Renewing 5 year driver's licence in BKK

[NoshowJones]

On 10/6/2018 at 11:55 AM, MJKT2014 said:

I went here last year and was turned away (like a schoolkid) because even though my docs were in order I was wearing short trousers. Told to come back wearing long pants only.

Serves you right.

[Pepper9187]

 

34 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

On 10/6/2018 at 11:55 AM, MJKT2014 said:

I went here last year and was turned away (like a schoolkid) because even though my docs were in order I was wearing short trousers. Told to come back wearing long pants only.

Serves you right.

 

Warning : Unnecessary post coming ;

 

AHAhahahAHahAHhAha

[Spaniel]

Thanks for the info.

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 6/4/2018 at 12:21 PM, ezzra said:

... you can renew a month before expiry, and as long as a year AFTER expiry with no penalty, but if you get stopped by police you're on your own...

Is this still the case, that you can renew up to a year after expiry with no penalty?  I saw the posts that said if you wait til a bit after your birthday (expiry date) you effectively get an additional year, but I want to make sure there's no downside to letting it expire before renewing.  Are we sure it's OK?

[Pepper9187]

1 hour ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Is this still the case, that you can renew up to a year after expiry with no penalty?  I saw the posts that said if you wait til a bit after your birthday (expiry date) you effectively get an additional year, but I want to make sure there's no downside to letting it expire before renewing.  Are we sure it's OK?

Yes, it is.

 

Trust me, i renewed mine 2 month ago and it was expired since 1 year (-) 1 day, it expired on 25 September 2017 and i renewed it on 24 September 2018.

No "no-no" no question asked.

 

Same price, no penalty, can't recall precisely but it's like 120 baht or something (for motorcycle D.L at least)

And you get a 2 year temporary D.L now, not 1 year like before.

 

And no ... i didn't drive with an expired D.L, i was away + didn't drive until i had my new DL when i was back.

[TerraplaneGuy]

10 hours ago, Pepper9187 said:

Yes, it is.

 

Trust me, i renewed mine 2 month ago and it was expired since 1 year (-) 1 day ...

Same price, no penalty ...

And you get a 2 year temporary D.L now, not 1 year like before.

 

Thanks - but to be clear, I'll be renewing a 5 year licence (actually two of them, car and motorbike), but I see you refer to a 2 year temporary.  Does that make a difference?

[Andrew Dwyer]

Thanks - but to be clear, I'll be renewing a 5 year licence (actually two of them, car and motorbike), but I see you refer to a 2 year temporary.  Does that make a difference?

Doesn’t apply to 5 year but anyone renewing a 2 year license AFTER the license has expired will only be issued another 2 year instead of a 5.
Not a problem for yourself but good info for some ( me [emoji51]) .

Source: post #29

[BobTH]

On 10/5/2018 at 4:36 PM, Pepper9187 said:

Just renewed mine.

 

You'll have to watch a 1hr video and at least in my DLT there was like 3 or 4 different times available, the last one was at 1:30PM.

I guess the time changes depending of each DLT, you should give them a call or go there before to check the timetable in advance, you don't want to be there and waste 2 hours because you went in at the wrong time.

 

Maybe i was lucky, but i arrived there around 12:45 and i was out at 3:00.

At the same time there was a Canadian guy who arrived early morning around 10 left at 2:45 (he was renewing his DL just like me)

 

So i would think it goes faster when you'r in the "last batch" for the video viewing.

 

Arrived / waited 30 minutes for them to fill my details in their system

Went to eye / depth tests : 5 minutes out

Waited 15-20 minutes for the video to start

Watched the video 1 hour

Went out to eat for 20 minutes, came back, BANG number 471 was called, i was 475.

Picked up the DL, about 10-15 minutes (somebody had screwed up my last name, they had to correct it in their system).
 

 

PS : Send my regards to Miss Manao !

You give a lot of good information and thanks but you do not tell what DLT office it is all relative to. Please tell the location you used, thanks.

[Pepper9187]

4 minutes ago, BobTH said:

You give a lot of good information and thanks but you do not tell what DLT office it is all relative to. Please tell the location you used, thanks.

Thanks !

I went there : DLT area 2.

https://goo.gl/maps/CAAM4KduacA2

 

It's the closest to where i live, i can't tell for the others DLT regarding the video timetable.

 

When u go there, whichever DLT, maybe if you can take a picture of the timetable and post it somewhere would be nice.

[BobTH]

On 6/5/2018 at 4:05 PM, Wake Up said:

I did not have to watch the video last month but I did have to do the three tests for stopping, lining up the two rods and eye color side vision test. I had a copy of my drivers license but they never took the copy from me. Gave them my original license. Sign all your passport page copies and wear long pants. Have residency certificate and process from entry to exit took me about 1 hour 25 minutes and I went on a Wednesday or Tuesday around 1:30 pm. Lady at the front will check all your documents before you go to window number 9 to start the process. 

What location was this information from, thanks in advance.

[Pepper9187]

4 hours ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

Thanks - but to be clear, I'll be renewing a 5 year licence (actually two of them, car and motorbike), but I see you refer to a 2 year temporary.  Does that make a difference?

Difference for the process / paperwork ? Not at all.

 

I couldnt get the 5 years because i was on tourist visa that time (i guess?)

[smutcakes]

One piece of advice i can offer as i made the mistake. Dont go in the afternoon thinking you will miss the morning scrum!. I turned up at 1.30pm and flew through all the tests, feeling very happy with myself thinking i would be done and dusted within a couple of hours until they informed me i would need to come back in the morning to watch the safety video. Last showing is at 1pm. (God knows why)

 

The whole place always looks a complete mess and completely disorganized, however it gets completed so there must be some method to the madness!

[BobTH]

6 minutes ago, smutcakes said:

One piece of advice i can offer as i made the mistake. Dont go in the afternoon thinking you will miss the morning scrum!. I turned up at 1.30pm and flew through all the tests, feeling very happy with myself thinking i would be done and dusted within a couple of hours until they informed me i would need to come back in the morning to watch the safety video. Last showing is at 1pm. (God knows why)

 

The whole place always looks a complete mess and completely disorganized, however it gets completed so there must be some method to the madness!

May I ask what DLT location your are referring to? I need to go to Land Transport Office at Sukhumvit 99/1, same as the OP and looking for information pertaining to the office.

 

[smutcakes]

3 minutes ago, BobTH said:

May I ask what DLT location your are referring to?

The one just down past Ban Chak BTS.

[Wake Up]

7 hours ago, BobTH said:

What location was this information from, thanks in advance.

Around soi 101. Near Bang Chak BTS. 

[Wasan]

A week ago I passed by the Nonthaburi khonsong and asked about the renewal procedures for my expired 5-year licenses. A lady gave me a piece of paper with four stages to complete prior to returning to the khonsong.

 

1. Passport and visa

2. Evidence of residential address from the embassy

3. A standard medical certificate

4. Licence

 

I went to the Embassy of Finland to get the Evidence of address. There was a local Thai worker there who told me the Embassy has nothing to do with the residential address verification. He told me the khonsong should advice people to go to the Thai Immigration office instead. They are the ones to give the needed evidences. I had to leave the Embassy empty handed.

 

Has anyone else had this problem in his/her Embassy?

 

I have gotten the evidence several times during the past 20 years from my Embassy but I wasn't given one anymore. Additionally, the Embassy's local Thai employee told me the address verification costs only some 200 Baht in the Immigration. He seemed to be very well aware about the Driver's Licence renewal procedures.

 

Btw. Currently I'm in Thailand on a 1-month stamp in the Passport. Have people had their licences renewed with only the 1-month stamp? I wasn't given the three month visa back in home at the Thai Embassy. The Thai Embassy required a letter from employer or university in order to get the 3-month visa.

[BobTH]

10 hours ago, Wasan said:

A week ago I passed by the Nonthaburi khonsong and asked about the renewal procedures for my expired 5-year licenses. A lady gave me a piece of paper with four stages to complete prior to returning to the khonsong.

 

1. Passport and visa

2. Evidence of residential address from the embassy

3. A standard medical certificate

4. Licence

 

I went to the Embassy of Finland to get the Evidence of address. There was a local Thai worker there who told me the Embassy has nothing to do with the residential address verification. He told me the khonsong should advice people to go to the Thai Immigration office instead. They are the ones to give the needed evidences. I had to leave the Embassy empty handed.

 

Has anyone else had this problem in his/her Embassy?

 

I have gotten the evidence several times during the past 20 years from my Embassy but I wasn't given one anymore. Additionally, the Embassy's local Thai employee told me the address verification costs only some 200 Baht in the Immigration. He seemed to be very well aware about the Driver's Licence renewal procedures.

 

Btw. Currently I'm in Thailand on a 1-month stamp in the Passport. Have people had their licences renewed with only the 1-month stamp? I wasn't given the three month visa back in home at the Thai Embassy. The Thai Embassy required a letter from employer or university in order to get the 3-month visa.

I believe the US Embassy will still give you a Residence Certificate if you hold a US passport to verify your address but it costs $50 US dollars or about 1,638 baht but you get it the same day. At Chaengwattana Immigration in Bangkok you can get one for 200 baht but they will only mail it to you and it can take up to 3 weeks to receive and they will only issue it to you if you have done a 90 day report with them. And I would think they mean a recent one because I was asked to see my last 90 day report when I applied last time this year. But as you know things can work differently at different offices here but this is the case at the US Embassy and Chaengwattana Immigration offices. They are changing the rules for the income verification notary services at some Embassies, I am not sure if this is why your Embassy rules have changed or not. At any rate good luck.

[snawa]

Any advice from Australians to get a residency certificate ~ I have to get 5 year driving license, 2 year temp expiring. Australian Embassy won't issue residency certificate anymore they told me; Immigration at Chaeng Wattana say they can't because I'm "not in the system" as I've never undertaken 90 day reporting. (For 6 years I've travelled overseas at least every 3 months so always used TM6s).

[scoutman360]

I just renewed my 5 year license today at the Sukhumvit, Bang Chak BTS, land transportation office.

 

As pointed out by others in this thread for 5 year renewal

1. Certificate of address not needed (if you have a WP)

2. Copy of your license not needed

3. Medical certificate not needed

4. Only bring a copy of your Passport and Work Permit along with the originals.

5. Best to go around 12noon and get in the last batch of people being processed. Going early, you will be in the cattle pen with mops of people and will take you an extra hour.

6. Go after your license has expired for an extra year.

 

Points of notice

1. The dreaded peripheral vision test has been greatly improved. They removed that white light that used be pointed at your face and blind you. It is now a soft light above your head. Very easy to see the colors now.

2. My group of people didn't need to do the color vision test. I guess if you can see the colors for the other tests, that was good enough.

3. I noticed that the gas peddle test would go from GREEN to RED consistently between 3 and 5 seconds (start counting "1" the moment the peddle is pressed). 70% of the time, the RED light appeared at 5 seconds, and 30% at 3 seconds. During my test, when I counted past 3 seconds and the light was still green, I new it would turn red at 5 seconds. I hit the brake in record time, and the lady gave me a surprised smile at my impressive performance. ????

 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

I moved to Sathorn area in BKK and now looks like I have to get my 5 year licences renewed at the Region 1 Office in Bang Khun Thian, not the Sukhumvit office.  I started a separate thread about that.  Does anybody on this thread have any experience with the Region 1 Office?  For example do you need a medical certificate there to renew and do they require 2 original residence certificates if you're renewing for both car and motorbike?

[Agusts]

When I went to get my 2 years temp driving license, car + motor for the first time I took two residence certificates, cost me 300b x 2 = 600b,  but the lady at DLT office looked me with surprise and said why do you have two originals ,  you only need one plus a copy...! 

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 1/11/2019 at 3:20 PM, Agusts said:

When I went to get my 2 years temp driving license, car + motor for the first time I took two residence certificates, cost me 300b x 2 = 600b,  but the lady at DLT office looked me with surprise and said why do you have two originals ,  you only need one plus a copy...! 

What DLT office was that?

[BobTH]

On 1/8/2019 at 11:42 AM, TerraplaneGuy said:

I moved to Sathorn area in BKK and now looks like I have to get my 5 year licences renewed at the Region 1 Office in Bang Khun Thian, not the Sukhumvit office.  I started a separate thread about that.  Does anybody on this thread have any experience with the Region 1 Office?  For example do you need a medical certificate there to renew and do they require 2 original residence certificates if you're renewing for both car and motorbike?

I don't think it matters which office you go to. According to the website I am supposed to go to the Main Office Chatuchak and have always went to Area 3 on Sukhumivt like you. They have never said a word.

[TerraplaneGuy]

On 12/18/2018 at 3:15 PM, scoutman360 said:

I just renewed my 5 year license today at the Sukhumvit, Bang Chak BTS, land transportation office

....

5. Best to go around 12noon and get in the last batch of people being processed. Going early, you will be in the cattle pen with mops of people and will take you an extra hour.

 

I understand you have to watch a movie and at Bang Chak they show it at 9:30 am and again around 1:00 PM.  Do you know if those times are correct? And if, as you suggest, I arrive at 12 noon will I have time to process the paper, do the tests and also watch the afternoon movie?

 

 

[TerraplaneGuy]

Not sure if my last post went up properly so here it is again:

 

I understand you have to watch a movie and at Bang Chak they show it at 9:30 am and again around 1:00 PM.  Do you know if those times are correct? And if, as you suggest, I arrive at 12 noon will I have time to process the paper, do the tests and also watch the afternoon movie?

[TerraplaneGuy]

Just want to report I went to Bang Chak today, arrived about 10:20 am and managed to submit paper, pass the eye and reaction tests, and get in the queue for the movie which started at 11:00.  It took almost an hour, then I had to wait till about 1:30 to get my picture taken and the licences (car and bike) issued.  Officer who did the latter tasks was hopeless, insisted I copy more pages from my passport which were completely irrelevant (Chinese tourist visa and some old entry and exit stamps!), then got my birthday and the expiry day wrong, redid the birthday, still couldn't fix the expiry day and had to get her manager to do that.  But then I had to argue with both of them because although the birthday was right, and now the day of expiry was the same (January 20) they thought the expiry year should be 2024.  But since my birthday had just passed and therefore my existing licences had already expired a few days ago, I was entitled to almost 6 years, not 5, according to their own procedures (thank you to this forum for educating me on that!).  I argued with the manager for a while and finally she agreed and they reissued the licences properly.  Six years less 3 days ????  Got out of there around 2:30.

 

[scoutman360]

On ‎1‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 9:24 PM, TerraplaneGuy said:

....Officer who did the latter tasks was hopeless, insisted I copy more pages from my passport which were completely irrelevant (Chinese tourist visa and some old entry and exit stamps!), then got my birthday and the expiry day wrong, redid the birthday, still couldn't fix the expiry day and had to get her manager to do that.  But then I had to argue with both of them because although the birthday was right, and now the day of expiry was the same (January 20) they thought the expiry year should be 2024.  But since my birthday had just passed and therefore my existing licences had already expired a few days ago, I was entitled to almost 6 years, not 5, according to their own procedures (thank you to this forum for educating me on that!).  I argued with the manager for a while and finally she agreed and they reissued the licences properly.  Six years less 3 days ????  Got out of there around 2:30. 

  

You did very well.  You got your license on a tourist VISA (wow!), and you stood up for your rights and got the additional year as you should have. Well done.

[TerraplaneGuy]

7 hours ago, scoutman360 said:

You did very well.  You got your license on a tourist VISA (wow!), and you stood up for your rights and got the additional year as you should have. Well done.

Thanks but no, I'm not on a tourist visa.  I'm on a retirement visa.  The tourist visa I mentioned was a multiple-entry Chinese tourist visa that had nothing to do with Thai drivers licences but which somehow the officer thought was important for her file.

[Beni]

Hi All

I now understand most of the procedures and requirements for licence renewals. I am just not clear on whether I definitely need a residency certificate or if my work permit is enough for proof of residency. I will be renewing my temporary 2 year to 5 year at the office close to Bang Chak BTS.

[ocddave]

I am going in tomorrow to renew my 2 yr license to a 5 year, I thought I used my Yellow Book for proof of residency last time, hoping that is enough?