If you drive in Thailand, you are in one of three situations: a home licence, a home licence plus an international permit, or a Thai licence. Here is what works and when, according to the text of the laws and conventions as of 19 October 2026.
What you have and whether you can drive
| What you have | Car | Scooter and motorcycle |
|---|---|---|
| Russian licence with category B and an IDP | yes | no |
| Russian licence with category A (or the right motorcycle category) and an IDP | no, unless you also have B | yes |
| Russian licence only, no IDP | risk of questions from police and insurer | risk of questions from police and insurer |
| Thai car licence | yes | no |
| Thai motorcycle licence | no | yes |
| No licence at all | no | no |
The conclusion is the same for any country: the category must be open on both the licence and the IDP, and an IDP adds no new categories.
Two sets of documents: how they differ
For visitors. A national licence plus an International Driving Permit of the 1968 model. Thailand and Russia are party to the 1968 Vienna Convention and the 1949 Geneva Convention, and Article 41 of the Vienna Convention obliges states to recognise national licences of the Annex 6 model and international permits of the Annex 7 model. Russia issues the IDP to the 1968 model, at the traffic police, without an exam and for 3 years. The state fee is RUB 3,200 according to the Russian traffic police fee table (as of 19 October 2026). A full breakdown of who recognises what is in the answer are Russian licences valid in Thailand.
For people who live in the country. A Thai licence. The convention does not oblige a state to recognise the licences of people who have settled in it, and the IDP template says it ceases to be valid where its holder establishes residence. The procedure is described in the answer how foreigners get a Thai licence.
What the Russian foreign ministry says. The consular portal of the Russian foreign ministry (Thailand section) says a Russian national licence cannot be used to drive in Thailand, and that Thai authorities may refuse to let you drive on an IDP. It gives as the reason that Thailand signed but did not ratify the 1968 Vienna Convention. According to UN records Thailand ratified it on 1 May 2020, so that part of the note is outdated, and the portal gives no update date for the section. The practical conclusion: do not rely on a Russian licence alone, carry the IDP too, and get a Thai licence if you live here.
Categories: car and motorcycle
Thailand has separate licences for a car, a three-wheeler and a motorcycle. Under Section 43 of the Motor Vehicle Act they do not replace each other. A scooter of any size counts as a motorcycle: when ratifying the Vienna Convention Thailand declared that it treats mopeds as motorcycles. So a car-only licence is not valid for a bike, as covered in the answer on bike licences in Thailand. Car rental terms in Phuket are in the rental guide.
Thai licences: what you need and how long they last
According to the DLT description a foreigner needs a passport, a residence certificate or a work permit showing an address, and a medical certificate issued within the past month. Then come a health check, at least 5 hours of training, a computer test and a driving test. You must book in advance through DLT Smart Queue or gecc.dlt.go.th. According to the DLT service guide the fee for a temporary licence is THB 200 for a car and THB 100 for a motorcycle plus THB 5 for the application, and for a 5-year licence THB 500 and THB 250 plus THB 5 (we did not check clinic prices for the medical certificate). A temporary licence is valid for 2 years (Section 44), and a 5-year licence is available once you have held the temporary one for at least a year (Section 47). Official sources do not describe crediting licences of other countries, more in the step-by-step answer.
What you risk without a licence
- No licence at all. A fine of up to THB 1,000, up to 1 month in prison, or both (Section 64)
- Licence not with you. A fine of up to THB 1,000 (Section 66)
- An accident. The UK government warns that riding without the correct licence category can invalidate travel insurance
Other fines, alcohol, helmets and belts are in the article on Thai traffic rules. What to check in an insurance policy is in the guide to health insurance.
What we could not find in official sources
- A bilateral agreement between Thailand and Russia on recognising licences
- The procedure for crediting Russian licences when getting a Thai one
- DLT fees in a single current table: the figures come from the citizen service guide, while the tariff page on the site (dated 2022) lists older amounts and licences ‘for one year’
- A statement from the Russian embassy in Thailand about licences: thailand.mid.ru answered our request with ‘Request Rejected’ and we did not try to bypass it, so only the country note on the foreign ministry portal is available
- The official text of Interior Ministry Order No. 206 on pravo.gov.ru
This page is reviewed every 90 days.
FAQ
Do you need a licence in Thailand to drive a car or a bike?
Yes. Section 42 of the Motor Vehicle Act requires you to hold a licence while driving and to show it on request. A foreigner who is temporarily in the country may use a foreign licence on the terms of the conventions, and driving with no licence is punished under Section 64 by a fine of up to THB 1,000 or up to 1 month in prison.
Do you need an international driving permit in Thailand?
In practice yes: carry the IDP together with your national licence, as the UK government advises. Under the text of the Vienna Convention states recognise both national licences of the Annex 6 model and IDPs, so having both documents is safer. Russia issues the IDP to the 1968 model.
Can I ride a bike on a category B licence?
No. Car and motorcycle licences are separate, and Thailand treats a scooter as a motorcycle. You need category A on your national licence and an IDP, or a Thai motorcycle licence. Details are in the answer on bike licences.
Can you take the driving test in Thailand?
Yes, for a foreigner with a residence certificate or a work permit. The DLT runs a health check, at least 5 hours of training, a computer test and a driving test. Details and documents are in the answer on Thai licences.
What does the Russian foreign ministry say about Russian licences in Thailand?
The ministry's consular portal says a Russian national licence cannot be used to drive in Thailand, and that foreigners with a temporary residence permit can get a local licence. It also says Thailand has not ratified the 1968 Vienna Convention, but UN records show ratification on 1 May 2020, so that line is outdated. The portal gives no update date for the section, and our check could not open the embassy page thailand.mid.ru.
How much does a Thai licence cost for a foreigner?
According to the DLT service guide a temporary car licence costs THB 200 and a motorcycle one THB 100, plus THB 5 for the application. A 5-year licence is THB 500 for a car and THB 250 for a motorcycle, plus THB 5. The medical certificate is not included, and we did not verify clinic prices.
How much does an IDP cost in Russia?
The Russian traffic police fee table lists a state fee of RUB 3,200 for an IDP, including when you apply through a multifunctional centre. It is issued for 3 years without exams on the basis of a national licence.
What happens if the police stop me without a licence?
Under Section 64 a fine of up to THB 1,000, up to 1 month in prison, or both. If you have a licence but not with you, Section 66 gives a fine of up to THB 1,000. The main risk is an accident: insurance may not cover the case if the driver did not hold the right licence.
Sources
- Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979), consolidated text, Office of the Council of State: Sections 42-44, 46, 47, 64, 66
- UN Treaty Collection. Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna 1968: status and Thailand's reservations
- UN Treaty Collection. Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva 1949: status
- United Nations Treaty Series, vol. 1042, I-15705. Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna 1968), Article 41, Annexes 6 and 7
- Department of Land Transport (DLT). Temporary driving licence: procedure and documents
- Russian traffic police (Gosavtoinspektsiya). State fee table: national licence RUB 4,000, IDP RUB 3,200
- Russian Interior Ministry Order No. 206 of 18.04.2011 'On introducing the international driving permit' (Ministry of Justice reg. No. 20 738 of 13.05.2011), text in the GARANT system; the official text on pravo.gov.ru was not found
- Russian Interior Ministry Order No. 80 of 20.02.2021, administrative regulation on issuing driving licences, official publication (pravo.gov.ru, 23.03.2021)
- DLT. Service guide for citizens B.E. 2568 (2025): fees for temporary and 5-year licences
- DLT. Fee tariffs (page dated 20.09.2022, table under the Motor Vehicle Act)
- Consular Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Thailand: general country information, section on driving
- GOV.UK. Thailand travel advice: safety and security (1968 IDP, insurance, Thai licence for residents)
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