Motorbike license in Phuket: how to get a Thai motorcycle license
There are two ways to a Thai motorbike license in Phuket. Conversion costs 5,500 ฿ and takes one visit, but needs a valid IDP with category A. For Russian license holders we can do it without an IDP. A new license from scratch costs 10,000 ฿. Category A covers a moped, a scooter and a full-size motorcycle alike.
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Do you need a license for a moped or scooter in Thailand
Yes. Thai law treats petrol scooters and mopeds as motorcycles, and riding them needs category A in your IDP or a Thai motorcycle license. A category B license doesn't cover a scooter.
For riding without a license, section 64 of the Motor Vehicle Act sets a fine of up to 1,000 ฿ or up to a month in prison. The insurer's refusal after an accident costs far more, see the fine for driving without a license in Phuket.
Two routes to a Thai motorbike license
| Conversion | New license from scratch | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Home license and a valid IDP, both with category A. A Russian license with category A needs no IDP | Everyone else, including anyone without category A |
| Exam | No | Yes, at the DLT |
| Cost through Phuket License | 5,500 ฿ | 10,000 ฿ |
Most of our clients take the second route. The reason is nearly always the same: the IDP has expired or there is no category A, and without that conversion is closed. The exception is a Russian license with category A, which converts without an IDP. The first route in detail is in the guide to converting a foreign license.
Getting a motorbike license on your own
Doing it yourself is legal and open to anyone. It has nine steps, and several of them depend on other people and on free slots.
- TM-30 notification. Filed by the landlord or hotel, not the tenant. Without it, no residence certificate.
- Photo. Any photo shop, a few minutes.
- Residence certificate. Phuket Immigration, 500 ฿, usually the same day.
- Medical certificate. Any clinic, about 100 ฿, a few minutes.
- DLT online course. In 2026 most offices expect it done before the visit.
- DLT booking through the Smart Queue app. Registration needs a Thai phone number.
- Physical tests: colour vision, depth perception, brake reaction time, peripheral vision.
- Theory test: 50 questions, at least 45 correct to pass.
- Practical test on the DLT's closed course.
The steps are tied together by deadlines. The medical and residence certificates last 30 days, and a free slot at the Phuket office is hard to find: according to ExpatDen, foreigners in summer 2026 reported no free bookings on the island at all. If the next slot is five weeks away, the first documents expire in the meantime and have to be done again. The whole process is in the guide how to get a Thai driving license.
How it works through Phuket License
With us you get a motorcycle license from scratch in the shortest time on the island, legally and with no driving school. The price is 10,000 ฿. Conversion with a valid IDP with category A costs 5,500 ฿ and takes one visit, and for a Russian license the IDP isn't required.
You can hand the paperwork over to us for a fixed 1,500 ฿; this is only available together with a license. Doing it yourself costs about 600 ฿, and the difference buys back the time spent at immigration, the clinic and waiting for the TM-30. The process and how to reach us are on the motorcycle license page.
If you've never ridden before
The practical test is on a closed course, and what matters is controlling the bike at low speed and in turns. If you've never been on a scooter, learn the basics first. A practice plan and what the island's roads are like are in how to learn to ride a scooter.
