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Why can’t I get a 5-year driving license with a DTV in Thailand?

DTVThai driving licenseVisa typesDriving license renewalTourist visaNon-O visaImmigration regulations
Feb 7, 2025
15 days ago
Mat ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
It’s not directly the DTV, but I just want to share my experience.

I got my DTV, it got stamped as usual for six months, as I had already had a thai driving license, I want to renew which you have to do after two years.

After two years, you get normally five years driving license.

So I went to the "Songkhla Provincial Land Transport Office HatYai” to renew.

After checking with a lot of employers they called the immigration where my certificate of residence was from, and they confirmed my Visa is only valid for six months.

So I got only the license for another two years instead of five because nobody knows what’s going on with the DTV 🤣

But one thing I have to say, all people that are very friendly and helpful, not like at the provincial land transport office in PhangNga.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The DTV (Digital Nomad Visa) is regarded as a tourist visa in Thailand, allowing only a temporary two-year driving license renewal as opposed to the standard five-year license provided to holders of Non-O visas. This distinction leads to confusion and dissatisfaction among long-term residents who hold the DTV but are unable to secure the same driving privileges as those on non-tourist visas.
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David ********
Who cares you got a licence for 2 years just go back in 2 years and donut again. Don't complain accept what it is
15 days ago
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George *******
@David *******
 He didn't say he was complaining. He said he wanted to share his experience. I'd hardly call that complaining.
15 days ago
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David ********
@George ******
 he wanted 5 years and got 2 suck it up sweet heart. It's complaining where l come from. Anyway thanks for sharing l guess
15 days ago
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David ********
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David ********
Renew last month
15 days ago
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Mat ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *******
 I don’t complain I just shared this experience but I got it answer already why it is only 2 years, so all good an timer set for January 2027 to remind me to extend it again 🤣✌🏼
15 days ago
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David ********
@Mat *****
 each office is different my licence is 5 years and I have DTV
15 days ago
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Bob **********
@David *******
 when did you get it ?
15 days ago
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David ********
@Bob *********
 the licence or DTV
15 days ago
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Bob **********
@David *******
 license
15 days ago
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Mat ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *******
 welcome to Thailand🤣
15 days ago
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Mat ******
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Christopher *******
In Bangkok DLT (Bang Chak), they give me 2 Years but i complaint and got 5 Years with DTV right now .
15 days ago
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Andy ************
The DTV is looked on as a tourist visa as it has an expiry date which cannot be extended beyond the five years. A visa, for example, the non-O retirement can be extended indefinitely until you kark it
15 days ago
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Dominic ***********
What if you have a five year licence already and want to renew it during the validity of the DTV, would they downgrade you back to a temporary?
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Dominic **********
 Depends on the office used. Chiang Mai, Nonthaburi and Bangkok seem to be issuing 5 year licenses to DTV holders.
15 days ago
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Kool *******
@Dominic **********
 yes
15 days ago
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Kool *******
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Thomas ********
Can someone explain *why* ?

I get that it’s considered a tourist visa, but for someone who is consistently (more than two years) in the country, why *wouldn’t* they allow it?
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@John *********
 Thailand's immigration system is based on the number of days you're allowed to stay, not months. Each visa type (or exemption) allows a stay of 30 days, 60, 90 or 180. Only extensions of stay and longer term visas such as the elite and LTV are done on the basis of years.

Other countries such as Malaysia allow a month, 2 or 3 months for short stays and don't put an exit date on your passport. You're to work that out yourself.
15 days ago
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John **********
@Thomas *******
 you can't be in Thailand for two years on a DTV, in fact you can't be inside Thailand for one year as on entry you get 180 days which you can extend once by 180 days then you have to leave
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@John *********
 360 days is basically a year. Its 1 year minus 5 days.
15 days ago
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John **********
@Paul ******
 do you really think they didn't think that through before deciding on 180 days?
15 days ago
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John **********
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Jon **********
@John *********
 it’s a 5 year multi entry visa.
15 days ago
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John **********
@Jon *********
 indeed but it's still a tourist visa and doesn't allow you to live inside Thailand for even one year.
15 days ago
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John **********
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Thomas ********
I guess the bigger question is — why is this tied to one’s visa at all?
15 days ago
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John **********
@Thomas *******
 some DLT offices won't issue a driving licence at all unless you are on a Non-immigrant visa
15 days ago
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John **********
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Pete *******
5 yr extension only with non-o immigrant visas.
15 days ago
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Jon **********
@Pete ******
 or Elite.
15 days ago
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Pete *******
@Jon *********
 the Elite is a tourist visa and does not qualify for a 5yr driving license.
15 days ago
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Jon **********
@Pe**
 I got 5 year last renewal at bangchak DLT, bkk 👍
15 days ago
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Pete *******
@Jon *********
 nonetheless an Elite does not qualify for a 5yr licence. There are tens of thousands here on retirement visas for which they don’t qualify for the financial requirements. The DLT website lists the requirements. Non-O Immigrant visa.
15 days ago
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Paul *******
@Pete ******
 It depends on the office used. Bangkok and Chiang Mai, as well as Nonthaburi seem to be issuing 5 year licenses to those renewing existing Thai licenses, while on a DTV or elite visas but many other offices are not.
15 days ago
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Jon **********
@Pe**
 Thailand gov websites aren’t known for their accuracy, or updates. I also got an IDP 3 weeks ago. Again the DLT website says non O visa as a requirement.

People who bypass the retirement visa financials do it by under the table deals via agents. Mine was done directly by myself at the DLT. Maybe the requirements have changed for EV.

Anyway, irrelevant to the OP 😅
15 days ago
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Jon **********
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John **********
That's correct. The DTV is basically a tourist visa so doesn't qualify for the 5 year licence
15 days ago
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Sebastian *******
I had the same experience. They told me the DTV is considered a tourist visa, and no 5 year license on any tourist visa.
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
The annoying thing with that is it would mean you’re illegible to get your international driving permit off that visa
15 days ago
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Jim ********
@Wesley *******
 Correct, but as a "tourist" you would have a licence from your home country which would be eligible for an IDP
15 days ago
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Jon **********
@Jim *******
 right, but DTV holders have a 5 year multi entry visa for Thailand. They could live in Thailand for the full term, with visa runs. To get a uk IDP you must apply in person in the uk. That’s a big diversion to drive in Japan.

They should issue a 5 year license (after the initial 2 year) to DTV holders.
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
@Jim *******
 depends, for example, Australia where i'm from only offers the 1049 convention for IDP, which means that you cannot use it in countries that are only signatory to the 1968 IDP, for example, Vietnam.

it will be a pain for some people.
15 days ago
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Jim ********
@Wesley *******
 The Thai licence can be used in Vietnam without an IDP
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
@Jim *******
 not the temporary one
15 days ago
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Jim ********
@Wesley *******
 I didn't know that. Can you get a temporary licence in Vietnam?
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
@Jim *******
 Yea, it does state that in the ASEAN agreement on regocnition of domestic driving licenses .

I think you can get something in vietnam for that? but i'm not 100% sure. I saw the top gear episode where the lads had to sit for a test and get one.
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
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Greg ********
@Wesley *******
 I thought you could get a Thai driving license on any visa? I have a pal with one and he has never had nothing but a Tourist Visa - 2 year license.
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
@Greg *******
 Yes, but they give you a 2 year "temporary" license. then a 5 year. It seems some people are going to renew their 5 year, on the DTV and only getting a 2 year. Doesn't seem like a big issue, until you try to get your Thai IDP (live in thailand and want to drive in Japan for example) and they wont issue it because you don't have the right license.
15 days ago
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Wesley ********
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