Renewing a 5 Year Drivers License in Bangkok (June 2016), Sukhumvit

[MMan]

Since much of the info I found on the internet for this subject is somewhat outdated or inaccurate, I thought I would post my experience today when I successfully renewed my expired 5 year Thailand Drivers License.

Best to go AFTER your old license expires, as the new one will be good until 5 years from your NEXT birthday (if you renew one day after the old one expires, the new one will be good for 5 years + 364 days). If you go one week before the old one expires, the new one will be good for 5 years + 7 days. In any case you should renew within one year of when the old one expires to avoid having to go through extra steps.

LOCATION
Most websites including the official Department of Land Transportation website say the office is located opposite Sukhumvit Soi 62/1, but that is not accurate. It would be more accurate to say it is located between Sukhumvit Soi 99 and Soi 101, about 150 meters past Soi 99 and very close to BANG CHAK BTS Station. But you cannot see the building from Sukhumvit, and all the signs are in THAI ONLY. There is a long lane leading off from Sukhumvit with a Blue Banner over the entrance that looks like an official Thai government site. The entrance lane has a good paved sidewalk along it that is covered so easy to walk. But there are also motorcycle taxi guys stationed at the beginning of the lane if you are too lazy to walk, and that seemed to be the favored option for most Thais.

I arrived at 13:23. Just inside the front door is a reception table. I told them I was there to renew my Drivers License, and they asked to see it. They then handed me a form, told me to write my name at the top of it, and sent me to Counter # 10.

At Counter # 10 a lady asked to see my Passport, old Drivers License, Work Permit and other documents. The required other documents are:

1) A copy of the following pages in your passport: The Main page with your picture and general info, the page with your current Visa, and the page with your latest Re-entry Stamp.

2 A copy of the following pages in your work permit (or otherwise show your Proof of Residency which I'm not knowledgeable about): The Main page with your picture / Occupation / etc, the page showing current validity dates, and the pages filled in at the end of your permit book showing work address and other info.

Some website also say to bring a copy of both the front and back of you old Drivers License. I did that, but it was promptly handed back to me so I assume that is not necessary. Also it is not necessary to take any photos, as they will take a photo when they issue the new license.

The lady at Counter # 10 then reviewed my documents, gave me back the Work Permit and Passport (keeping the copies and old Drivers License), handed me a number and told me to sit down. I was not asked to fill out ANY FORMS, but maybe she filled it in from the info on my documents (the forms they hand you are in Thai only).

After about 5 - 10 minutes I was sent to a room for the Physical tests. There are 3 of them: Depth Perception (align the sitcks - a lady moves them back or forward and you say when you think they are in line), Reaction Test (take your foot off the accelerator and hit the brake peddle when the light turns from red to green), and Peripheral Vision Color Test (you look straight ahead and say Red, Yellow or Green when the lady flashes different color lights to your left, right and in front.). The people in this room giving you the tests do not speak English, but if you've done it before you know the routine, and they try to 'show' you what to do if you don't understand Thai. Just watch what the Thai applicants do.

Next we were sent back to the lobby and told to wait to watch a Safety Video. At 14:00 promptly they escorted 8 of us into a cubicle to watch a one hour video on a 19 inch TV screen. It is all in Thai, and unless you are in the front row you probably will have a hard time seeing the screen. Nobody in the cubicle seemed to be paying much attention to the video. When you enter the cubicle you are instructed to sign your name.

After the video ended we were sent to another counter, then escorted into a room as our names were called. One by one we were then sent to a desk where they take your money (my total cost was 655 baht, I think the price varies by the type of license), then take your photo and print out your new Drivers License. Before printing it out they show you an image of it on a computer screen, and ask you to verify that your name, birth date and passport information are all correct. If all OK it takes about one minute to print out your new License.

That was it, and at 15:05 I was out the door with my new License good for 5 years + 50 weeks. It is all very 'assembly line' - like, however it all goes very efficiently.

[MyFriend You]

Thanx, quite informative.............and appears painless.

[WorriedNoodle]

The o/p forgot to mention dress code. When I was there I witnessed another foreigner smartly dressed and in knee length Columbia casual trousers in the hottest month of April. He was sent out of the physical test class and told to only come back when wearing long trousers in order to pass the test. Long pants (temple style) are apparently available free from a counter there as well. All rather childish imho, but rules is rules even when they aren't posted clearly if at all.

* Another thing I wonder, if applying for DL with a WP that lists only the company address, does the new DL have this on it and since the WP may expire and company address be invalid before five years, how does that work in the end? I only ever applied with yellow house book, so I would be interested on the WP method.

[Laughing Gravy]

Exactly the same procedure for me at Mo Chit 2 weeks ago. Its my third 5 year renewal and although the procedure is getting more organized the tests I have to say along with the video are still unrelated to real driving. I now know why there are so many accidents here. The 2 second rule that was mentioned. Staying behind someone by two seconds. Although Breaking distances were also mentioned people were too busy on their I phones or I pads.

[noonms]

No health certificate??

[mark5335]

No health certificate??

Not required for renewal of a 5 yr DL.

[PMZ]

The o/p forgot to mention dress code. When I was there I witnessed another foreigner smartly dressed and in knee length Columbia casual trousers in the hottest month of April. He was sent out of the physical test class and told to only come back when wearing long trousers in order to pass the test. Long pants (temple style) are apparently available free from a counter there as well. All rather childish imho, but rules is rules even when they aren't posted clearly if at all.

* Another thing I wonder, if applying for DL with a WP that lists only the company address, does the new DL have this on it and since the WP may expire and company address be invalid before five years, how does that work in the end? I only ever applied with yellow house book, so I would be interested on the WP method.

Hi

Is the long trousers a new rule?

I have processed at least four licences there, the most recent was late 2015 and I have always worn shorts.

Thanks

[Sean87s]

What kind of visa do i have to have to be able to get a Thai DL out of my EU DL ? I always apply for international 1 year license at my home country. Just 1 month ago a Tom Cat drove right into my car and buckled my front bumper and when the insurance guy came out he didnt even want the international DL just my EU DL. Then they fixed my car in just 3 days. Didnt pay a dime and they even washed my car. Makes me think im good on just my EU DL? Probably would have been a different story if the "accident" was my fault? Cops also seems to be happy just checking my pink EU DL too. Never any problems. But still, id like one of those "Bad Lod" too!

[MMan]

Here is the entrance to the Land Transport office where you get your DL.

[MMan]

An International Driving Permit is not actually a Drivers License. It is just a document that translated the information on your real Drivers License into several other languages. Many people are mistaken about that.

[brewsterbudgen]

Good post, Mman. I renewed mine at Bang Chak as well. But my video had English subtitles. It made all the difference!

[Sean87s]

An International Driving Permit is not actually a Drivers License. It is just a document that translated the information on your real Drivers License into several other languages. Many people are mistaken about that.

Yeah, exactly. its just a piece of paper with translations on it. Are you saying that i dont need it ? Im good with my pink EU DL ?

[KhunBENQ]

Thanks for the effort!

No surprises to me but always good to see that things run smooth.

At 14:00 promptly they escorted 8 of us into a cubicle to watch a one hour video on a 19 inch TV screen. It is all in Thai, and unless you are in the front row you probably will have a hard time seeing the screen. Nobody in the cubicle seemed to be paying much attention to the video.

That made me grin as I thought that only our upcountry office is too poor to provide decent stuff (overhead or big screen).

Best to go AFTER your old license expires, as the new one will be good until 5 years from your NEXT birthday (if you renew one day after the old one expires, the new one will be good for 5 years + 364 days).

What I experienced in 2012. And you did so and it worked (almost 6 years)?

Some recent posts disputed that.

Here is the entrance to the Land Transport office where you get your DL.

Map link:

13.6951438,100.6062321

https://www.google.co.th/maps/@13.6951438,100.6062321,3a,75y,83.38h,85.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssVojo0Rqk9eVLwTm8gYOFw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Sydebolle]

To facilitate/complement it when taking a taxi:
2479 ตรงข้ามซอยสุขุมวิท 62/1, ถนนสุขุมวิท, แขวงบางจาก เขตพระโขนง กทม
phone desk driving license: 02-3330035
phone switchboard: 02-332-9688, 02-332-9689 or 02-332-9691
Thai website of the Department of Land Transport's office at above location: http://skp3.dlt.go.th/2014/index.php

[Laughing Gravy]

Just to update on this I was told by the person who issued the licence to come up to 90 days before it expires, to get a new one. I received a little slip with this on it.

[BobTH]

I remember in another thread on Drivers Licenses that they were now doing testing by appointments, somehow you got an appointment online for the time and date to show up. I assume that the op in this case that was not needed when renewing your 5 year license and it is for those who are get their first Thai driving license and have to do all the practical and written test. OP you just went there correct? and did not have a reserved time and date, correct?

[MMan]

Yes I was renewing an expired 5 year license and made no appointment in advance. You might very well need to do that though for a first time Drivers License if you do not have a license from another country. When I first came here I did not need to take any driving test since I had a license from the USA. Just showed my USA license, filled out the paperwork and did the eyesight and reaction tests, same as with the last renewal. Initially you get a 1 year license. After it expires you can apply for a 5 year license (but only AFTER it expires, not the week before).

If you have no active Drivers License at all you will need to take a Driving Test and more I believe.

I went 3 weeks AFTER my previous 5 year license expired. My new license I received was good for 5 years + 49 weeks. Almost 6 years in total.

[TonyPaul]

I have just finished getting my car & bike licenses renewed at Bang Chak. This was my Third Visit to get it completed. Hopefully reading my mistakes will avoid others from wasting their precious time!

 

First visit I was told that my rental lease cannot be accepted as proof of residence. It must be a statuary declaration from my Embassy (Australia for me). The irony being that the Aust Embassy requires no proof of any stat dec , just a cool 1,760 Bht.

 

So next day I arrive at approx 12.30pm to be told that the physical tests are only done from 7.30 -11.30 in the morning! Gee thanks for letting me know about that the day before.

 

Third Day I get there approx 9.30am. I am wearing dress shorts and a shirt only to be told I must wear long pants! But the attendant  lets me go through the process with my shorts. So I am saved a fourth trip to get my license renewed!

 

The whole process probably took a total of 3 hours, but as per the excellent first post, I now have 6 year licenses.

[plee587]

Hi Everyone,

 

I will be renewing a five year car and motorbike licenses. I did this five years ago but could not remember ..

 

One of the documents I will be bringing will be my residence letter from Thai immigration. Would anyone know whether I would need two residence letters, one for car and another for motorbike? Or may I use one letter for both. I believe I used one for both five years ago but just wanted to double check.

 

Thanks.