Thai Driving Licence for Foreigners: THB 205 Car, THB 105 Bike
A foreigner applies for a Thai temporary driving licence with a passport, a residence certificate or work permit, a medical certificate and training evidence. The fee is THB 205 for a car and THB 105 for a motorcycle. The five-year licence follows after at least one year, and tourist-entry holders cannot apply for it.
On this page
The paper that stops most applicants at the counter is proof of where you live: a residence certificate under the immigration law, or a work permit. With it, the temporary licence costs THB 205 for a car and THB 105 for a motorcycle.
Who can apply for a Thai driving licence
A foreigner files for the temporary private car or motorcycle licence with the documents listed in the 2020 Ministerial Regulation on driving licences. The minimum age is 18 full years, and 15 for a motorcycle of up to 110 cc.
The five-year licence has an extra rule. The applicant must not be someone permitted to enter Thailand for tourism, sport or transit, or a foreign worker allowed temporary stay by Cabinet resolution.
…ผู้ได้รับอนุญาตให้เข้ามาเพื่อการท่องเที่ยว การเล่นกีฬา การเดินทางผ่านราชอาณาจักร หรือแรงงาน…
The applicant must not be a person permitted to enter for tourism, sport or transit through the Kingdom, or a foreign worker allowed temporary stay by Cabinet resolution.
Ministerial Regulation on driving licences B.E. 2563, Article 4
The Department of Land Transport (DLT) page for the change to a five-year licence asks for a passport with a non-immigrant visa.
If you already hold a licence from home
A licence of the same vehicle type from another government can go into your application, if you have one. Without English on it, the embassy or consulate must certify it in Thai or English. The home licence must still be valid for the whole of your allowed stay.
A home licence of the same vehicle type is among the documents that bring an exemption from training and testing. Ask the office whether it applies to you.
A licence from an ASEAN member country can be used in Thailand by showing the home licence. An international driving permit is used together with the home licence.
Documents to bring
A foreigner brings a passport, a residence certificate or work permit, a medical certificate and training evidence. Offices add photos and a few extras.
- Passport, alien certificate or a document replacing a passport, with a photo. The passport needs at least 15 days of validity left.
- Residence certificate under the immigration law, or official evidence of a residence in Thailand. A work permit replaces it.
- Medical certificate saying you have no disease or condition a physician considers dangerous while driving.
- Training evidence from the DLT, a body it assigns or a certified driving school.
- 2 photos of 3 x 4 cm taken within the last 6 months. A smart card costs THB 100 extra and needs no photo.
The residence certificate
Ask the Immigration Office in your area for a document confirming your residence. The landlord must have notified the stay on form TM.30, explained on the TM.30 page. The same certificate heads the conversion documents for a foreign licence.
The medical certificate
Any hospital or clinic can issue the medical report for a licence. The certificate counts for no more than one month if it states no validity. The DLT English page names a 5-diseases form from a clinic or hospital.
Tests, training and the steps at the office
The office runs a physical test, 4 hours of training, a computer theory test and a driving test. The steps run in this order.
- File the documents.
- Take the physical test.
- Attend the training: 4 hours.
- Take the theory test on a computer.
- Take the driving test.
- Pay the fee and have the photo taken.
You file at the provincial Land Transport Office or its branch. A 1-hour online training course for foreigners runs on dlt-elearning.com.
Extra training and a riding test are needed for a motorcycle of thirty-five kilowatts or more, or four hundred cubic centimetres or more. A valid motorcycle licence is what a rider needs on the road, whatever a rental shop says.
Booking a slot
In 2021 the DLT presented its Smart Queue app as a free way to book a place, date and time at a Land Transport Office. Users can cancel or change the booking themselves. The DLT call centre answers on 1584.
Fees for the licence
The temporary licence costs THB 205 for a car and THB 105 for a motorcycle. The five-year licence has its own price list.
| Licence step | Car | Motorcycle |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary licence | THB 205 | THB 105 |
| Change to five-year licence | THB 505 | THB 255 |
| Renew five-year licence | THB 505 | THB 255 |
A new-style smart card costs THB 100 extra. A change of name or address costs THB 50.
From the two-year licence to the five-year licence
The five-year licence needs a temporary licence held for at least one year. You can ask for the change up to 60 days before the temporary licence expires.
The change takes the passport, residence certificate or work permit, a medical certificate no older than 1 month, 2 photos and the old licence. The change needs a physical test and a 1-hour training. The fee is THB 505 for a car and THB 255 for a motorcycle.
Renewing the five-year licence
Renew up to 90 days before it expires. A new medical certificate is needed only when the licence lapsed for more than 3 years.
If the licence lapsed
A licence expired more than 1 year needs a theory test. One expired more than 3 years needs a theory and a practical test.
What goes wrong
- You arrive on a tourist stay with no residence certificate or work permit: the foreigner’s list names one of the two.
- The medical certificate is older than one month.
- The home licence has no English and no embassy certification.
- You rely on a rental shop’s word: a valid motorcycle licence is what the road requires.
- You count on a test exemption: a June 2025 draft announcement would revise the foreigners’ rules. Ask the office before you book.
In 2021 the DLT said its QR Licence app can show the licence on your phone for holders of a card with a QR code on the back.
Step by step
- Get the residence paperAsk the Immigration Office for a residence certificate, or use a work permit. The landlord must have filed form TM.30.
- Get the medical certificateAny hospital or clinic issues it for a licence. It must be under one month old.
- File at the Land Transport OfficeBring the passport, residence paper, medical certificate and 2 photos. Book with DLT Smart Queue.
- Take the physical test, training and testsThe steps are a physical test, 4 hours of training, a computer theory test and a driving test.
- Pay and collectPay THB 205 for a car or THB 105 for a motorcycle, then have the photo taken.
Not confirmed: Whether a valid home licence waives the tests today: a June 2025 draft would change the rules; ask the office. Whether a DTV counts as a qualifying visa: the DLT page asks for a non-immigrant visa. Training is 4 hours in an office guide and 5 hours in a 2016 Gazette rule.
Common questions
Can a tourist get a Thai driving licence?
The five-year licence excludes anyone permitted to enter for tourism, sport or transit. For the temporary licence you need a residence certificate or a work permit.
How much does a Thai driving licence cost for a foreigner?
THB 205 for a car and THB 105 for a motorcycle on the temporary licence. The step to the five-year licence costs THB 505 for a car and THB 255 for a motorcycle.
Do I need a Thai licence if I have an international driving permit?
An international driving permit is used together with your home licence. A resident who is eligible should get a Thai licence. The home licence on its own is not accepted.
Can I convert my foreign licence to a Thai one?
A foreign government licence of the same vehicle type can go into the application. If it has no English, an embassy or consulate certification in Thai or English is needed.
What medical certificate do I need?
A certificate that you have no disease or condition a physician considers dangerous while driving. It stays valid for no more than one month if it states no validity.
How long is the two-year licence valid before the five-year one?
You must hold the temporary licence for at least one year before applying for the five-year licence. The change can be requested up to 60 days before expiry.
Can I ride a big motorbike on a normal licence?
Extra training and a riding test are needed for a motorcycle of thirty-five kilowatts or more, or four hundred cubic centimetres or more.
How do I book an appointment?
In 2021 the DLT presented its Smart Queue app as a free way to book a place, date and time at a Land Transport Office, with bookings you change yourself.
How old must I be?
The minimum age is 18 full years, and 15 for a motorcycle of up to 110 cc.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not financial or tax advice for your situation. Rules and fees change; confirm with your bank, the Revenue Department or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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