What it is
A Thai driving licence from the Department of Land Transport (DLT). If you hold a valid foreign licence you convert it; otherwise you apply new and take a practical test. Your first licence is a 2-year temporary licence, and once it’s at least a year old you can renew it for 5 years (Thaiger, Nov 2025, fetched 2026-09-28).
Who needs it
Anyone living here who drives or rides. An International Driving Permit works for visitors, but it’s a translation of your home licence and an invalid or wrong-category licence is the most common reason insurance claims are refused (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28). Car and motorbike licences are separate: a car licence doesn’t let you ride a scooter (same source).
Who qualifies
Thaiger says the DLT “requires a valid non-immigrant visa: Non-B, Non-O or another long-stay category”, and that tourist visas and visa-exempt entries are generally not accepted (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28).
DTV holders: confirmed — the Chiang Mai DLT accepts a DTV for a Thai driving licence (founder, 2026-09-30). Chiang Mai Immigration’s residence certificate form offers “to apply for and renew a car/motorcycle driving license” as a reason and has an e-Visa option (CM form tool, fetched 2026-09-28), which matches.
Documents
- Original passport, plus copies of the photo page, your visa and your latest entry stamp (Thaiger, Nov 2025, fetched 2026-09-28).
- Residence certificate from immigration (or your embassy), or a work permit. See Getting a residence certificate.
- Medical certificate from any Thai clinic or hospital, around 100 to 200 THB, usually a ten-minute appointment (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28).
- To convert: your original foreign licence plus copies, and a certified Thai translation where required (same source).
- Passport photos (same source).
The 30-day trap: the residence certificate’s validity runs from its date of issue, not from when you collect it, and the medical certificate also expires 30 days from issue (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28; residence certificate timing: founder, 2026-09-30). In Chiang Mai the residence certificate takes 10 working days to issue (founder, 2026-09-26), so apply for it about two weeks before your DLT date, and book the DLT appointment to land well inside the 30-day window.
Steps
- Check your visa qualifies (above) and that your landlord has filed your TM30. Immigration can’t issue a residence certificate without it (Thaiger, Nov 2025, fetched 2026-09-28). See TM30 for tenants.
- Book a DLT appointment in the DLT Smart Queue app (iOS and Android) or at gecc.dlt.go.th. Thaiger says you can’t walk in (Thaiger, Nov 2025, fetched 2026-09-28).
- Get the residence certificate, then the medical certificate, inside the 30-day window.
- At the DLT:
- aptitude tests: colour recognition (red, yellow, green), depth perception, peripheral vision and reaction time;
- new licence only: a 5-hour theory training class;
- a written theory test for everyone, converting included; the pass mark is 45 out of 50 (90%);
- new licence only: a practical test on your own vehicle. (Thaiger, Nov 2025, fetched 2026-09-28; the Sep 2026 guide confirms converting still includes aptitude tests and a written theory test.)
- Pay, have your photo taken, and collect your 2-year licence the same visit (Thaiger, Nov 2025).
Cost
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Residence certificate, Chiang Mai Immigration | 200 THB (founder, 2026-09-26) |
| Medical certificate | about 100 to 200 THB (Thaiger, Sep 2026) |
| 2-year licence, motorcycle | about 105 to 205 THB (Thaiger, Nov 2025) |
| 2-year licence, car | about 205 THB (same) |
| Renewal to 5 years: motorcycle / car | about 255 / 505 THB (same) |
Translation costs are extra where needed. These are Thaiger’s approximate figures from late 2025; check the current fees at the DLT before you go.
Where
Your provincial DLT office; in Chiang Mai, the Chiang Mai Provincial Land Transport Office.
Time needed
About two weeks for the residence certificate in Chiang Mai, then one long DLT day. Thaiger: “Go early, take more copies than you think you need, and expect the day to be longer than the paperwork suggests” (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28).
Common pitfalls
- Documents expiring: the 30-day window on the residence and medical certificates, counted from issue, not collection.
- No TM30 on file: stops the residence certificate, and so the whole application.
- Skipping the theory revision: converters take the written test too, at a 90% pass mark.
- Only getting a car licence and then riding a scooter uninsured.
- Letting the licence lapse: diarise the expiry; renewal is easier than the first issue and can often use online training (Thaiger, Sep 2026, fetched 2026-09-28).
Questions
Can I get a Thai licence on a tourist entry?
Generally not. Thaiger says the DLT requires a non-immigrant visa and that tourist and visa-exempt entries are generally not accepted.
Does a DTV qualify?
Yes — the Chiang Mai DLT accepts a DTV for a Thai driving licence (founder, 2026-09-30).
Do I skip the driving test if I convert my licence?
Usually the practical test, yes. You still take the aptitude tests and a written theory test.
Does a car licence cover a motorbike?
No. They are separate licences.
Sources
Independent guide, not the Thai government, not legal advice. Your passport stamp is the final word. Check with Thai Immigration. How we check our sources.
Related guides
Getting a residence certificate (Letter of Residence) at Chiang Mai Immigration
The immigration letter that proves your Thai address, needed for a driving licence, a vehicle transfer or a bank account. Documents, the online form, cost and timing in Chiang Mai.
TM30 for tenants: make sure your address is registered
Your landlord files the TM30, not you. What it is, why you need proof of it for 90-day reports and the residence certificate, and what to ask for.
Green book transfer: putting a motorbike or car in your name in Thailand
How a foreigner transfers a used motorbike (green book) or car (blue book) into their name at the Department of Land Transport, and the residence certificate you need first.