International Driving Licence

[farang1979]

Hello,

I have a UK driving licence and am keen to share some of the driving with my Thai girlfriend (so is she). From reading online it sounds pretty straight forward. However what I don't have is an international driving licence. Or is it an international driving permit?

If anyone has any specific experience, maybe fellow UK expats, that could help clarify how I'd get an international driving licence/permit whilst in Thailand, i'd be greatful.

[ericnoodeeka]

dont bother just use ur uk licence. thats all i used in the beginning, and i drove from issan to phuket and back.

i have full thai licences now though, but it was never a problem in the past for me.hope this helps, cheers.

[steve187]

apply on line and sent to address on d/l and have it forwarded here.

[WhamBam]

dont bother just use ur uk licence. thats all i used in the beginning, and i drove from issan to phuket and back.

i have full thai licences now though, but it was never a problem in the past for me.hope this helps, cheers.

When I got stopped in January I got fined 500 Baht for not having the correct licence. I'd left my IDP at the condo, showed them my UK licence and recently expired Thai licence too.

Using only your UK full licence does not always get you out of paying a fine with many check points these days.

[CharlieH]

Moved to Motoring forum

[trd]

apply on line and sent to address on d/l and have it forwarded here.

Online where? Do you have a link.

[farang1979]

apply on line and sent to address on d/l and have it forwarded here.

Online where? Do you have a link.

I *think* its the Post Office UK website.

[steve187]

aa, -- http://www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/

rac -- http://www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit/

post office -- http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-driving-permit

government link here -- https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad

i always used rac personally

[trd]

Interesting you should mention the UK post office. When I was in the UK a couple of months ago I decided to get a IDP just so I would go through fewer hoops when applying for my Thai license. On a very cold, stormy rainy day I took a train to the next town because my own post office wasn't big enough to issue them. Walked through a blizzard to finally arrive at the Post office and presented my UK license and asked for an IDP. "Do you have the piece of paper that came with your license, the girl behind the counter asked. "What?" I said, racking my brains to remember what had arrived in the post years ago. Well apparently it was required and I didn't have it. So it was back out into the rain and back on the train. A completely wasted journey. I was well pis*ed off.

[trd]

aa, -- http://www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/

rac -- http://www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit/

post office -- http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-driving-permit

government link here -- https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad

i always used rac personally

And they will deliver to Thailand?

[steve187]

Interesting you should mention the UK post office. When I was in the UK a couple of months ago I decided to get a IDP just so I would go through fewer hoops when applying for my Thai license. On a very cold, stormy rainy day I took a train to the next town because my own post office wasn't big enough to issue them. Walked through a blizzard to finally arrive at the Post office and presented my UK license and asked for an IDP. "Do you have the piece of paper that came with your license, the girl behind the counter asked. "What?" I said, racking my brains to remember what had arrived in the post years ago. Well apparently it was required and I didn't have it. So it was back out into the rain and back on the train. A completely wasted journey. I was well pis*ed off.

UK d/l are now 2 part, the credit card piece and an A4 paper piece, change the address on line and they will issue a free replacement, you have to agree to sending back the old 2 piece licence cut up

as far as i know all will only return to address on d/l, but i have been wrong before.

[trd]

Interesting you should mention the UK post office. When I was in the UK a couple of months ago I decided to get a IDP just so I would go through fewer hoops when applying for my Thai license. On a very cold, stormy rainy day I took a train to the next town because my own post office wasn't big enough to issue them. Walked through a blizzard to finally arrive at the Post office and presented my UK license and asked for an IDP. "Do you have the piece of paper that came with your license, the girl behind the counter asked. "What?" I said, racking my brains to remember what had arrived in the post years ago. Well apparently it was required and I didn't have it. So it was back out into the rain and back on the train. A completely wasted journey. I was well pis*ed off.

UK d/l are now 2 part, the credit card piece and an A4 paper piece, change the address on line and they will issue a free replacement, you have to agree to sending back the old 2 piece licence cut up

as far as i know all will only return to address on d/l, but i have been wrong before.

Thanks for the info but as I'm here for a while I'll just go straight for the Thai license from the UK one. BTW a few years ago I had the old style paper license and had an accident but the insurance company accepted it without any problems. After driving here for 16 years it's about time to get a Thai license.

[ferguston]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

[trd]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

But you don't need an IDP to get a Thai license. Just a UK license.

[farang1979]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

But you don't need an IDP to get a Thai license. Just a UK license.

Eh? Have you done this?

[trd]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

But you don't need an IDP to get a Thai license. Just a UK license.

Eh? Have you done this?

This is the difference. If you have an IDP, it is very straightforward to get a Thai license. But if you are using a national license you have to sit through a video, do some written tests and it takes up a lot of time. That was the only reason I wanted an IDP, because it is less hassle. There is plenty of confirmation and reports of the procedure if you search TVF. I will be getting mine in a couple of weeks.

[farang1979]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

But you don't need an IDP to get a Thai license. Just a UK license.

Eh? Have you done this?

This is the difference. If you have an IDP, it is very straightforward to get a Thai license. But if you are using a national license you have to sit through a video, do some written tests and it takes up a lot of time. That was the only reason I wanted an IDP, because it is less hassle. There is plenty of confirmation and reports of the procedure if you search TVF. I will be getting mine in a couple of weeks.

Yeah think I'll get an IDP too. For the 200 baht it costs, its certainly worth it. Thanks for the info.

[Gonsalviz]

The AA will post to any address abroad that you ask them to. There is an extra charge for this service.

Alternatively they will post to any address in the UK.

Have it posted to a friend in the UK and have them forward it to your address in LOS.

When I applied for my IDP I didn't have the paper counterpart. The application form for the IDP has a space where you can explain why you don't have the paper counterpart.

Obtaining a Thai Driving License is easy using your UK (or national license) and an IDP.

But you don't need an IDP to get a Thai license. Just a UK license.

Eh? Have you done this?

This is the difference. If you have an IDP, it is very straightforward to get a Thai license. But if you are using a national license you have to sit through a video, do some written tests and it takes up a lot of time. That was the only reason I wanted an IDP, because it is less hassle. There is plenty of confirmation and reports of the procedure if you search TVF. I will be getting mine in a couple of weeks.

Not always. In NBL, they did not recognize it at all but they did take my expired (from 1996) Thai license and gave me a 5 year license. I was satisfied with that. I had to go through everything but the video. Even the driving part was cut short when I demonstrated that I could stop behind the line. The mc portion never happened but I have both licenses.

[stevenl]

dont bother just use ur uk licence. thats all i used in the beginning, and i drove from issan to phuket and back.

i have full thai licences now though, but it was never a problem in the past for me.hope this helps, cheers.

When I got stopped in January I got fined 500 Baht for not having the correct licence. I'd left my IDP at the condo, showed them my UK licence and recently expired Thai licence too.

Using only your UK full licence does not always get you out of paying a fine with many check points these days.

If living here, which your Thai DL seems to indicate you do, a Thai DL is required. For tourists home DL is fine, provided valid, with photo and in English.