How to get a driving license in Thailand

I have moved to Thailand for more than a year, and I plan to get my driving this March. Luckily, I passed the driving test and I will get my driving license this June. In this post, I would like to share with you some information about getting a driving license in Thailand.

General requirement to get a driving license:

Stay in Thailand for at least 6 months

More than 18 years old

Passport and visa (Original and Copy)

Residence Certificate from your embassy or Thai Immigration Office to certify your current accommodation (Original and Copy)

Original medical certificate (Not more than 1 month since the issue date)

Photo

Pay the fee (205 THB for car, and 105 THB for motorbike)

If this is the first time you’ve got a driving license, you are required to:

Get 5 hours of Theory training

Pass Physical test including color blindness, depth perception, reflex, and peripheral test

Pass Theory test with at least 45/50 correct answer about Thai traffic rules

Pass Practical test with 3 stations as parallel parking, reverse parallel parking, and forward and backward driving

After you passed all tests, you will get the certificate to book an appointment to get your license.

If you have already had a driving license, you are required to prepare:

International License under the 1949 Geneva Convention

or Local Driving license translated to English or Thai with the notary from your embassy

When you have all the valid documents as mentioned above, you will go to Building 4, Department of Land Transport (DLT) at 032 Phaholyothin Road, Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 to book your queue to get a driving license. Normally, you will get your license after 1.5-2 months from the date of queue booking.

Kindly note that your driving license is valid for 2 years. After two years, you have to renew it to 5 years driving license.

My personal experience

As a beginner, I registered for a driving course of 20 hours including pick-up, drop-off, driving training, and theory training and test at school. 

My 20 hours are divided into 3 lessons and 1 test day at school. Each lesson includes 3 hours of driving training about how to drive, how to park, and to pass the driving test and 1 hour of the mock theory test. 

The teacher will provide you with some documents including a manual book about Thai traffic rules and some reference tests. From my personal view, if you have read all the documents provided, you will definitely pass the written test. Also, it is much easier to take the course and test at school than that in DLT.

I also leave here my teacher information in case you may be interested in the register for a course:

Wilai driving school

Phone: 0844640009

LineID: wilaidrivingschool

You can download the documents for the theory test here. Good luck!