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Renewing a 5 Year Driving License ad nauseum!


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Yes I know, it is covered over and over again and I really hate to be asking this but there are so many different sites spouting so much info / dis info that it would be nice if someone (preferably Chom Thong / Chiang Mai area) that has actually renewed their 5 year car license recently could advise.

 

During the main lockdown there was a way to renew online, it appears that this has now been rescinded and a personal appearance is now required. As far as I am aware I need the following:

 

1: Existing License and photocopies.

2: Passport photocopies of photo page, extension page, departure card.

3: Proof of residence - I have the Yellow book is this still good enough? (It was for my original application)

 

As far as I can gather that is about it for most peoples postings, however, a couple of queries.

 

Medical certificate, is that required or not - most sites say NOT.

 

Photo? last time they did it at the office so is that a NO?

 

Residence certificate from immigration, is that required if you have the yellow book - most say not?

 

I also have read that unlike a year or two before, if you let the license expire for a day, you need to take the entire crapshoot again (This used to be if it had expired for more than 3 years, and there was a somewhat reduced test required if the license had expired for between a day and 1 year)

 

I would love someone to give me a rundown of the current requirements as i really do not relish spending my days travelling back and forth on a 40KM return journey to entertain organ grinders that should be monkeys.

 

Many thanks!

 

By the way, do you have to sit through their amazing driver awareness videos and call out the colours of the traffic lights that no one seems to understands? (Yes, I know they know the names of the colours, but they don't understand what they need to do)

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16 minutes ago, ripstanley said:

It is very easy to become very frustrated with Thai Government departments. I have. I have found that you have to roll with the frustrations or you will end up in an early grave. The first time I renewed my 5 year license the old dear in charge at my local DLT rang Immigration and told them that my extension of stay had expired. She did not know the difference between date of issue and expiry date. Last time i renewed it 2018 1 day after my birthday I was given a book to read instead of watching the video. I had to read the road rules while the other applicants  had to watch the video. I was told to read it over and over again until the video was nearly completed. The  bonus was they processed my license just before the others finished the video. The other bonus was my license was renewed for 5 years and 364 days. The other tip is if you have a Thai wife/partner take them with you. Good luck

Yep, totally understand. The latest I heard was that they had changed their rules regarding that birthday "loophole" and that if you went beyond the expiry date by just one day, you had to do the whole shebang from the start! I have to be honest, they were not too bad with me last time, they actually told me I could get a night sleeping with Lin Ping (The Panda at Chiang Mai Zoo) if I managed to get 49 out of 50 on their computer test! I got 49 on the motorcycle test but missed my chance with a date with Lin Ping as I only managed 48 on the car test.

I let my first licence expire by about 6 years, (originally you could get your license here just by showing your home country license) Stupidly I never renewed it and had to take the entire test. Spent about 3 hours watching a Thai You Tube video of car crashes, then they separated me from the Thais for another 3 hours in a room on my own to just look at a print out of road signs.

 

Then I had to do the computer test, failed totally as it was complete nonsense. Spent 3 days looking at specimen tests online and got the 48-49 out of 50 (usual nonsensical rote learning) then had to do the driving tests, another farce...hence my original questions, as I really do not want to be jumping through those hoops again. They seem to look it at like some sort of sport or hunting, see how much they can get out of their prey before it either gives up and dies or manages to escape. You never get out of it unscathed that is for sure. They even refused to issue my license as I did not have a mobile phone number and their "System" was unable to process a Thai TOT Landline number...  They needed a 10 digit number from a mobile and could not process a 9 digit landline!

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6 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Extending from a 2 year to 5 year license, medical certificate is required. 5 year to 5 year NOT required.

 

Yellow book should be acceptable for proof of address but depends on local DLT office.

Thanks! Appreciated Yeah, the 50 shades of grey on a black and white world!

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8 hours ago, drbeach said:

Extending from a 2 year to 5 year license, medical certificate is required. 5 year to 5 year NOT required.

 

Yellow book should be acceptable for proof of address but depends on local DLT office.

They have changed it again, my wife went to DLT at Bang Chak Sukhumvit Soi 99 and they told her that renewing a five year license for another 5 year, you need a medical certificate, also she took this picture.

S__15827571.jpg

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51 minutes ago, dsj said:

They have changed it again, my wife went to DLT at Bang Chak Sukhumvit Soi 99 and they told her that renewing a five year license for another 5 year, you need a medical certificate, also she took this picture.

S__15827571.jpg

This are the requirements to convert a foreign license to a Thai license, or do you think to extend a Thai driving license you are required to have a foreign IDP?

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Most of these license/immigration places have people outside in shop houses that will photocopy docs, take photos etc

 

Best thing to do is go to these places, find out everything you need and get them to do everything for a cost of a few baht it saves a lot of hassle as things change all the time

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better to have it but not need it, than need it and not have it. 

 

Thais do try to facilitate things as long as you have everything, but they also know how to give people a hard time. be ready for everything every time. 

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15 hours ago, Formaleins said:

I also have read that unlike a year or two before, if you let the license expire for a day, you need to take the entire crapshoot again

Heard where?

Rules are unchanged and I think it would have made some news here.

 

15 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Photo? last time they did it at the office so is that a NO?

Never was a photo required.

Other questions have been answered to the rules and my experiences.

 

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12 hours ago, drbeach said:

Extending from a 2 year to 5 year license, medical certificate is required. 5 year to 5 year NOT required.

 

Yellow book should be acceptable for proof of address but depends on local DLT office.

To the rules and my experience (last visit 2017).

My office accepts the yellow book. Some seem not.

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2 hours ago, andygrr said:

Has the amnesty (covid-19) on expired licences finished yet and if so how long do you have to get a new one 

Can't tell what the exact situation is, but:

they have restarted to issue new licenses and license extensions.

AND: latest news was that ALL tests for DL extensions are waived for now.

 

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15 hours ago, Formaleins said:

I had to edit it as more and more headaches kept coming up! Like most things here, everything in Thailand is black and white until you try to do it, then it turns a horrible shade of grey!

Unlike the movie, unfortunately, a lot more of them.....

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I renewed my 5 year car license and my 2 year motorcycle license this past Friday at the main DLT office in Chiang Mai. Medical certificate was required for both. That needs to be obtained at a hospital now and not a clinic. Other than that a yellow book or residence certificate is needed, plus passport and old license. That's it. It is not necessary to get a queue number through the DLT app (impossible for foreigners anyway as the login via passport button does not work). You can go to the DLT and get a number and time there. There is no written test required for renewals at the present time due to the COVID situation. The only test given was the color blindness test.

 

Initially they gave me an appointment for July 30th for doing the "training", which is a 45 minute video that preps you for the test that you don't have to take. When I told the lady at the counter that me and the wife were taking a road trip this week, she somehow got me a spot that afternoon, which was very nice of her. All the foreigners were squeezed into one very small room to watch the video. Next to us was the room for Thai people which was very large and had about 10 people in it. So I suspect they automatically lump all farang together and due to the small space, queue spots are limited. One could probably show up in the morning and do the training in the afternoon pretty much any day of the week if you tell the person at the queue counter that you can understand Thai and there is no need to watch the video in English. Just a guess, but seems reasonable from what I saw Friday.

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Not in Chiang Mai, but I recently renewed my 5-year driver's license in Bangkok, Sukhumvit 99.  No medical or residence certificate required.  What was needed:

 

  • Original passport and copies (copies can be done there} showing visa, entry, ID pages.
  • Work Permit.  Note: if you have a digital work permit (as I do} you need to scan the QR code then print out the details it gives you - but this must be done on the day of application.
  • Existing driver's license.

 

That's it.  Give it in at the counter, they give you a queue number.  Then in groups of ten they take you to a room to do reaction test, depth perception test, peripheral colour vision test.  After that you get called to watch a one hour video.  When that's over they hand you your documents with a queue number and you go to another counter - when your number is called you have your photo taken, you pay, and then you are given your new license.

It's all in Thai but everyone was very helpful and friendly, and it is not difficult.  


 

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12 hours ago, drbeach said:

Extending from a 2 year to 5 year license, medical certificate is required. 5 year to 5 year NOT required.

 

Yellow book should be acceptable for proof of address but depends on local DLT office.

Did my 5 year 4 years ago.  Needed Res cert (silly as my address is on the back of the licenses..) no need medical ..  was easy... in Phuket

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On 7/5/2020 at 10:40 PM, drbeach said:

Extending from a 2 year to 5 year license, medical certificate is required. 5 year to 5 year NOT required.

 

Yellow book should be acceptable for proof of address but depends on local DLT office.

Not trying to contradict you, but it's a little like going to immigration: it depends on who you get, what mood he/she is in and the direction the wind is blowing. 

Renewed my 5 year licence in Nakhon Ratchisma province a few years ago and I DID need a medical certificate. Otherwise, the process was dead easy - I even had the pleasure of watching the, eh, very informative video... ????

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Yellow book no medical. I changed and went to an office outside my city this time as a couple of years ago the city office refused yellow book on registering a car, insisting i needed a Res Cert.
Wife rang them to find out what i needed, Everything was excepted, copies of passport, visa page, they required photos, yellow book and pink card, old 5yr DL, No medical. Then was told, you have to make an appointment (which i calmly pointed out you could have told me/my wife that on the phone and saved me a return journey of 6 hrs. Oops  that made her get annoyed at ME! lose of face 555) Returned a few days later at the appointed time no probs, i was the only falang, Took the reaction tests. I was put in a separate room to watch the sub titled vid, while others in an adjacent room also got lectured at. license runs 6yrs minus 1 day from last renewal date. good luck.

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Both my wife and I renewed our 5 year licenses after they reopened in June. I actually did the on line test for both of us and answered, the three questions. We went to DLT office and no appointments needed in our province. We did the eye and reaction tests, I had to show residency from Thai immigration but had it from a recent renewal. Very easy and straight forward. Great staff as before. 

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On 7/7/2020 at 8:53 AM, brianthainess said:

Yellow book no medical. I changed and went to an office outside my city this time as a couple of years ago the city office refused yellow book on registering a car, insisting i needed a Res Cert.
Wife rang them to find out what i needed, Everything was excepted, copies of passport, visa page, they required photos, yellow book and pink card, old 5yr DL, No medical. Then was told, you have to make an appointment (which i calmly pointed out you could have told me/my wife that on the phone and saved me a return journey of 6 hrs. Oops  that made her get annoyed at ME! lose of face 555) Returned a few days later at the appointed time no probs, i was the only falang, Took the reaction tests. I was put in a separate room to watch the sub titled vid, while others in an adjacent room also got lectured at. license runs 6yrs minus 1 day from last renewal date. good luck.

OK, but where?  Did you have to look again the same video as 5 years ago? I recall i went to the toilet across the road and just stayed there together with a couple a beers for approx 30mins.....

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On 7/6/2020 at 12:02 PM, josephbloggs said:

Not in Chiang Mai, but I recently renewed my 5-year driver's license in Bangkok, Sukhumvit 99.  No medical or residence certificate required.  What was needed:

 

  • Original passport and copies (copies can be done there} showing visa, entry, ID pages.
  • Work Permit.  Note: if you have a digital work permit (as I do} you need to scan the QR code then print out the details it gives you - but this must be done on the day of application.
  • Existing driver's license.

 

I've just come back from the Sukhumvit, Bangchak center and the documents to renew a 5-year license are as Joseph has posted here. No medical certificate required for the 5-year renewal. The first available date for an appointment was 18th September! It looks like they have 2 sessions each morning for foreigners with only 5 people in each one. They don't permit foreigners to use results from the online video. 

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