How to Get a Thai Driving Licence as an Expat
If you live in Thailand, a Thai licence is the one to have: it is what police and insurers expect from residents. Here is what the Department of Land Transport asks for, how the tests work and what it costs.
The short version
- Apply at a Department of Land Transport (DLT) office, with separate licences for car and motorbike.
- Bring your passport and non-immigrant visa, a residence certificate or work permit and a medical certificate under one month old.
- Everyone sits the aptitude tests and a 50-question written test (pass mark 45).
- With a valid foreign licence or IDP you skip the practical test and the 5-hour training.
- First licence: 2 years (about 205 baht for a car); then renew to 5 years (about 505 baht).
The documents you need
Immigration can only issue a certificate of residence if your landlord has filed TM30 for your address, so sort that first.
- Passport, plus copies of the photo page, your non-immigrant visa and latest entry stamp
- Proof of address: a work permit, or a certificate of residence under 30 days old from immigration or your embassy
- Medical certificate from a Thai clinic, under one month old
- For conversion: your valid foreign licence or IDP, with a certified translation if it is not in English
The tests at the DLT
First-time drivers also complete 5 hours of theory training before the written test. Since 2025 the written test applies to conversions too.
- Aptitude tests: colour blindness, depth perception, peripheral vision and reaction time
- Written test: 50 multiple-choice questions on a computer; you need 45
- Practical test: new drivers only, covering straight-line driving, kerb and reverse parking
Converting a foreign licence or IDP
If you hold a valid, unexpired licence from home or an International Driving Permit, you skip the 5-hour training (a short safety video may be shown instead) and the practical test. You still take the aptitude and written tests. Convert your car and motorbike entitlements separately.
Fees, renewals and insurance
Your first licence is a 2-year temporary licence, roughly 205 baht for a car and 105–205 baht for a motorbike. Once it is at least a year old you can renew to a 5-year licence, about 505 baht for a car and 255 baht for a motorbike, and keep renewing every 5 years.
Riding or driving without a valid licence can leave you uninsured after an accident, so line up cover as soon as the licence is in your wallet.
The numbers to know
Fees are approximate and exclude the medical certificate and any translation. Confirm with your DLT office before your appointment.
Licence mistakes to avoid
Both must be under a month old on the day.
Without it, immigration cannot issue the residence certificate.
Riding a motorbike needs its own licence.
Long-expired licences mean retaking tests.
Everything on driving in Thailand
Guides from the JLIT library on licences, driving and insurance.
On the road
Renting and choosing
Hubs for drivers and riders
Rentals, insurance and motorcycling.
Keep going
Questions newcomers ask
Can I drive in Thailand on my home licence?
Visitors can use an IDP for a limited time, but residents are expected to hold a Thai licence, and insurers may ask for one after a claim.
Do I need to take a driving test to convert my licence?
Not the practical test. With a valid foreign licence or IDP you still take the aptitude tests and the 50-question written test.
How much does a Thai driving licence cost?
About 205 baht for a 2-year car licence and about 505 baht to renew for 5 years, plus the medical certificate.
Do I need separate car and motorbike licences?
Yes. Each is a separate licence, and you need the motorbike one to ride legally.
