5-Year Driving License With Tourist Visa

[Trvlr 50]

Has anyone with a tourist visa been able to obtain a 5-year driving license?

I am getting inconclusive info on the web, and a search on here did not do much to resolve the issue.

On top of which a long-time resident told me that the driving license office does not really care about a tourist visa and will grant a 5-year license after the initial one-year temporary license is close to expiration.

[bigmick 840]

They will grant you a 5 year license depending on what type of visa you have, If your visa is a double entry tourist visa, you should expect to get another 1 year. Expats can get a 5 year so long as they have a retirement/Non O Multi entry - 1 year.

 

I recently lost my 5 year to a 1 year because my Non O had expired. Next July i can get a 5 year after i re new my Non O - Multi entry.

 

The visa you have will get you a letter from immigration and that will dictate what length of time your license will last. You can get a 1 year license even with a 30 day stamp.

[Gary 4,119]

You have to have an expired one year license before they will give you a five year license. I don't know if your visa is important or not.

[Trvlr 50]

You have to have an expired one year license before they will give you a five year license. I don't know if your visa is important or not.

Thanks...but this is what one website has to say about it:

 

"According to a number of web boards and "all about Thailand" booklets the only way to get a 5 year driving permit is to let the old licence expire first and report to the DLT a day late. "Nonsense!", we've been told and proven."

[LocalYokul 214]

I had no luck on a tourist visa at the Au Udom office, just South of Sriracha, but I did at the Regional Chonburi office just North of Chonburi on Suk. Road.

[LocalYokul 214]

Thought I'd add that if you are having no luck with it in Pattaya, you can also try the Regional/Provincial office. They will handle anyone with a Chonburi province address.

[Gary 4,119]

Thanks...but this is what one website has to say about it:

 

"According to a number of web boards and "all about Thailand" booklets the only way to get a 5 year driving permit is to let the old licence expire first and report to the DLT a day late. "Nonsense!", we've been told and proven."

 

A few years ago the expired license was a fact. In the past couple of years they did change that silly rule. I do have a five year license now.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Gary

[thegrogmonster 110]

Another question I would like to ask is that my 5 year licence expired 18 months ago so will they renew the licence and give me another 5 years? I will have a non O visa.

 

Edited April 18, 2014 by thegrogmonster

[Trvlr 50]

I had no luck on a tourist visa at the Au Udom office, just South of Sriracha, but I did at the Regional Chonburi office just North of Chonburi on Suk. Road.

 

Just to make sure, do you mean they gave you a 5-year driving license while you were here on a 1, 2 or 3 entry toursit visa?

[lanzalad 128]

 

Just to make sure, do you mean they gave you a 5-year driving license while you were here on a 1, 2 or 3 entry toursit visa?

 

i got a 5 year both car and bike licenses on a 30 day stamp in Pattaya after my first 1 year licenses.

 

i've been told i was lucky... but my friend did his a few months after and he must have been lucky too...

[Trvlr 50]

 

i got a 5 year both car and bike licenses on a 30 day stamp in Pattaya after my first 1 year licenses.

 

i've been told i was lucky... but my friend did his a few months after and he must have been lucky too...

 

OK, that's the answer I was looking for. So it looks like it IS possible to get a 5 year license with a tourist visa.

I guess I will roll the dice and see what turns up!

[Trvlr 50]

Another question I would like to ask is that my 5 year licence expired 18 months ago so will they renew the licence and give me another 5 years? I will have a non O visa.

 

From what I have read, you will need to start the process all over - 1 year license, etc. They give a year's grace period.

But I would wait to see what other board members have to say based on their experience. Sometimes the "rules" that we see on websites - which is where I got my info - are not exactly what happens on the ground.

[jacko 8,813]

 

From what I have read, you will need to start the process all over - 1 year license, etc. They give a year's grace period.

But I would wait to see what other board members have to say based on their experience. Sometimes the "rules" that we see on websites - which is where I got my info - are not exactly what happens on the ground.

And what happens on the ground is sometimes inconsistent.

Do YOU have a current one year or 5 year Thai licence that is due to expire?

 

I went from 5 year to 5 year and it was pretty straightforward.

I can't remember what was required prior to the 5 year one, but no doubt the procedure has changed.

One can only go via the 'rules'.....and I consistently read a Non-Imm visa is required.

Source.

[LocalYokul 214]

Just to make sure, do you mean they gave you a 5-year driving license while you were here on a 1, 2 or 3 entry toursit visa?

 

I had a 2 or 3 year extension previously, and extended that for 5 years. I had to sit through their instructional video and show them that my reflexes were fast enough to stop. They have some pedals for a simulation device at the Provincial HQ office.

Edited April 20, 2014 by LocalYokul

[Idefix 2,275]

OK, that's the answer I was looking for. So it looks like it IS possible to get a 5 year license with a tourist visa. I guess I will roll the dice and see what turns up!

It's "always" possible because the officer who will look at your file/papers may forget to check this point, but official rules are that to get a 5-years licence you need to have a non-immigrant visa... Good luck ;-)