Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving

[Wozza]

Thanks to our posters on BE that gave me the info heads up , I went prepared and had everything they asked for.

[olavhome]

Did og wednesday to renew my licence.
Got it 2 years ago and was expecting a 5 year licence.
However, a little surprised to only get a New 2 year?
New rules ??

[Wozza]

Was it expired when you went for renewal?

[Freddy]

Yep, that's probably why. Bloody ridiculous but true, if expired you get 5 years. Crazy system that encourages and rewards you for driving without a valid listen every for at least a day.

[nookiebear]

Did og wednesday to renew my licence.
Got it 2 years ago and was expecting a 5 year licence.
However, a little surprised to only get a New 2 year?
New rules ??

Pity you didn't read previous posts especially  post 127

[Ahab]

Did og wednesday to renew my licence.
Got it 2 years ago and was expecting a 5 year licence.
However, a little surprised to only get a New 2 year?
New rules ??

Pity you didn't read previous posts especially  post 127

I was stopped at a police checkpoint on the way to Nang Rong yesterday and the police officer saw that my 2 year temporary license expires in about 5 days. He told my wife that I need to renew it BEFORE the expiration date (which I assume if incorrect). I will be going in to Nang Rong to renew the day after my two year temp license expires.

[Ahab]

My experience today renewing my Car and Motorbike Licence which was originally 2 years.

You need copies of passport + Copy Extension of stay x 2. One copy for each licence.

Photo's x 3. One each for car/motorbike + 1 for police proof of residence
[/list] Letter from Police confirming your address. Other half showed House book + ID card. Ummm 200bht thank you money.

Letter from Dr confirming health?? 100bht... I passed.

Old licence handed in. (In my case they changed passport numbers on licence as I had renewed my passport since the original licence was issued)

No test/video. Licence is good for 5 years even though renewed before expiry by 2 weeks. I know there are many comments about this in previous posts and renewing licence after it has actually expired to get the 5 years. This is Nang Rong.

I think cost was 740bht for car/bike licence.

Thanks for the info. It is confusing as to whether to renew before or after my temp license expires, but since I am going to be renewing at Nang Rong it seems that I can renew prior to the expiration date . Maybe?

[Starman]

My experience today renewing my Car and Motorbike Licence which was originally 2 years.

You need copies of passport + Copy Extension of stay x 2. One copy for each licence.

Photo's x 3. One each for car/motorbike + 1 for police proof of residence
[/list] Letter from Police confirming your address. Other half showed House book + ID card. Ummm 200bht thank you money.

Letter from Dr confirming health?? 100bht... I passed.

Old licence handed in. (In my case they changed passport numbers on licence as I had renewed my passport since the original licence was issued)

No test/video. Licence is good for 5 years even though renewed before expiry by 2 weeks. I know there are many comments about this in previous posts and renewing licence after it has actually expired to get the 5 years. This is Nang Rong.

I think cost was 740bht for car/bike licence.

Thanks for the info. It is confusing as to whether to renew before or after my temp license expires, but since I am going to be renewing at Nang Rong it seems that I can renew prior to the expiration date . Maybe?

I have seen many conflicting reports about this recently. Do you get a new licence before or after expiry?? It seems that, once again here in Thailand, different offices do things different ways. There does not seem to be a one method fits all way to do things.

I would be inclined to go to the office on the day your licence expires and, before going through the process, check how long you are going to get.

[urleft]

Thanks for the info. It is confusing as to whether to renew before or after my temp license expires, but since I am going to be renewing at Nang Rong it seems that I can renew prior to the expiration date . Maybe?

I'm assuming your expiration date is your birthday, what I believe they do is for the 5 year is to set the expiration date to 5 years from your actual renewal day, and then to the next birthday.  So in my case I got almost a 6 year license by waiting a few days after the expiration.   So might be worth a little risk to wait. 

Just renewed both my 5 year Thai Licenses today, arrived 1245 completed 1435.  Had to watch a 45 min vid (in Thai). 

I provided 2 sets of documents that included:

- Police certification of address
- Passport copy ID page and current extension page


And while I had med statements, they were not required. 

The cost came to 860 Baht (555 and 305 Baht).   

By waiting to renew until after my licenses expired I was given 6 years instead of 5, they expire in 2024. 

On the police certification I'm not sure it helped, but it was really quick as I provided a copy from my last certification in 2013.   He provided 2 copies for the separate motorcycle and car licenses.

[Starman]

Thanks for the info. It is confusing as to whether to renew before or after my temp license expires, but since I am going to be renewing at Nang Rong it seems that I can renew prior to the expiration date . Maybe?

I'm assuming your expiration date is your birthday, what I believe they do is for the 5 year is to set the expiration date to 5 years from your actual renewal day, and then to the next birthday.  So in my case I got almost a 6 year license by waiting a few days after the expiration.   So might be worth a little risk to wait. 

Just renewed both my 5 year Thai Licenses today, arrived 1245 completed 1435.  Had to watch a 45 min vid (in Thai). 

I provided 2 sets of documents that included:

- Police certification of address
- Passport copy ID page and current extension page


And while I had med statements, they were not required. 

The cost came to 860 Baht (555 and 305 Baht).   

By waiting to renew until after my licenses expired I was given 6 years instead of 5, they expire in 2024. 

On the police certification I'm not sure it helped, but it was really quick as I provided a copy from my last certification in 2013.   He provided 2 copies for the separate motorcycle and car licenses.

Risky advice.

There were 2 people that I know of that "took a risk" and allowed their licence to expire in the hope of a longer validity on their next licence.

This was in Korat. They were told that as their licence had expired they would only be getting another 2 year licence. At the same office those with un expired licences we being issued the 5 years + onto next birthday licence.

How does Nang Rong operate? Have the rules changed everywhere since any of us did their last renewal? The question is regarding a 2 year temporary licence. Is it the same? Don't know is the likely answer from most people.

A trip to the office on expiration date would be the best option. Therefore, if they want an unexpired licence, everything will be fine. If they want an expired one then just return the next day. No hassles.

[urleft]

Thanks for the info. It is confusing as to whether to renew before or after my temp license expires, but since I am going to be renewing at Nang Rong it seems that I can renew prior to the expiration date . Maybe?

I'm assuming your expiration date is your birthday, what I believe they do is for the 5 year is to set the expiration date to 5 years from your actual renewal day, and then to the next birthday.  So in my case I got almost a 6 year license by waiting a few days after the expiration.   So might be worth a little risk to wait. 

Just renewed both my 5 year Thai Licenses today, arrived 1245 completed 1435.  Had to watch a 45 min vid (in Thai). 

I provided 2 sets of documents that included:

- Police certification of address
- Passport copy ID page and current extension page


And while I had med statements, they were not required. 

The cost came to 860 Baht (555 and 305 Baht).   

By waiting to renew until after my licenses expired I was given 6 years instead of 5, they expire in 2024. 

On the police certification I'm not sure it helped, but it was really quick as I provided a copy from my last certification in 2013.   He provided 2 copies for the separate motorcycle and car licenses.

Risky advice.

There were 2 people that I know of that "took a risk" and allowed their licence to expire in the hope of a longer validity on their next licence.

This was in Korat. They were told that as their licence had expired they would only be getting another 2 year licence. At the same office those with un expired licences we being issued the 5 years + onto next birthday licence.

How does Nang Rong operate? Have the rules changed everywhere since any of us did their last renewal? The question is regarding a 2 year temporary licence. Is it the same? Don't know is the likely answer from most people.

A trip to the office on expiration date would be the best option. Therefore, if they want an unexpired licence, everything will be fine. If they want an expired one then just return the next day. No hassles.

Just to ensure full disclosure my experience was at the Buriram Office just South of the stadium.  As pointed out it seems no two Thailand Government Offices seem to follow the same rules/regulations/standards, so Nang Rong could be more like Korat, or the Buriram Office could have changed to the Korat standard. 

[BillH52]

Visited Nang Rong office last time around for renewal about 6 months before expiration.  We were going to be out of country at time of expiration; so, they issued renewals - no problem.

[bonghead]

FWIW i was stopped at check point 2 months ago for break-light not working, produced licence, ok park over there
and we go to pay fined, boss policeman has my licence,( 5 year licence) your licence run out nearly one year( WTF) must go get new
200 BHT find,  go Buriram Licence Office next day do the tests watch the video get new licence 5 years April 2024.   

[Ahab]

Both I am my wife renewed our driver licenses in Nang Rong, buriram yesterday. Made copies across the street and were told we needed a medical cert (we had been told by multiple sources that the medical cert was not required). Went into the DLT office and were told we needed the medical cert (we were also told that the medical cert is only needed when getting a 2 year temp license or when converting a temp license to a 5-year license). She also said if renewing a 5-year license the medical certificate is not required. Off to find a clinic to get a medical cert and back to DLT office a little before 1400.  Presented the following documents:

My 2 year temporary license (which was still good for two more days, my wife's was good for two more weeks)
A copy of my passport (first picture page, and the page with the "admitted to date" on it)
A copy of my yellow house book.

Cost was 505 baht per license, and the whole process foo about 15 minutes (after we got the medical certification at the clinic). We did not have to take any tests, or watch any videos. The lady behind the desk said we would have to take a test and watch a video if our licenses had expired. My "5 year" license is good for a little over five years, and my wife's license is good for almost 6-years (she just had a birthday).


Hope this information helps it is current as of yesterday.

[silver]

Last November I applied to renew my 5 year licence which had expired 5 months before whilst in the UK. I had to do test and watch the video then received a new licence for about 5 and a half years!