Conversion · Phuket
Convert your foreign license to a Thai one
No exam, no driving test. One appointment, license in your hand by 11:00.
5,500-6,500 ฿
- No exam
- One visit
- License by 11:00
Not sure?
Does your permit qualify?
What do you need?
Step 1 - pick your category
What to bring
Four documents.
Your national driving license
A valid International Driving Permit (not needed for a Russian license)
Covering the category you want
Passport and a copy of your stamp or visa
Medical and residence certificates
100 ฿ and 500 ฿, both issued in a day
Cash on the day
5,500-6,500 ฿
We can collect the medical and residence certificates for you: 1,500 ฿.
What doesn’t work
A translation of your license instead of an IDP
An expired IDP
An IDP that doesn’t cover the category you need
For a non-Russian license, in every one of these cases the route is a new Thai license from scratch. That is not a downgrade - it’s simply a different process, and most of our clients take it. A Russian license converts without an IDP.
Who this is for
Is this the right service for you?
- You hold a national driving license and a valid IDP covering the same category - or a Russian license with that category, no IDP needed.
- Both, as a rule. An IDP alone is not enough, and a national license alone is not enough - the exception is a Russian license, which converts on its own.
- Any country that issues International Driving Permits is accepted. No translation, no notary, no embassy.
Not for you if
Your license isn’t Russian, and your IDP has expired, doesn’t cover the category, or you never had one.
A new license from scratch costs 10,000 ฿ and is the fastest legal route on the islandNational license
Issued in your own country, still valid, in your own name.
A valid IDP (or a Russian license)
Covering the same category. A translation is not a substitute. A Russian license needs no IDP at all.
Any visa
Tourist stamp included. The visa is not what decides this - the permit is.
How it works
Three steps. One visit.
Before you go
We check your documents match
The license and the permit are checked against each other before you travel anywhere. If they don’t match, you find out here rather than at the counter.
Then
We agree a date
You’re given the date and the location. You can travel with the group or drive there yourself.
On the day
License in your hand by 11:00
One visit. No test, no driving, no lectures. You leave with the Thai license.
Price
Three numbers. That’s the whole price list.
- A document check before you go anywhere
- A confirmed date and the location
- One appointment, no test
- The license, issued by the DLT
Optional: 1,500 ฿ and all the paperwork is handled for you.
Final price. Nothing is added later.
You pay cash at the driving school, in person. Nothing in advance.
Message us on WhatsAppNo valid permit?
No valid IDP? You’re not stuck.
A new Thai license from scratch costs 10,000 ฿, is the fastest legal route on the island and requires no driving school. Most of our clients take this path.
See how it worksProof - real footage only
One office, one counter, one morning.
The same Department of Land Transport office that issues every license on this site.
FAQ
Specific to conversion.
Is an International Driving Permit really mandatory?
For most licenses, yes - this is the rule, not our policy. The exception is a Russian license: it converts without an IDP. For other licenses without a valid permit, the route is a new license from scratch: 10,000 ฿, no driving school, the fastest legal route on the island.
I have a notarised translation - does that count?
No. A translation, notarised or not, is not an International Driving Permit and doesn’t open the conversion route. If that’s what you have, the from-scratch route is the one that works. A Russian license needs neither a translation nor an IDP.
My IDP expired last month, what now?
If your license is Russian, it doesn’t matter: it converts without an IDP. Otherwise conversion is closed and a new Thai license is open: 10,000 ฿ for category A or 13,000 ฿ for category B, the fastest legal route on the island, with the exam taken on one Saturday.
My IDP covers cars but not motorbikes.
Then the car category converts for 6,500 ฿ and the motorcycle category is done from scratch at 10,000 ฿. The two can run in the same week.
Do I need to send you a photo of my license?
The checker above gives you the answer without sending anything. If you’d like a human to confirm it, a photo of the categories page is enough, and it’s used only for that check.
How long is the Thai license valid after conversion?
Two years, the same as any first Thai license. A renewal to five years is available later with a work permit or a retirement visa.
Can I convert both categories at once?
Yes, if the permit covers both - 10,000 ฿ for the pair instead of 5,500-6,500 ฿ each. It stays one appointment.
Start
This week’s group registers on Wednesday.
Next registration: Wed 14 Oct. License in hand: Tue 20 Oct.
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