Our Ultimate Guide to Obtaining a Thai Motorcycle License in Thailand

Thailand is renowned for its picturesque beaches, rich culture, and thrilling activities. What better way to experience it all than by taking a motorcycle tour? To legally and safely operate a motorcycle in Thailand, obtaining a Thai motorcycle license is a must. With recent updates to the application process, getting a motorcycle license in Thailand can seem overwhelming, but don’t worry. We’ve gone through the process ourselves and have created an updated guide to help you along the way. 

In this comprehensive blog post, we cover the eligibility criteria, application process, necessary documents, application timeline, costs, and answers to frequently asked questions about obtaining a Thai motorcycle license.

Eligibility Criteria

To obtain a Thai motorcycle license, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Age Requirement: To apply for a learner’s permit, you must be at least 15 years old, and for a full motorcycle license, you must be at least 18 years old.
2. Residency Requirement: You must either be a Thai national or a foreign national with a valid visa, including a tourist visa, and reside in Thailand.
3. Physical and Mental Fitness: To operate a motorcycle, you must be physically and mentally fit. This will be determined through the written and practical tests.

The Process of Obtaining a Thai Motorcycle License

To get your Thai motorcycle license you need to follow these steps:

• Gather all the required document (see below)
• Come to your local Provincial Transport Office: You need to come early (usually 8am). Get a ticket to wait in line and drop all the required documents.

• Take the Physical test: as of 2023, this consist of 4 tests that are pretty easy to pass
  • Color test: An official will point to a different colored dot or ask to confirm the color of a lit bulb or lamp. You are then required to state the name of each color, either in Thai or English. After stating each color correctly, you will be told that you’ve passed. During my test the color where shown quite fast so be prepared for that.
  • Reaction test: You will sit behind a brake and gas pedal simulator on a chair or stool. The official will ask you to place your right foot firmly on the accelerator until the green LED lights on the panel appear. When a signal is raised, you are expected to push the brake pedal in less than one second. The official will confirm whether you’ve passed or not. Multiple attempts are allowed until you get it right.
  • Depth Perception test: You will be asked to sit a few meters away from a box with two sticks  inside – one will be moving (left) and the other one fixed (right). You must operate a toggle, level, or press a button so that the moving stick travels towards the fixed stick. You are required to align both sticks within one inch of each other. Once achieved, the official will let you pass.
  • Peripheral test: You will be asked to position your head on a test apparatus with your eyes staring directly at the official. Lights will appear on either side, and you must tell the official the exact traffic color without moving your eyes or head. After stating the correct colors, the official will let you pass.

• Watching videos about driving safety and driving code: I had to sit down for about 4-5 hours to watch 3 videos that were each between 60-90 minutes. The first video was going through the driving code in Thailand. The second video was about safety and showed a bunch of accidents and what was the cause of accidents in Thailand. The last video was techniques for being a good driver. You must sit and watch these videos (which are subtitled in English). If you do not attend or fall asleep you will fail this step and can’t continue. Since this was a 5 hours session (in Koh Samui) we took a break in between for lunch. 

• Take the written test: This is a 50 questions test. You need to score at least 45/50 to pass the test. If you fail, you can retake the test the next day

Here are good sample questions for you to get familiar with the test. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, take a moment to read all of them. During the test you will be randomly assigned 50 questions from that pool so studying them would help you succeed the first time. The English version of the test is poorly translated, which make it rather confusing so if you don’t know the questions ahead of time it is gonna make you test even more difficult to pass.

• Take the practice test: This is a relatively easy test as long as you drove a motorcycle before. The instructor will tell you what to do. In Koh Samui the circuit took less than 5 minutes to complete. (See video below). The most technical part was to go through a narrow elevated plank at slow speed and stay on it the entire time. If you fail the circuit you can retake it at least one more time.

• Get your photo taken and receive your Thai driving license: this is the last part where a digital picture of yourself will be taken. Pay 150 Baht and receive your Thai motorcycle license.

Required Documents

The following documents are required to apply for a Thai motorcycle license:

1. Passport + Visa document: You will need to provide a valid passport to prove your identity along with your current Visa. Make sure to make a copy of both the passport page as well as your visa page

1. Residency Certificate: You will need to provide proof of your address in Thailand via a Residency certificate that you can obtain and your local immigration office. This requires a passport picture and a proof of address document (or t3 form). You can obtain this document by talking to your landlord. We asked our Airbnb and they provided us with an electronic version of this document within minutes. 

1. Medical certificate: You will need to provide a medical certificate to confirm that you are physically and mentally fit to operate a motorcycle. Once you go to the hospital, ask for a medical certificate for a motorcycle. The test is done within minutes. 

How long does it take to go through the process?

If you are organized this can be done in a week if you follow the step below:

• Monday (or Day 1): ask your landlord for your proof of address document and get copies of your passport + visa pages. Get some passport pictures taken if you don’t have any. Go to your local immigration office and apply for the residency certificate. Ask for next day delivery and pay the expedite fee. Go to your local clinic and hospital to get your medical certificate.
• Tuesday (or Day 2): come pick up your Residency certificate (though expedite delivery might change based on the immigration office you visit. At the Chiang Mai Airport immigration office the turnaround time was 24 hours when I applied). Spend time studying for the written test as it is not straightforward. I’ve added good ressources later on that post to study for the test. 
• Wednesday (or Day 3): go to your local Provincial Transport Office with all the required documents early in the morning. Go through the Physical and Written exam test in the morning. Some Provincial Transport Offices (such as Chiang Mai) might let you take the Practical test after that. The Koh Samui Provincial Transport Office asks you to return the next day in order to go through that test. If you passed everything, you can then get in line and get your motorcycle thai license
• Thursday (or Day 4): celebrate as this was a pretty long process but you did it and can now safely drive a motorcycle in Thailand (and all 10 ASEANs countries) for 2-5 years!
  

Note 1: If you are not in a rush and want to save on your total cost for the license, start applying for the residency certificate asap. You can get a free version of the Residency Certificate but it usually takes 3-4 weeks to get it delivered.

Note 2: Keep in mind that there was a backlog at the Chiang Mai office when we went so we had to wait about 3 weeks to be able to take the test. This is why we had to apply at our next destination in Koh Samui where there was no wait time. Though the process in Koh Samui takes two days and can only be started on Monday / Wednesday or Fridays. 

Cost of Obtaining a Thai Motorcycle License

The cost of obtaining a Thai motorcycle license is as follow:

• Residency Certificate: free if you don’t mind the 3-4 weeks delivery time. If you ask for next day delivery this could cost you anywhere from 500-1000 Baht. I paid 500 Baht while applying from mine in Chiang Mai
• Medical Certificate: anywhere between 100-200 Baht. I paid 200 by going to the Chiang Mai hospital. Clinics might be cheaper
• Motorcycle license fee: 150 Baht to get your card printed, once you complete all the test
• Passport photo: 120 Baht for 4
• Photocopy: 10-20 Baht 

In total you are looking anywhere from 250 Baht to 1490 Baht, which is quite reasonable. Keep in mind that there is no cost to attend and take all the Physical / Written and Practical tests at your local Provincial Transport Office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have a local motorcycle license from my own country. Can I drive with it as long as I want in Thailand?A: No. If you are staying longer than 3 months in Thailand, by law you are required to obtain a Thai license.

Q: Can I use my foreign motorcycle license in Thailand?
A: In some cases, foreign nationals can use their foreign motorcycle license in Thailand, but it is best to check with the local Department of Land Transport to confirm.

Q: How long is a Thai motorcycle license valid for?
A: If you are on a tourist visa, a Thai motorcycle license is valid for two years and can not be renewed after that, unless you get either a resident or working visa  If you are on a resident visa, a Thai motorcycle license is valid for five years and can be renewed after that.

Q: What happens if I get caught riding a motorcycle without a license in Thailand?
A: If you are caught riding a motorcycle without a license in Thailand, you may face fines, imprisonment, or both. The fines won’t be more than 2,000 Baht and imprisonment should be not more than 1 month (though very unlikely)

Q: Can I convert an existing motorcycle license into a Thai license?
A: Yes. For this you would need to bring the same document required to apply for the motorcycle license + your original motorcycle license and the corresponding international driver license (or the local driver license translated in English by your local embassy). If you bring these document, you would not have to go through any of the exams 

Q: What is the process to renew a thai Motorcycle license
A: Bring the same document you would need to apply for the motorcycle license and bring as well your previous motorcycle license. You will need to renew before your current Thai motorcycle license. In this case, you can skip all the test

Q: I am in Koh Samui, what day can I come to get my license?  
A: If you are in Koh Samui, as of 1/1/2023 the initial license can only be done on Monday/Wednesday/Fridays on the island. Renewals however are possible at any day of the week!

Q: In which country is the Thai motorcycle license valid?
A: The Thai motorcycle license is valid in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The 10 ASEAN countries are:

• Brunei
• Cambodia
• Indonesia
• Laos
• Malaysia
• Myanmar (also known as Burma)
• Philippines
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Vietnam

If you have additional questions, please feel free to leave us a comment below and we will do the best to answer them and update this FAQ accordingly. Thank you!

Our bottom line

In conclusion, obtaining a Thai motorcycle license is a necessary step for anyone who wants to legally ride a motorcycle on the roads in Thailand. The process may seem lengthy, but it’s important to follow the proper steps to ensure you have the knowledge and skills necessary to safely operate a motorcycle. By taking a motorcycle training course, applying for a learner’s permit, passing the written and practical tests, and obtaining a Thai motorcycle license, you’ll be able to legally and safely ride a motorcycle on the roads in Thailand.

Have you taken a Thai Motorcycle exam before? How was your experience? Has anything changed since the process we’ve highlighted above? Please leave us a comment so we can keep this blog post up to date!