About Thai Driving License Renewal

Renewing your Thai driving license is a straightforward process that involves submitting the required documents and undergoing a vision test at the Department of Land Transport.

Foreigners who come to Thailand as tourists are allowed to use their driving license for up to 60 days in a row. However, foreigners who plan to stay longer than 60 days have to apply for two Thai driving licenses. These come in two and five-year versions. 

For instance, foreign nationals are required to apply for a 2-year license. Then, when it expires, they will have to renew their Thai driving license into the 5-year version.

The procedure of obtaining a Thai driving license renewal may seem complicated. All you have to do is prepare the documents required for driving license renewal in Pattaya,  pass Thai driving tests, and follow a short training course. Below, you will find all the information you need about how you can renew your Thai driving license in Pattaya.

Where and when can you renew your driving license?

Is issued by the Land of Transport Office. It is the government organization responsible for administrating and processing approval documents necessary for driving in Thailand.

Foreign residents can apply for the Thai driving license renewal at the nearest Land of Transport Office. The most known areas where are located Land Transport Office in Thailand are:

• Bangkok
• Pattaya
• Hua Hin/Cha-Am
• Phuket
• Samui
• Chiang Mai

These areas are accessible for tourists, but there are also more such institutions and offices where you can obtain a Thai driving license renewal. The most known Land of Transport Office is situated in Pattaya. Here, foreigners can apply to obtain a Thai driving license and to renew their Thai driving license in Pattaya by presenting the documents required for driving license renewal in Pattaya and the rest of Thailand.

The working hours of the department where to apply the documents required for Thai driving license renewal in Pattaya are 7.30 am to 4.00 am. Consider booking an online appointment at the Land of Transport as there is a limited number of candidates each day.

The procedure for renewing a Thai driving license in Pattaya consists of a one-hour training course on driving which must be taken at the Land of Transport offices. The video training starts from 10:00 in the morning from Monday to Saturday.

Almost all of the Land of Transport Offices are open from Monday to Saturday, with small exceptions of offices that are available Monday-Friday. Better check the work program before getting there.

Documents required for your Thai Driving License Renewal

 The documentation and paperwork required for Thai driving license renewal in Pattaya, Thailand is:

1. Current driving license from Thailand, namely the 2-year Thai driving license
2. Medical certificate issued by a specialized institution of medicine.
3. Original and valid passport
4. Copy of the passport’s bio page that involves your picture, passport number, and expiration date.
5. Available Non-Immigrant Visa
6. Work permit that shows your current address. If you don’t have one, you have to present a certified letter of address. It is available for 30 days and can be provided by the Immigration Bureau or your embassy.
7. 2 recent photographs of 1×1 inch

After the documents and paperwork are prepared, you have to present them to the renewing officials mentioned above.

The driving license will be available for 5 years from the date when it was issued. You have to apply for a Thai driving license renewal up to three months before the expiration date of the current one.  Otherwise, you have to pay additional fees. Also, if your driving license has expired for more than one year, you will retake a written theory test where the score must be at least 90.

The process of renewing your driving license 

 As we previously mentioned, everyone who stays in Thailand for less than 60 days is allowed to use their driving license from the origin country if it is internationally valid. To drive for more than 60 days, you have to apply for a Thai driving license which has a duration of two years. After this period, the driver must apply for a Thai driving license renewal, which lasts 5 years and must be renewed every 5 years.

 The procedure for renewing a Thai driving license in Pattaya and in Thailand generally is short and simple. But you may be confronted with problems if you don’t follow the right steps or if you don’t have the documentation prepared properly.

 Here’s what you have to do to renew if you want to drive legally in  Thailand:

1. Request a driving license application form online or at the application window.
2. Fill out the application form
3. Prepare copies of your passport with the first page, the visa stamp page, the last entry stamp page, and the page with the last visa extension.
4. Have a document that attests to the current address of the applicant. It can come in the form of a work permit or a certificated letter from your embassy or Immigration Bureau.
5. Prepare all the documents required for driving license renewal in Pattaya
6. Bring the rest of the documentation we mentioned above
7. Hand your documents to the officer from the window office for will verification
8. If they are right, you will receive a queue number and your documents.
9. Wait until it is your turn to submit the documents
10. Pay the fee for Thai driving license renewal
11. Sign the back of the driving license and the receipt.

All the procedures may last a whole day, depending on how many people are in the line when you arrive. Due to Covid-19, it is recommended to apply online for a Thai driving license renewal. So, the process is simpler now, but it may last longer than usual.

How can you renew your Thai driving license in Pattaya, Thailand?

The easiest way to renew your Thai driving license in Pattaya is to ask for the help of an agency. Thai driving license renewal requires specific documents, time, and patience to deal with the Thai government’s offices. The procedure is not complicated, but if you have trouble with the language barrier, don’t have time, or are simply afraid that you cannot handle it, you can obtain specialized assistance from our local agency in Pattaya. J&E Concierge is a consultancy agency specializing in offering support and guidance to foreigners who want to live, work, and drive legally in Thailand.

If you encounter difficulties in the Thai driving license renewal process, you can ask for the help of our agency. We will handle the entire process from filling out the paperwork for you to helping you prepare for the written test.