To drive or rent a car in Thailand, many car rental companies require a full driver's license with a photograph and be held for at least 2 years with no major endorsements.
Foreigners on short-term visit may rent a car and drive with a valid foreign driver's license in Thailand.
If your domestic driver's license is not in English, one of the documents below is required together with your original driver's license:
- an International Driving Permit (IDP) / International Driver's License (IDL)
- an official translation in English or Thai
Drivers holding a valid driver's license of the 10 ASEAN member countries can use their national driver's license in the nine other countries without the need to obtain an IDP. These countries are Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
UK drivers with the new-style photo card license will need both the paper counterpart and photo card. UK license holders who have a paper license only will also need an official photo for identification.
Age Requirement
The minimum age generally to rent a vehicle in Thailand is 21 years old. If you're 21-25, you are likely to have to pay a young driver fee. If you're 65 or older, you may have to pay a senior driver fee. But the age restrictions may vary by different car categories and different car hire companies.
*Important Note: Each car rental company has its own requirements. Please check Terms and Conditions of your hire car during the booking process.
All drivers are required to present a valid original driver's license at the time of the rental.
The license should be a full driver's license with a photograph and be held for at least 2 years with no major endorsements.
For foreign drivers, if your domestic driver's license is not in English, one of the documents below is required together with your original driver's license:
- an International Driving Permit (IDP) / International Driver's License (IDL)
- an official translation in English or Thai
Drivers holding a driver's license of the 10 ASEAN member countries can use their national driver's license without the need to obtain an IDP/IDL. These countries are Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
