Q1144. How to translate international and national driving license documents?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation certified translation team

Driving licence translation in Thailand divides into two distinct situations with different rules. Converting a foreign licence to a Thai licence at the Department of Land Transport (DLT): the foreign licence is translated into Thai (or English, which the DLT accepts), certified at the MFA (200/quoted on request per stamp), and presented with the residence evidence, medical certificate, and visa documents — a valid foreign licence conversion waives the driving tests (the written and practical tests are skipped; only the reaction and vision tests apply), while an expired or unverifiable licence means the full test process; an International Driving Permit alone is not convertible — the underlying national licence is the document that matters. Using a Thai licence abroad: the Thai licence is translated into English and certified at the MFA for foreign authorities that require it, though most foreign rental and short-stay driving uses the IDP instead — the IDP (issued by the DLT under the 1949 Geneva Convention, which Thailand has ratified) is itself a multi-language document needing no translation. Points that matter: the licence's categories must be translated exactly (the vehicle classes authorised); the licence must be valid — an expired licence converts to nothing; and the name must match the passport. Practice points: the DLT conversion is done in person at a DLT office with an appointment in busier provinces; the medical certificate for the conversion is a simple clinic document; and for long-term residents, converting to a Thai licence is usually more practical than renewing IDPs. Confirm the DLT's current checklist before visiting.