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Requirements For Obtaining And Renewing A 2 Year Driving Licence


Rimmer

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Hi all, I've been on a 5 years drivers license for the past 20 years. As I need to renew it later this year I was wondering whats the latest requirements to do my renewal. Things seem to change in Thai government offices even when the system appears to be going ok. Thanks.

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My experience with DLT and obtaining a 2 year drivers license.

1. Drivers license: I have license for car and motorbike from my home country, I had a certified translating company translate my license to English here in Bangkok at around 1000thb, original paper stamped and signed. - Check

2. Proof of home address in Bangkok: Got my embassy to send a confirmation with stamp and signature of my address here in Bangkok. Cost me around 1000THB. - Check

3. Passport: Bring a copy and the original passport. Also make a copy of your visa page in the passport. - Check

4. Medical: Have a medical checkup at the local clinic, cost 120thb and got the all approved letter from the doctor - Check

 

Now I get to the DLT around 12noon, they check the papers and I have to sign all the papers again. They give me a ticket number for the next desk.

 

Get to the second paper verification desk where they add another piece of paper, and tell me to go to the next counter. This counter checks my papers and tell me to do the 1 hour youtube video view on my phone.

The "course" consists of 4 videos â 15 mins where there's a question after 7 minutes and a confirmation button to click after the video is done. You have 3 minutes to answer the questions and to confirm at the end.

 

After your video training is complete you go check your reaction and sights, this consists of:

1. you need to align two pins placed about 3 meters from you

2. you need to check your reaction by pressing a gas pedal until a red light pops up, then you press brake.

3. you sit in a booth with a light on each side of your head. Call out the color you see when they turn on.

 

Now I've been here for about 3 hours and my last step is getting the drivers license YAY!

Get to the first desk and get a new number for the paying and issuing the license.

Got into the booth to take the photo and paid 350thb.

The woman at the booth checked my papers and said my drivers license translation needs to be stamped by my embassy, so cannot issue license.

Told her that my embassy does not do translate services and obviously don't confirm by stamping external translation papers.

 

End of the story; I have to go back and take a 5 hours training course to get my license. I just need to muster up enough optimism and energy to go back there..

 

NOTE: If you want to convert your car and motorbike license, you have to bring 2 sets of copies of the paper above.

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I didn't know this, but according to an announcement (in tiny writing and in Thai) on the SmartQueue DLT App, so long as you have completed the e-learning course, and you are simply seeking to renew the licence, there is no requirement to book a Q number; you can walk straight in. 

 

Screenshot_20230326_114551_DLTSmartQueue.thumb.jpg.c6b1f258c62ddb6aef1112c81edd4dd5.jpg

 

I should also point out that no proof of address is required if you have a work permit.

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I am getting my thai license the first time, this is not a renewal.

And I guess the required paper highly depends on who you meet behind the counters, this was a requirement from my "caretaker". 

 

I went back yesterday, and got sent back out.

The following is not sufficient for a new license:

1. Valid Work Visa

2. Original passport and passport copy

3. Copy of the visa section in your passport

4. Confirmation of Thailand address from immigration police or Embassy

5. Translation of your drivers license (if it's not in English already)

6. Medical health checkup

7. Completed the E-Training at DLT (Videos on mobile or pc)

8. Completed the reaction test/color check at DLT

 

End of the story is, I will go back tomorrow morning and do the full day training and tests. Will keep you posted how that goes.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/23/2023 at 12:32 PM, TorBKK said:

My experience with DLT and obtaining a 2 year drivers license.

1. Drivers license: I have license for car and motorbike from my home country, I had a certified translating company translate my license to English here in Bangkok at around 1000thb, original paper stamped and signed. - Check

2. Proof of home address in Bangkok: Got my embassy to send a confirmation with stamp and signature of my address here in Bangkok. Cost me around 1000THB. - Check

3. Passport: Bring a copy and the original passport. Also make a copy of your visa page in the passport. - Check

4. Medical: Have a medical checkup at the local clinic, cost 120thb and got the all approved letter from the doctor - Check

 

Now I get to the DLT around 12noon, they check the papers and I have to sign all the papers again. They give me a ticket number for the next desk.

 

Get to the second paper verification desk where they add another piece of paper, and tell me to go to the next counter. This counter checks my papers and tell me to do the 1 hour youtube video view on my phone.

The "course" consists of 4 videos â 15 mins where there's a question after 7 minutes and a confirmation button to click after the video is done. You have 3 minutes to answer the questions and to confirm at the end.

 

After your video training is complete you go check your reaction and sights, this consists of:

1. you need to align two pins placed about 3 meters from you

2. you need to check your reaction by pressing a gas pedal until a red light pops up, then you press brake.

3. you sit in a booth with a light on each side of your head. Call out the color you see when they turn on.

 

Now I've been here for about 3 hours and my last step is getting the drivers license YAY!

Get to the first desk and get a new number for the paying and issuing the license.

Got into the booth to take the photo and paid 350thb.

The woman at the booth checked my papers and said my drivers license translation needs to be stamped by my embassy, so cannot issue license.

Told her that my embassy does not do translate services and obviously don't confirm by stamping external translation papers.

 

End of the story; I have to go back and take a 5 hours training course to get my license. I just need to muster up enough optimism and energy to go back there..

 

NOTE: If you want to convert your car and motorbike license, you have to bring 2 sets of copies of the paper above.

 

On 3/28/2023 at 10:32 AM, TorBKK said:

I am getting my thai license the first time, this is not a renewal.

And I guess the required paper highly depends on who you meet behind the counters, this was a requirement from my "caretaker". 

 

I went back yesterday, and got sent back out.

The following is not sufficient for a new license:

1. Valid Work Visa

2. Original passport and passport copy

3. Copy of the visa section in your passport

4. Confirmation of Thailand address from immigration police or Embassy

5. Translation of your drivers license (if it's not in English already)

6. Medical health checkup

7. Completed the E-Training at DLT (Videos on mobile or pc)

8. Completed the reaction test/color check at DLT

 

End of the story is, I will go back tomorrow morning and do the full day training and tests. Will keep you posted how that goes.

Did you finally get the licenses? 

 

So what paperwork was lacking?  Is a copy of the arrival stamp page also required?  And which DLT office did you go to? 

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/9/2023 at 2:32 AM, 8X5ZD said:

 

Did you finally get the licenses? 

 

So what paperwork was lacking?  Is a copy of the arrival stamp page also required?  And which DLT office did you go to? 

I did finally get my license, not smooth and the end was a bit of a anticlimax.

So I came to the DLT office (Bang Chak) in Bangkok, and told them I was there for the drivers license for car and motorbike.

Was sent up to a classroom and made to watch a movie for about 2 hours on road safety etc - same stuff as you go through on the mobile phone when converting the license - half the classroom was asleep and the rest was playing on their mobile phones.

After about 2 hours the instructor came in and pulled aside me and another farang and told us to get back in 2 hours.

We came back after two hours and was placed infront of a TV to see the same movie again..we told the lady that we've already seen this twice. This didn't matter, we had to do it again.

After about 30 mins she saw we weren't very interested in the movie, so she turned it off gave us a stamped paper and told us we could go downstairs and get the license. Then I waited in the queue for about 30 mins to get my picture taken and paid 300 baht for my car and motorbike license. 

Note that I had already done the cognitive tests and had all my paperwork from before - the other farang was sent out again because he was missing a copy of something.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

I often used to rent bikes around Thailand over the years. I never had a problem with the police. But I have now heard they check foreigners for driver's  licenses.

 

I have got an EU driver's license for car. Will that help in case I get stopped?

 

Is there any simple way I can obtain a Thai license?

 

I stay in Pattaya on non-O visa and may go to Chiang Mai.

 

Asked in agency Maneerat on soi Post Office, but they didn't do driver's licenses. 

Edited by thailandsgreat
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12 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

I often used to rent bikes around Thailand over the years. I never had a problem with the police. But I have now heard they check foreigners for driver's  licenses.

 

I have got an EU driver's license for car. Will that help in case I get stopped?

 

Is there any simple way I can obtain a Thai license?

 

I stay in Pattaya on non-O visa and may go to Chiang Mai.

 

Asked in agency Maneerat on soi Post Office, but they didn't do driver's licenses. 

I think it is safe to say, based on your questions, that you need an agent or a driving school to hold your hand.

You would get trampled at DLT.????????

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4 minutes ago, Lucky Bones said:

I think it is safe to say, based on your questions, that you need an agent or a driving school to hold your hand.

You would get trampled at DLT.????????

Yes. I was hoping for a recommendation of an agent that could help me convert my EU license. Maneerat did not do this.

 

Reliable agent, procedure, prices etc.

 

When I  check the Internet I see different information on whether my EU driver's license would suffice if I was stopped.

Edited by thailandsgreat
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16 hours ago, thailandsgreat said:

Yes. I was hoping for a recommendation of an agent that could help me convert my EU license. Maneerat did not do this.

 

Reliable agent, procedure, prices etc.

 

When I  check the Internet I see different information on whether my EU driver's license would suffice if I was stopped.

Give Mots a try perhaps.... https://www.mots-services.com/

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But what is the situation like in Pattaya and Thailand in general now? Some years ago and earlier I used to rent bikes sporadically without problem. Has this changed? I use a helmet but I see many drivers without a helmet in Pattaya.

 

Is a careful foreign motorbike driver (Honda Wave 125i style) likely to be pulled over by the police? Will an EU driver's license for car be useful then?

 

Formally I think you need to convert your license if your visa is longer than 60 days? But is this necessary? The bureaucracy can be time consuming.

 

 

 

Edited by thailandsgreat
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11 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

Some years ago and earlier I used to rent bikes sporadically without problem. Has this changed?

No, you can still rent a bike, with or without a license, most rental guys dont care less about the license.

 

12 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

I use a helmet but I see many drivers without a helmet in Pattaya.

 

You wont see that many without helmets nowadays (maybe around at jomtien as thats a different station), The Thais tend to know when the checkpoints are set up and wear accordingly.

 

15 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

Is a careful foreign motorbike driver (Honda Wave 125i style) likely to be pulled over by the police?

Just as likely as anyone else.

How carefully you ride has nothing to do with getting stopped. Most of the time they setup a checkpoint and pull over everyone.

 

17 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

Will an EU driver's license for car be useful then?

No, thats a car license. You need a bike license (IDP) to ride a bike

 

20 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

Formally I think you need to convert your license if your visa is longer than 60 days? But is this necessary?

The legislation says, you are required to get a Thai license once you are on a long stay visa (by default is 90 days). Its not checked but could be if you have a serious accident and it turns out you didnt get a thai license when required.

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17 minutes ago, thailandsgreat said:

But what is the situation like in Pattaya and Thailand in general now? Some years ago and earlier I used to rent bikes sporadically without problem. Has this changed? I use a helmet but I see many drivers without a helmet in Pattaya.

 

Is a careful foreign motorbike driver (Honda Wave 125i style) likely to be pulled over by the police? Will an EU driver's license for car be useful then?

 

Formally I think you need to convert your license if your visa is longer than 60 days? But is this necessary? The bureaucracy can be time consuming.

 

 

 

Well we cannot speak generally of Thailand as it varies place to place....

As far as Pattaya is concerned, it is not the liberal place where many whizzed around freely in the 1980s, without helmet between beaches and hotels. The police are more active... it is of course a money making exercise for them, and visiting tourists are a good source of it. The renters do not check your documents and rent out easily, they do not do the job of the police. The police will stop and fine you for not wearing a helmet, and also randomly to check you have an IDP. And possibly other infringements, real or imagined. 

You will likely get pulled over on Beach Rd, Dolphin roundabout, 3rd Rd, and other places the police are active.... they want to see an IDP I believe. An IDP can only be used up to 90 days after which  a local licence is needed.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 months later...

As at January 2024, that attached photos show what is required, at Pattaya department of land transportation (DLT),  to obtain a new Thai driver's license.

IMG_4406.JPG

IMG_4405.JPG

IMG_4407.JPG

Edited by Banana7
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