Holding a motorbike license from home does not cover you for the long term in Thailand, and a car license does not cover a motorbike either. If you already ride on a valid foreign motorbike license (licence, in UK spelling), you can convert it to a Thai license instead of starting from zero. This guide covers who qualifies, what to bring, what the DLT visit looks like, and what the conversion costs through us.
Convert or start from scratch?
Conversion means you swap a valid foreign motorbike license for a Thai one. Starting from scratch means a new applicant's route: training, theory test, and a practical test. If you hold a valid motorbike license, conversion is the shorter path. We compare both routes in detail in Converting vs. Acquiring a Thai Driver's License.
When you convert through us, there is no theory test and no practical test. Your foreign license takes their place. You bring the documents, we handle the DLT visit, and you leave with your Thai license. The eye and reaction tests are mandatory for every applicant, converting or not, and take a few minutes.
Who can convert
- You hold a valid motorbike license from your home country, with motorbike entitlement on it. We ask for at least 6 months of validity remaining.
- You hold a long-stay visa such as Non-Immigrant O or B. Tourist visas generally do not qualify.
- You have an address on record: a TM30 and a Residence Certificate. See TM30 vs. Residence Certificate for how the two fit together.
What to bring
- Passport, original and copy
- Valid visa
- Your existing motorbike license
- Residence Certificate
- TM30 confirmation
- Medical certificate, issued within 30 days
- Passport-sized photos
- An official translation, if your license is not in English or Thai
What the DLT visit looks like
We go to Bangkok Transportation Office Area 3, 2479 Sukhumvit Road, Bang Chak, the office we work with. Staff check your documents, you take the eye and reaction tests that every applicant takes, you pay the fee, and you leave with a temporary 2-year Thai license that can be upgraded to a 5-year license later.
When your documents are checked in advance, the visit takes about 1.5 hours. Most wasted trips come from a missing paper, not from the DLT itself.
Only have a car license?
A car license does not give you a motorbike license in Thailand. If you hold a car license and want both, you have two routes. Convert both licenses together if you hold both from home. Or convert your car license and acquire the motorbike license together for 4,000 THB. The car conversion has no theory or practical test. The motorbike license you acquire still needs the theory and practical exam, but because you are already converting a license, you skip the 5-hour beginner class normally required for a motorbike application from scratch.
What conversion costs with us
- Motorbike conversion: 3,000 THB
- Motorbike and car conversion together: 3,500 THB
- Convert a car license and acquire a motorbike license together: 4,000 THB
These are our service fees. Details and documents are on the motorbike license conversion page and the motorbike and car conversion page.
Coming from Pattaya or Chonburi?
You do not need to base yourself in Bangkok. Clients from Pattaya, Chonburi and nearby areas drive in for a single visit, 1 to 2 hours each way. We collect and check your documents ahead of time by message, book your slot the same week where possible, and meet you at the DLT, so the trip happens once.
Get it checked before you travel
We have helped thousands of clients through the DLT since 2014. Send us a photo of your current license on WhatsApp or LINE (@fatboysmotorbikes), or email info@fatboyservices.com, and we will tell you which route applies and what to bring.