Drivers License – Chiang Mai

Do you need a Thai Driving License?

Here at Chiang Mia Visa Shop, we recommend you obtain a Thai driving license if you’re planning on living here.
Thailand issues two separate licenses for motorbikes and cars. Hence it means you have to pass two different tests to possess 2 physical driving cards. It’s important to note that if you have an endorsement on your license from your country to drive a motorcycle and have not been tested, your license will not be recognized. Therefore, you will be required to undergo a full test. In many countries, you are permitted to drive a certain size M/C with a limited c/c capacity; however, this will not be accepted as all drivers must complete the required testing guidelines.
If you don’t know how to drive, we recommend you to attend a Government Approved Driving School. Contact us for further advice, and we will arrange and introduce you to a Government Approved Driver Training School. Also, our staff can help you with the process of obtaining a driving license.
Although the Department of Land Transport Office has a systematic process, it is slower than attending a Government Approved Driver Training School to conduct vehicle tests.
After passing all the tests, you’ll first receive a temporary license valid for only 2 years. After 2 years, you’ll get a regular license valid for 5 years from the Department of Land Transport.

Documentation Required for a Thailand Driving License:

⦁ Passport with signed photocopies of all the relevant pages, including info page, current Visa, and latest entry stamp
⦁ Application form for driving license
⦁ Medical certificate
⦁ Work permit or Certificate of Residency
⦁ 2 passport sized photographs
The Land Transportation Office can accept your work permit as proof of address; in this case, you don’t need a Certificate of Residency. In other instances, Yellow book or house registration can be used as proof of residency.

How will the Thai license benefit you?

⦁ It can be used as your ID card for booking a hotel or domestic flight. For ex-pats, a driving license is easier to carry than a passport.
⦁ You may get a discount while visiting tourist attractions than other foreigners. A driving license proves that you’re a long-term resident in the Kingdom of Thailand.
⦁ It will save you from being given infringement notices from the police for driving without an appropriate license.

Valid Driving License or International Driving Permit

If you have a valid driving license in your home country or an International Driving Permit, the process to obtain your licenses will be easier. Provide photocopies of the front and backside of your driving license from your home country and photocopies of all the pages of the International Driving Permit.

Although you can obtain an International Driving Permit online, we suggest you get it from your home country to avoid scammers. If you possess these documents but in a different language, you need to translate them from a certified agency into English and acquire a translation certificate from your embassy.

How to Make an Application Directly at the Department Land Transport Office

⦁ Hand over the application along with your documents to the Information Processing desk for checking.
⦁ You’ll get a queue number afterward. You have to report to another counter when called.
⦁ After this, you have an eye test such as color-blindness and reaction time tests. The reaction break test is a simple test about traffic rules, i.e., you have to step on the pedal when the light turns green and step on the brake pedal when the light switches to red.
⦁ You’ll be requested to watch a 1-hour traffic safety video thoroughly in all cases, with no exception, including International Driving Permit holders.
⦁ After this video, you’ll be queued to an allocated point.
⦁ Pay the license fee (105THB for a 2-year valid license), get your digital photo taken, and wait for your license printing.
⦁ If you don’t have a license, you have to take a 5-hour class on traffic rules. But everyone who is seeking a Thai driving license needs to attend a very long class or video presentation on traffic rules before a written examination.
⦁ After attending the class, you can now move to the computer testing room for the written examination. The exam will consist of 50 multiple choice questions, and the passing score is 90%. But if you fail, then you can retake the test on the same day. But if you fail again, then you have to return the next day. So, we suggest you practice beforehand.
⦁ Once you finally leave the lecture room, you can move on to the computer testing room for the theoretical exam. The test consists of 50 multiple choice questions, and you’ll need to score 90% to pass. If you fail the first time, you can retake the test once more on the same day. If you fail again, then you’ll have to return the next day to try again.
⦁ It is a good idea to practice the questions beforehand so that you can breeze through them. (please view our download section for sample questions)
⦁ Take the driving test outdoors (on your own bike or car )
⦁ Once you pass the theoretical exam, you’ll have to return to the Land Transport Office the following day to take the practical exam. The driving test is conducted on a closed course. (course is on the government grounds)
⦁ The most difficult thing you’ll be asked to do in the motorcycle test is zig-zag through a series of cones and drive about 15 meters balanced on top of a 20cm wide raised board. (a simple course to pass)
⦁ Then you will be required to pay the license fee, take the photo, and pick up the license.
⦁ Go back up to the 2nd floor of the Land Transportation Office. Pay the license fee (currently 105 THB for a 2-year temporary license), take a digital photo, and pick up your new license.
⦁ Going through this process is detailed elaborately at the DLT. If you don’t have a driving license, we suggest you Contact Us for a free consultation to consider your best options for obtaining a driving license.

A free consultation can save you a lot of frustration regarding obtaining a Thai Driving License.

We have a set of test questions that you can download from here:

⦁ We have a form download link:

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