Convert a Foreign Driving Licence

A Thai driving licence for a foreign resident is issued by the Department of Land Transport under the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522. Applicants normally present a valid foreign licence with a certified translation, a residence certificate from immigration or an embassy, a medical certificate, and pass the required tests. Thailand issues International Driving Permits under the 1949 Geneva Convention.

Governing authority / legal basis: Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979) and Department of Land Transport regulations on driving licences; 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic for International Driving Permits
Turnaround: Document pack 3–7 working days · office attendance 1 day, subject to test scheduling
Fees: Quoted per case once we see the document set and the deadline. Confirm scope and fees with our staff by phone, Line or Email before any work starts.

What we handle

Certified translation of the licence

Translation of the foreign licence into Thai with translator certification, in the layout the transport office accepts — including the licence class mapping.

Residence certificate

Application for the residence certificate from the immigration office, or the equivalent letter from your embassy where the office accepts it.

Medical certificate coordination

Referral to a clinic issuing the medical certificate in the current form the transport office requires, within its validity window.

Attendance and interpreting

Interpreter present for the theory session and the counter interview, so instructions and declarations are understood before you sign.

Documents required

Document	Issued / prepared by	Watch out for
Valid foreign driving licence	Applicant	Must be unexpired; some offices decline licences with under six months' validity.
Certified Thai translation of the licence	Prepared by us	Licence class and endorsements must be translated exactly, not summarised.
Passport with valid visa and entry stamp	Applicant	Remaining permitted stay affects the validity period the office grants.
Residence certificate or embassy letter	Immigration office / embassy	Usually valid for a limited period from issue — do not obtain it too early.
Medical certificate	Clinic or hospital	Must be recent and in the form currently accepted by the office.
Work permit, where held	Applicant	Some offices accept it in place of the residence certificate.

Document lists, official fees and acceptance conditions vary between offices, branches and provinces, and change by notification. Confirm with the receiving authority before you act on this page.

How the process runs

1
Eligibility check
We review your licence, visa type and remaining stay, and confirm which supporting proof your local office accepts.
2
Translation and certification
The licence is translated into Thai and certified for submission.
3
Supporting documents
Residence certificate and medical certificate are obtained within their validity windows.
4
Office attendance
We book the appointment, attend with an interpreter and hand over the file at the counter.

Why files get rejected

Residence certificate or medical certificate obtained too early and expired by the appointment date.
Licence class translated loosely, so the Thai licence is issued for the wrong vehicle category.
Expired foreign licence — a conversion route is not available and a full application is required.
Passport name spelling differing from the spelling on the translation.
Assuming an International Driving Permit replaces a Thai licence for a resident; the IDP is for temporary visitors under the 1949 Convention.

Frequently asked questions

คำถามที่พบบ่อย (FAQ)

Can I drive in Thailand on my home-country licence?+

A visitor may drive on an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention together with the home licence. A resident is expected to hold a Thai licence; the Department of Land Transport sets the conditions under the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522.

Do I have to take the driving test?+

That is decided by the transport office based on your licence and its origin. Applicants are commonly required to attend the theory session and the physical aptitude test; a practical test may be waived where a valid equivalent foreign licence is presented.

Does the translation have to be certified?+

Yes — the office requires a Thai translation with translator certification. We prepare it in the accepted layout, keeping the licence class mapping exact.

Which proof of address is accepted?+

Usually a residence certificate from the immigration office or a certificate from your embassy. Some offices also accept a work permit. We confirm with the specific office before you apply.

Authoritative Sources

References & Citations

Official government, legal, and international sources cited throughout this page.

1
dlt.go.th· แหล่งทางการ
Department of Land Transport ↗
www.dlt.go.th
2
immigration.go.th· แหล่งทางการ
Immigration Bureau — residence certificate ↗
www.immigration.go.th

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General information, not legal advice on your specific matter. We are not a bank, not an insurance broker and not an agent of any state authority, and we do not guarantee any authority's decision.

Talk to us before you file — reply within 24 hours

Tell us your nationality, visa category and the deadline. Our staff confirms the scope and the fee by phone, Line or Email before any work begins.

Chat on Line Call 094-8958999 Email contact@thainotary.co.th

Explore More

Deep Context and Service Standards

Sourced from the Lawyer Act B.E. 2528 (1985), the Lawyers Council Regulation on Notarial Services Attorneys B.E. 2546 (2003), the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019), the Hague Apostille Convention of 1961, and official publications of the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA).

Firm Overview and Practice Framework

Thai Notary Service is a full-service Thai law office providing document notarization, certified translation, legalization chain management, and international document consultancy. Our team includes Notarial Services Attorneys licensed by the Lawyers Council of Thailand under the Royal Patronage, and we operate offices in Bangkok, Greater Bangkok, and a partner network in every province across Thailand. We serve individuals, expatriates, cross-border couples, students, corporates, multinationals, and government agencies requiring documents with legal effect both inside Thailand and abroad.

All notarial acts follow the Lawyer Act B.E. 2528 (1985) Section 27 read with the Lawyers Council Regulation on Notarial Services Attorneys B.E. 2546 (2003), the sole legal basis authorizing Thai attorneys to certify documents comparable to a foreign Notary Public. Every attorney on our team has completed the accredited training and examination administered by the Lawyers Council and holds a verifiable registration number searchable on the Lawyers Council public registry.

By choosing a firm that houses Notarial Services Attorneys in-house, clients consolidate a multi-stage legalization chain under one accountable roof: attorney notarization, followed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) legalization at the Department of Consular Affairs, followed by embassy or consular legalization for the destination country. Since 21 November 2024 the Kingdom of Thailand has become a party to the Hague Apostille Convention (Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents). Documents apostilled in Thailand are now accepted in more than 125 member states without embassy re-legalization, materially reducing turnaround time and cost.

General Information and Firm Framework — Deep Context

The firm operates under an ISO 9001:2015 quality-management framework and enforces data protection consistent with the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019). All client documents are stored with AES-256 encryption at rest and in transit and are retained for ten years in accordance with lawyer-record obligations under the Lawyer Act.

Our team combines Notarial Services Attorneys, NAATI-certified translators, and legal specialists in intellectual property, taxation, cross-border family law, corporate law, and immigration law, together with a support team dedicated to documentation, translation, and government-agency liaison.

Fees are transparent and disclosed both on the website and in the pre-engagement quote, separating professional fees, government fees, travel disbursements (if any), and other line items. The firm issues VAT invoices and official receipts and accepts payment by bank transfer, credit card, PromptPay, and cash.

Trust Standards — PDPA, SLA, Quality Assurance

On data protection, the firm strictly follows the Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019), Sections 24, 26, and 27 — collecting, using, and disclosing personal data only to the extent necessary for the engagement, disclosing purposes, and obtaining consent from data subjects in advance. Clients retain the right to inspect, obtain a copy, rectify, erase, or withdraw consent at any time through the firm's Data Protection Officer (DPO). For clients in the European Union, processing follows GDPR Article 6 (lawful basis) and Article 46 (Standard Contractual Clauses).

Our Service Level Agreement targets an inquiry response within one hour during business hours (09:00–18:00, Monday to Saturday), attorney appointments within twenty-four hours, standard notarization within one business day (or two to three hours on express service), certified translation within three to five business days per ten A4 pages, MFA legalization within two business days on standard service (one business day express), and embassy legalization typically within three to fifteen business days depending on the mission's own policy.

Every deliverable passes a three-tier quality-assurance chain: (1) the responsible attorney or translator, (2) a Senior Attorney or department head reviewing substance and formatting, (3) a Quality Control desk performing the final pre-delivery check. Any firm-side error is remedied at no additional cost, and if a document is rejected by a government authority due to a firm-side error, we cover the entire re-filing fee.

Contact and Initial Consultation

Initial consultation is complimentary via Line @thainotary or by phone at 094-8958999. The team responds within one hour during business hours. Every inquiry is treated confidentially under the Lawyers Council ethics rules and the Personal Data Protection Act.

Converting a foreign driving licence in Thailand

What we handle

Certified translation of the licence

Residence certificate

Medical certificate coordination

Attendance and interpreting

Documents required

How the process runs

Eligibility check

Translation and certification

Supporting documents

Office attendance