a license just in case...

[MamaSan]

Popped by for a “normal” Residency Certificate this morning around 9:30 – no queue.  The nice lady took my paperwork and warned that the wait time is now about 4 weeks.  She kindly explained that since the “alternative” service, raised their stipend to 1000B, she has been innundated by “free” requests.  She also mentioned that her office is moving back to airport on 24 Sept and to remember that pick-up would be there.  I received a receipt showing a pick-up date of 9 Oct.  Just sayin'...

[JimGant]

1 hour ago, MamaSan said:

Popped by for a “normal” Residency Certificate this morning around 9:30 – no queue.  The nice lady took my paperwork and warned that the wait time is now about 4 weeks.  She kindly explained that since the “alternative” service, raised their stipend to 1000B, she has been innundated by “free” requests.  She also mentioned that her office is moving back to airport on 24 Sept and to remember that pick-up would be there.  I received a receipt showing a pick-up date of 9 Oct.  Just sayin'...

Is the one day turnaround residency certificate -- for a fee -- no longer available on the ground floor in the Immigration area (room 6?). Obviously, I guess, moot come Sept 24.

[EricTh]

Does anybody know whether our medical cert is valid for one week or one month for driving license extension?

 

 

[tonboy]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

Does anybody know whether our medical cert is valid for one week or one month for driving license extension?

 

 

one month

[EricTh]

On 7/24/2018 at 8:31 PM, Trujillo said:

 

 

Went to immigration at Promenada and was told, in a chilly and barely polite reply, that it takes 10 days to get it. 

 

10 days is considered very fast.

 

I had to wait 4 weeks. I'm going to collect tomorrow.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2018 by EricTh

[EricTh]

Guys,

 

For driving license extension, do we have to be there before a certain time? 

 

I can't remember the times before that was two years ago.

 

Would appreciate if someone can tell me.