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What are the steps to obtain a driver's license in Bangkok for expats?

driver's license Bangkok Thailand DLT (Department of Land Transport)international driving permit residence certificate medical certificate visa Non-O visa expat advice

Aug 16, 2024

5 months ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Any advice on getting a driver's license in BKK? Thanks.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

To obtain a driver's license in Bangkok, expats should first secure a residence certificate, which typically requires filing a 90-day report. After obtaining the residence certificate, you will need a medical certificate and an international driving permit (IDP) from your home country. It is advisable to visit the Department of Land Transport (DLT) with the required documents. Note that processing times can vary, and it's essential to check local requirements, as they can differ by office. Avoid scams that claim to handle the process without your involvement.

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Tim *******

Do it yourself, I speak ZERO Thai, failed high school math, yet I successfully obtained both my motorcycle and car license.

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Galen *******

Apply for an International Driving Licence at home. Officially it is valid in Thailand for 3 months. If you stay longer you'd better check for a Thai Driving Licence. Immigration....Medical Certificate and some small tests at the Department for Land and Transport (DLT).

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Glenn *****

They don't give licenses at Suvarnabhumi

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Barrie **********

Get an international drivers license before you leave your country and when you go to Thailand they will just issue your drivers license so I’ve been told anyway by someone who done it that way

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Graham ******

@Barrie *********

Yes, just needed to do the 3 reaction/braking, colour blindness and depth of vision tests in my province (Sa Kaeo)

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Graham ******

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Kenny *****

I am in the process of getting it, my residence cert should come by mail in about 1 to 2 weeks, medical cert is easily done with any clinic. But the appointment queue from DLT web for Bang chak office is not available until jan od 2025😱, so i will just go there without appointment and see what happen.

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Paul *******

If you have a USA drivers license, its easy.

You need a residence certificate and a doctor's certificate beforehand. Both easy to obtain. Once you have them, make an appointment, go do some minor eye tests and they issue you with a Thai license. I forgot the cost but it's not much.

You're going to wait a little bit especially if there is a crowd. I think it took me about 2 hours from arriving to walking out with my driver licenses in Rayong.

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Philip ********

Very difficult try chaing

@Chiang ************

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David ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you all. Seems getting an international driving permit would be the simplest and quickest. And, I'll need to go to the dept of land transport to do that.

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Christopher *************

Go get it , go on DLT app book appointment , get residence cert and medical cert easy then go to appointment

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Wayne *********

My advice is do not use the scammers saying they can do it and you don't need to go to dot they will do everything, tests paperwork etc. government has warned about this scam.

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Henrik *****

You may have to wait 2-3 month to get a appointment for a driving test, if you want other category than you have in your homecountry, so plan ahead.

Colorblindness can also be a hurdle.

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Christopher *************

it's not --- my brother colour blind no issue

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Henrik *****

It is my personal experience, after talking with 3 DLT offices, and since 2 out of 3 tests involve color perception, it is a problem.

But agreed, it should not be like that, since it has no influence on your ability to drive.

Not even after I politely showed my permission to drive emergency vehicles ( Fire and Police ) in my homecountry, they would not let me pass.

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Henrik *****

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Kace *******

enter thailand with a current driver license from your home country

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Henrik *****

International driving permit.

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Kace *******

that works

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Kace *******

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Frank **********

Yeah, go to the Department of Land Transport.

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Graham ******

@Frank *********

Agreed, get their list of requirements and you can get everything together in as little as a couple of hours (in Sa Kaeo I got a Residence Certificate in 25 minutes (free) then looked for a Clinic and got a medical certificate (100B)). I took these with my passport and Visa (Non-O) copies, copies of my UK DL and IDP to the DLT the next working day and after doing the 3 tests (no video) I got my 2 year Thai DL for 205B within 75 minutes of entering. That's how easy (and cheap) it can be to get a legal DL if you have everything. I know different IOs and DLTs have different requirements so ask first.

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Graham ******

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Todd ***********

*******************************************

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Bob **********

Go to the DLT

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Faron *************

dm me for a good agent

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Brandon ************

In Bangkok you can only get a residence certificate if you've already filed a 90 day report. If you don't have a visa that requires this, you won't be able to get a residence certificate, and therefore won't be able to get a drivers license in Bangkok. You might have to look elsewhere that is not so strict, like Pattaya or Chiang Mai.

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Greg *********

@Brandon ***********

Really? So the first 90 days until you report for the first time you can’t get a residency certificate? So my IDP will expire right when I’m eligible for a residency certificate. Great.

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Graham ******

Your IDP does not expire when you have been in Thailand on one entry stamp for 90 days, your ability to use it to drive legally does. It is still valid up to it's expiry date for other purposes such as getting a Thai DL and for driving in Thailand on a new entry stamp.

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Brandon ************

that depends. Many people cannot get a residence certificate for much longer than that.

If you arrive as a tourist and then convert to non-O visa, you cannot do a 90 day report until 90 days after you receive your 1-year extension. So that's probably going to be about 7 months (as long as you don't leave Thailand during this time).

Even if you arrive with a non-O visa you bought from a Thai embassy, you still cannot do a 90 day report until 90 days after you receive the 1-year extension. So at a minimum you're looking at about 5 months.

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Greg *********

@Brandon ***********

Oh okay. I entered Thailand on a one year OA visa, so maybe I’ll be okay before the 90 day report.

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Brandon ************

For the OA visa, as long as you don't leave Thailand, you should be able to do a 90 day report 14 days before 90 days. So go to Chaeng Watthana and report in person and then apply for residence certificate all in one trip.

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Brandon ************

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Graham *******

find an agent.

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David ****

ORIGINAL POSTER

thank goodness there's bribery

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Graham *******

If u use an agent, you must still go to the License office to get photographed, if someone tell u different, they are scammers.

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Graham *******

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