Getting and renewing a Thai driving licence

How it works

• Your first Thai licence is a temporary one valid for 2 years (205 THB). Renew it to get a 5-year licence (505 THB).
• Car and motorbike licences are separate. Get both if you'll drive both.
• You can renew up to 3 months before it expires. Up to a year late, there's no retest; more than a year, you retake the theory test; more than three years, theory and practical.

What to bring to the Department of Land Transport

1. 1Passport, with copies of the photo page, visa page and latest entry stamp.
2. 2A residence certificate issued in the last 30 days (some offices accept a yellow house book; a work permit alone is no longer accepted everywhere).
3. 3A medical certificate from any clinic, dated in the last 30 days (150–300 THB).
4. 4Your foreign licence, if converting. Not in English? Bring an embassy-certified translation.

The tests

• Everyone: colour blindness, depth perception, reaction and peripheral vision checks.
• New drivers: a training video, a 50-question theory test (45 to pass) and a short practical test. A driving school can handle this for a fee.
• Converting a valid foreign or international licence: you skip the practical test and do a shorter online video instead.