Renewing a Thai Driving Licence

My 5 year DL expired in February and I only noticed over Songkran.

Luckily, in Thailand you have one year to renew it.

Still need to watch a video and take a test but yay, you can do it at home before you renew.

https://teakdoor.com/attachment.php?...3&d=1681725508

Register with your passport and DOB and boom you're in.

Videos have questions every 10minutes or so so can't turn it on and leave it.

https://teakdoor.com/attachment.php?...4&d=1681725719

This website is hopefully helpful with Q's and Answers

Thai Driving License Exam Test Questions & Answers 2020-2021 - ASK ABOUT THAILAND



I ran out of time on my lunch break and it looks like I'll have to start over from scratch to get the QR code certificate. But should speed up the in office process a bit...

Any experiences?

The English is a bit dodgy so not sure I clicked the right links at times and the video is taking the piss with a Thai motorcy driving answering questions.

Good to know, I have to renew my licence in a couple of weeks :)
Did not know you can do it online.

I paid an agent and only had to do the physical tests. Color blindness, Depth perception, Brake time, and Peripheral vision. Silly this was year 30 of having the dang DL and still have to go through that crap. Took about an hour. + B 1450 for the agent help.

Armstrong, what you are looking at on line at the DLT site gives none of the information you will see on the test. If you go by just that, you will flunk the test. I did. Had to read that information at the site you posted and retake the test to pass the next morning.

They were heavy on the road signs. Know the most obscure sign. Know how many meters from a curb to park. How many meters necessary to pass. Stuff like that.

The test is nothing like it was in the past.

Also, if you are in first thing and fail the test, they will let you retake it the same day. If you come in late and fail, you find yourself back again in the morning.

Oh. I forgot. My 5 year license had been expired for more than one year. Anyways, after I passed the test they gave me another 5 year.

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Originally Posted by armstrong

My 5 year DL expired in February and I only noticed over Songkran.

Luckily, in Thailand you have one year to renew it.

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I renewed mine last year. I didn’t know there was a one-year grace period

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tt8AA...uDt/s-l500.jpg

Not a renewal, as due to procrastination, Covid, more procrastination, my car and motorbike licences were long-expired.

I'd been in NZ Feb/Mar this year and got myself an International Driving Permit while there. And still delayed till December to do something about it.

Yesterday call the Chanthaburi Provincial Transport Office to check on their latest requirements:
* Passport
* ID card
* Yellow book
* NZ drivers licence
* IDP
* Medical cert, and was given a suggested medical centre for this - 100 baht

Medical - also wanted my ID card (at a cost of 60 baht I'm getting good use/value for that expense); nurse filled out a form: height - 187, weight - 85, blood pressure - enough, all done while she was multitasking on Facebook.

Arrived at the office 7.50 this morning and was customer card #2.
8.00am called to a desk and got what appeared to be the office senior, maybe to deal the very rare in Chanthaburi farang.

Given two forms to complete - one for motorcycle, one for car - just full name, ID number and phone number she completed the rest and made four copies of all my documents, two for each licence - and no charge for this.

Next the four 'tests' - being able to identify red/yellow/green; braking reaction, a perspective thing lining up two objects, peripheral vision.

All ok. Paid 310 baht.

Photo time, two licences produced within 5 minutes.

Two year expiry - this has changed from when i got my first one it was one year; five yearly thereafter.

From start to finish about an hour - though some of this due to the photocopier breaking down, then running out of paper.

Overall, easier than expected. Daughter went for her motorbike licence in October she'll be most disappointed that i didn't have to sit through the video and computer testing based on her (correct) belief I'd fail miserably.

Maybe the novelty of a farang - I appeared to get priority service throughout the process with my 'guide' following me through each step.

No complaints.

^ Good man.

Renewed my 5 year motorbike license a month or so ago.

You have 12 months after expiration before you have to do the physical tests again.

I held out for 11 months post expiry.


Watch videos online and answer 4 multi choice questions on one home computer while giving friendly advice on TD on another.
Health check at hospital. 100thb. 5'10+. Sorry Dill. :)
Go there with pink Thai ID card and signed copies.

30 minutes, all done, zero onsite testing besides saying the colour of the traffic lights.



Wouldn't be like that for an 11 month expired license back home. :)

Over the years here I've had licences issued in Phuket, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and today Chanthaburi again. I plan a visit to NZ in 2026 which is when that licence expires but little value in renewing it.

The IDP has always exempted me from any videos, just the medical and basic reaction tests. No colourblind test today I remember getting corrected last time by the helpful woman behind the desk.

Are all provinces the same?

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Originally Posted by prawnograph

Are all provinces the same?

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In theory, yes. :)

In practice, no way. Every facebook-playing 15k a month stool-sitter has their own personal level of care as to what you do.

Though the required documents, not that there are many, should be the same, with no office demanding anything extra than what's stated on gov website.

Mines 9months out of date. I'll get round to it soon...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armstrong

Mines 9months out of date. I'll get round to it soon...

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valid up to 364 days late. So in reality you get a 6 year license.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aging one

valid up to 364 days late.

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You're wrong, actually.

It can be renewed up to 364 days late without having to redo any of the test etc.


But it loses validity on the date that it expires. :-)


Someone driving with a license that expired 1 to 364 days previously, is legally driving without a license, it doesn't remain 'valid' during that period.