Driver's License Procedures Chiang Mai

[ChristianBlessing]

Greetings. I live and work in Malaysia and am a frequent visitor to Chiang Mai. On this trip I arrived on a 60 day tourist visa. After supplying the necessary paperwork, and providing my Malaysian driver's license (car and motorcycle), I was issued 2 year temporary licenses for both auto and motorcycle. The only test was a color test. I drew my number at 9:30 and left at 11:30.

Edited July 20, 2015 by ChristianBlessing

[songhklasid]

A ques, i just got a 1year temp. motorbike licence, have house in sankhaemphang, wife thai, but still reside aus, I used my tourist visa with a letter from imigration, what happens in a years time ,can I apply for 5 year licence same as someone with resident visa, or am i stuck on yearly basis?

[dickyknee]

A ques, i just got a 1year temp. motorbike licence, have house in sankhaemphang, wife thai, but still reside aus, I used my tourist visa with a letter from imigration, what happens in a years time ,can I apply for 5 year licence same as someone with resident visa, or am i stuck on yearly basis?

on a tourist visa /exempt stamp they only issue temporary licences, though it appears the renewal of a temporary now scores you a 2 year temporary rather than a 1year.

At renewal time, to get a 5 year, you'll need a non-imm visa.

[songhklasid]

Thankyou, Do I need to apply to immigration for letter before apply licence renewal regards S.S.

[Jimlove]

Yes unfortunately you do , I guess you mean Cert. of Residency - please let us know if they try extort you for 500B ... ?

[ChristianBlessing]

As noted earlier, I entered on a 60 day tourist visa. I did have a letter of residency. This was not a renewal but a first-time application, which yielded a 2 year temporary. My cost was, as I recall, ฿ 360 for two licences (auto and motorcycle).

[cmboy]

I think it's very logical you get temporary license with tourists visa and you need residency permit to renew your license to 5 yr.

Edited July 31, 2015 by cmboy

[dickyknee]

As noted earlier, I entered on a 60 day tourist visa. I did have a letter of residency. This was not a renewal but a first-time application, which yielded a 2 year temporary. My cost was, as I recall, ฿ 360 for two licences (auto and motorcycle).

you also noted earlier you showed your Malaysian licences which are recognised in all ASEAN countries, I suspect it may have not been considered a first-time application... If you held a valid Malaysian licence, you probably didn't need to apply for a Thai one.

[ChristianBlessing]

You may be right. I should have asked.

[songhklasid]

To get a motorcycle licence (no motorcycle endorsement on home country license) does one need to actually bring a bike to the Hang Dong facility for practical test?

There's allways a big group, If you ask someone who has just finished, easier with a 100 baht tip,i'm sure someone will lend bike, that's what i did.

regards S.S.

[dingdongrb]

A brief report on my 5 yr renewal process yesterday (Aug 11th):

I went to the Lamphun office as I have always done.

What they required:

- Passport

- Copy of main passport page

- Copy of visa page

- Current Thai drivers license

- Residence cert

- 605 THB

The entire process including queue times as well as watching the 50-55 minute video was 1 hour and 20 minutes.

I had to:

- Perform the reaction test

- Perform the color test

- Watch the video

NOTES:

- My prior 5 yr license expired on my birthday a few weeks ago but they didn't seem to care about that.

- Even though they stated that my new license would be good for 5 years it's actually printed as saying the next 6.

- Watching the video I learned two things:

1) Everything in the video they said not to do the majority of the Thai drivers do all the time.

2) I didn't know it but new vehicles with the red tags are not allowed to be operated at night time.

Cheers.... happy motoring...... and be careful !

Edited August 12, 2015 by dingdongrb

[kevindorian]

u didnt need a medical cert?

[Tywais]

u didnt need a medical cert?

5 year to 5 year renewal it is not needed. 1 year to 5 or if first 1 (2) year license it is.

[dingdongrb]

u didnt need a medical cert?

5 year to 5 year renewal it is not needed. 1 year to 5 or if first 1 (2) year license it is.

The only time I needed a medical was when doing the 1 yr..

[krey]

thanks for the info

what time is a good time to arrive at the office if I am renewing a 1 year to 5? do I need to be there super early?

[Duvidl]

I went to renew my license(s) from 1 year to 5 year at about 3pm on a Thursday. There were very few people. Maybe a dozen. I went to the various windows as directed. I had my copies made at the copy desk. Needed only one original Residence Certificate - a copy was accepted for the second (motorbike) license. Same for the Medical letter. Waited for my number to be called for picture-taking, and I was finished. Total time spent at the office - 25 minutes.

[krey]

I did mine today 1 year to 5 year though it was a little more backed up. I did it for both car and motorbike and only needed one residence cert, med cert and your typical passport copies

Did the Lights test but did not watch a movie. I was there about 2pm but it took about 2.5 hours for me to get out. I must say the staff are very pleasant even late on a Friday afternoon

[egypte]

Was there yesterday too, took the time to get their requirements for New Licence and for Renewing the licence.

They seem now quite strict regarding the conversion of an IDL to a Thai DL.

It was quite packed in the afternoon, took us almost 2 hours to get our kid her new licence.

2015 - New Licence Requirements.pdf

2015 - Renewing Licence Requirements.pdf

[marcosss]

Thanks @dingdobgrb for the advice. We went into the Chiang Mai office at around 9am last Monday with the above mentioned paper work, within an hour we were out of the place with our 2 year car & bike licences in hand. No testing other than a colour blindness test was carried out on us. We did have our international and domestic licences from our home country.

[haybilly]

So, if just renewing a current [but due to expire soon] Thai 5 Year Driving License--other than the already mentioned Documents, we do not have to sit a re-test of knowledge of Thai Highway code, just sight and colour blindness tests?

[krey]

In regards to the movie of the highway code my understanding is

1. If you are getting your license for the first time - you have to watch it

2. If you are moving from 1 year license to the 5 year (your first 5 year) - You do not have to watch it

3. If you are on a 5 year license that expired and you are renewing for another license - they want to refresh you again and you have to watch it

[stuurman]

This morning I exchanged my Malaysian car and motorcycle license to the (temporary) Thai ones. My Malaysian motorcycle license was only up to 250 CC, that was no problem to change it to a full Thai one.

The only test I had to do was the color blind test and I didn't have to watch the movie. They did ask how I, given the fact I have Dutch passport, got a Malaysian license.

When I explained I lived there a couple of years all was good. The whole procedure took me about an hour and both licenses are valid for two years.

Edited September 8, 2015 by stuurman

[Nowisee]

Change of Address:

If I move, do I need to change my address on the 5yr DL?
What documents are required?
What is the cost? Is it No. 17 - Drivers License Amendment - 50 baht?

[Mapguy]

Change of Address:

If I move, do I need to change my address on the 5yr DL?

What documents are required?

What is the cost? Is it No. 17 - Drivers License Amendment - 50 baht?

Yes, it is something that can be done easily. Just take new proof of residence, but it is something that you really need not worry about until normal renewal (unless your insurance company cares, which I doubt). Perhaps I am wrong, but would someone please post who has been stopped by the traffic police and asked for proof of residence? And, if you were, why was this an issue?

Edited September 21, 2015 by Mapguy

[wisemonkey]

My wallet was stolen, I still have my car license but the bike license as in the wallet, is it an easy process to get a replacement, or do I have to reapply basically doing the whole process again?

[BurriAussie]

And don't forget your police report...yes it required with all the other paper work as if you were doing the renewal.

[FMFK86]

Do they keep your residence certificate? Im going in tomorrow for a first time license and got the certificate but will need it to buy a bike soon so would be quite annoying to get a new one.

And thanks everyone for all the information here, I would have gone in without the medical exam :-)

[dickyknee]

Do they keep your residence certificate? Im going in tomorrow for a first time license and got the certificate but will need it to buy a bike soon so would be quite annoying to get a new one.

And thanks everyone for all the information here, I would have gone in without the medical exam :-)

sorry to say, they need the original and they keep it. you're going to need to get another cert to purchase a bike.

[FMFK86]

Thanks, unfortunately you were right :-) . The good news though is that I got a 2 years license without having had a license in any country before.

Edited October 19, 2015 by FMFK86

[chiang mai]

Has anyone tried to renew in Mae Tang, it's a sleepy little joint with little office traffic, hard to imagine they actually have an English language copy of the video?