5 Year Driver's License Renewal - Step by step what to expect

[Shipwreck]

Hi everyone. I just got done with this today and thought a step by step walkthough of what to expect might be helpful for someone, so here goes.

This is for the Bangkok - Chatuchak branch. My 5 year Thai driver's license had expired, and I needed a 5 year renewal.

Need to bring:

Expired license

Passport

Work Permit (If you don't have a work permit I think you need proof of address)

Copy of driver's license

Copy of Passport - picture and visa page

Copy of Work Permit - All pages (well not ALL, but basically everything with stamps/writing)

Sign the bottom of each copied page to save time.

On the 2nd floor bring your IDs and copies and wait in line at the top of the stairs. They will give you a cover sheet where you write your full name on the top line and if you haven't already, they'll have you sign the bottom of each page of your photocopies. You get a queue ticket to counters 17-18, which are in the next room on the same floor.

You wait for 10 minutes until called, you sit down, they check your stuff, staple your old license to a piece of paper - you won't see it again until the last step. They ask for your passport and they give you a paper, hand your passport back and tell you to go to the 3rd floor.

Here is where you take the visual competency tests. First, you need a queue number, so go though the double doors into the room with tons of people waiting. In the back is a little desk, hand them your paper with passport and you get a little green queue ticket in exchange. At this point, this little ticket and your work permit are all you have. They have your old license and your passport.

The queue-calling system here is ancient and verbal. Every 10 minutes or so a lady will come out into the hall and (in Thai) call out the queue numbers in groups of 10. There is no monitor with numbers. She'll let you into the testing room in order as best she can. While you are waiting to be called they have a video explaining the tests on loop.

Ok, so you've been called. You give your queue ticket away and line up. The line snakes through the room and lets you do all 4 tests. The first test you stand behind a piece of tape on the floor while a lady switches the colors on a traffic light and you say the color. Green, red, green, yellow, etc. If you mess up - like the foreigner 3 spots ahead of me did - they tell you the color and let you try again.

Once you have passed the traffic light test they give you your passport back and let you into the depth-perception test. Here you have to press a green button, which moves a stick in a box. Once the moving stick is directly across from a stationary stick in the same box then you let go of the button. It's ridiculously easy.

The next test is a gas/brake test. You sit in a chair, press a fake gas pedal, wait for a red light and then hit the brake. You need to hit the brake within 1 second or you fail. If you fail you just go to the end of the line, and in 2 minutes you can try again. You shouldn't fail this, it is also simple.

The last test is the peripheral vision test. You stick your nose level with a board while the lady behind the counter changes the color of the light on the side of the board. You're supposed to look forward while she does this. The yellow and green look pretty damn similar to me on this exam. I once said that the yellow was green, but she didn't say anything and let me pass. I didn't see anyone fail this one.

Once these tests are passed your paper is signed by the peripheral lady and she tells you to go to floor 4.

This is the movie floor. In the back of this room there is a counter. Give that lady your passport and paper and sign your name in the book. To the left of the waiting seats there is a room with a TV on a cart. Every 45 minutes the desk-lady gets up, tells everyone in the room to get out, and tells everyone who has recently signed the book to go in and sit down.

The video is basic road safety rules. Most of it is a lady and some guy driving around talking about how to drive safely. They also have lots of youtube clips of accidents, even some from movies.

Nobody is monitoring that you are actually watching the movie, people were coming and going, some people came in with 10 minutes left. I should have sat in the back with my phone, but I had left it with my wife.

When this is done the desk-lady comes back and tells us it is over. You walk out, get your passport/paper and they tell you to go back to the 2nd floor for another queue coupon. Every single person in the room is doing this and they 2nd floor queue people know it, so they have a bunch of pre-printed queue tickets that they just hand out when you get to the 2nd floor.

So, now you again have to wait at station 17-18 for your number to be called. It takes about 10 minutes. This is where they check your papers for the last time and take your picture. Also, it's where you pay - it was 655 baht. They have a small mirror there if you want to adjust your collar/hair etc. About 1 minute after they take your picture they print out your license and hand it to you. All done.

I arrived at 9AM on a Wednesday, and we were walking out the door with license in hand at 11:45AM.

My birthday is in January, which is also when my license expired. My new license expires in January 2022 - 5 years 300 something days later. You get the extra year if you renew after it has expired.

I brought my wife with me, but I didn't actually need her. The counter people speak enough English to point you in the right direction. Having the right copies of everything was the hardest part - and that wasn't hard at all.

Hope that helps someone.

[Badrabbit]

What is the cost of a new 5 yr car license? Just seen the cost!!

Edited February 5, 2016 by Badrabbit

[blinddodger]

I have been driving on thai licences for 12 years now, hate going for renewals as I have a curved spine and although I can walk, run, jump, drive etc Pattaya licence office boss in her words says "I look different" and the boss woman will not believe I can drive even with a doctors letter, she makes me take the driving test every time I go, then she stares in disbelief when I go back with a pass, this last time she then made me go back and drive the big boss, I had to pick him up from his gf office drive out the compound, turn right, turn right again back into the compound and he got out and said ok he was in the car 7 seconds. I was there 7 hours for a five year renewal. Third time i have been through this and this time I complained, was told would be same again next visit as she is the boss. Think I might try Bangkok one next time.

[oceaneyes]

Thanks. I need to renew in a couple of weeks. Glad to know I can renew just after it expires.

[Badrabbit]

Thanks. I need to renew in a couple of weeks. Glad to know I can renew just after it expires.

No you can't legally renew after it expires for reasons that are obvious!! Edited February 6, 2016 by Badrabbit

[oceaneyes]

I'm confused. You said you get the extra 300 days if you renew after it expires. Mine expires on the 15th and I want to renew about 7 days later.

[Badrabbit]

I'm confused. You said you get the extra 300 days if you renew after it expires. Mine expires on the 15th and I want to renew about 7 days later.

If you renew after it expires and you are driving your bike you are driving illegally, should you have an accident it could be big trouble, do the right thing and renew up to 3 months before expiry!

[oceaneyes]

Okay. Thanks for the post and advice.

[billd766]

Thank you for the information. My 5 year car licence is due for renewal and my motorbike one comes up a year later.

[Tywais]

Thanks. I need to renew in a couple of weeks. Glad to know I can renew just after it expires.

No you can't legally renew after it expires for reasons that are obvious!!

Yes he can, he just can't drive for that period that it has expired. I do it every 5-5 year renewal. Go in 1 or two days after expiration and get 5 years +364 days. Many others do the same.