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Can I buy a motorcycle in Thailand with a DTV visa before obtaining a permanent residence document?

DTV Visa Buying a Motorcycle Thailand Residential Requirements Temporary Resident Certificate International Driving License Immigration Process Koh Samui Expat Life in Thailand

Mar 3, 2025

2 days ago

ORIGINAL POSTER

Hello all,

 I have recently got DTV visa and will be living at Koh Samui island. I do have an international driving licence for bikes. As my research, for owning a green book I need to have a residential document. But for that, I have to stay at least 3 months. Is it possible for me to purchase a bike and then do the paper work after I got the residential document ? Thank you.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user inquired about purchasing a motorcycle in Thailand while holding a DTV visa, specifically regarding the need for a residential document which typically requires three months of residency. Community responses clarified that it's possible to buy a bike using just a passport, while a temporary resident certificate can be obtained more quickly, allowing for the transfer of ownership after presenting specific documents to the immigration office.

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Rainer ************

@Panida *********

informs you

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Neil ********

No need to be in the country for 90 days.

You can get a temp resident certificate for this purpose which lasts 30 days, for that you need to visit immigration office and present your TM30, IDP and a Rental Contract etc.

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Kevin ********

If you goto immigration with TM30 and copy of your passport you can get residence certificate easily. Apply wait 7 days pick up. And it’s free.

DLT for licence is also simple.

********************************

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Neil ********

I did this last Friday and received it the next day. It wasn’t free though it was 400baht if I remember correctly, but I was applying for car and bike.

On the forms I filled in I had two options to select why I was applying ( conversion of licence / buying selling car/bike )

In terms of documents I needed a TM30, Contract for Condo, Passport and copy of my DTV

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Luit *****************

I think

means to say the residence certificate is free, not the drivers license.

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Kevin ********

@Luit ****************

yea residence certificate, did my mums car licence today, arrived 1pm left 2:05pm with the licence.

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Kevin ********

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Kevin ********

I never pay, just wait a week as I plan ahead. Haha

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Kevin ********

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Luit *****************

Be careful that IDP is only valid first 90 days of stay, after that you need Thai license.

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Luit *****************

The 1 or 3 years the IDP is valid itsef has nothing to do how long a country is accepting a foreign drivers license. If Thai law does not limit this, it will be possible to use forever.

IDP is not a drivers license itself, only an explanation about your national license.

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Neil ********

@Luit ****************

the International Driving Permit (IDP) for Thailand used to be valid for 90 days in the past. However, this was based on older regulations and agreements.

Now, the IDP issued under the 1968 Geneva Convention is generally valid for one year in Thailand

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Marianne ********

the permit itself is valid for either 1 or 3 years... But its only valid in Thailand for 90 days after every entry. You can leave and come back and reset these 90 days, but after 90 days in country you need a Thai license to legally drive.

If you know otherwise, I would like to see official Thai information about that change.

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Luit *****************

Did Thailand change their law about this?

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Neil ********

@Luit ****************

the 1968 was adopted in 2021 by the DLT which has a 3 year expiration on it and gives you 1 year from entry.

Before that I believe the 1949 was used and that comes with just a 1 year expiration on it.

On the UK Gov website it tells me to use the 1968.

I got both as I plan to visit at least one other country this year when my 180 days is up, and need to bounce for a few days.

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Luit *****************

The validity period of IDP is internationally agreed, how long after entry it can be used in a country, every country decides for itself. And Thai laws are difficult to find. Apart from that, insurances and rental companies can have their own rules.

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Dany ********

@Luit ****************

but there is no thai law that states 3 months after entry. i have researched the topic many times when people claimed it to be the truth :D

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Luit *****************

no law would theoretically mean you can use it as long as you are tourist. Unfortunately that is a difficult definition.

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Dany ********

@Luit ****************

is it? 180 days on DTV plus 180 days extension.

and for people on retirement visa: there is no rule that says you must be a tourist for it to be valid. 🤷‍♀️

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Luit *****************

IDP is only meant for temporary use, not for people living in a country, but every country can decide if they want to accept foreign drivers licences for everybody who lives in the country

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Dany ********

@Luit ****************

i still dont see any regulation that limits the IDP in thailand to 3 months. so what exactly are we talking about? with current regulations you can use it for 1 or 3 years. you would re-enter the country during that time anyway and restart your visa timer

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Dany ********

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Dany ********

plenty of countries have the 3 year idp from 1968 ;)

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Neil ********

from what I can tell the 1968 IDP lasts for 3 years from issue, but how long you can use it for in each visit depends on the country, long term visas they want you on their own licence but Thailand gives you 1 year from entry.

I also have my 1949 which is only valid for 1 year for some of the other Asian countries here, and I believe this is the one Thailand use to use until 2021 when the DTL adopted the 1968

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Dany ********

yes and i also researched the topic many times. there is no thai law that limits you to 3 months or 1 year. the law is very general and only says „have a valid license“. so i would think its valid for 3 years, just because there is no regulation that says otherwise.

anyway, getting a thai license is super easy when you already have an IDP. deoending on the office its a matter of maybe 1 hour.

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Neil ********

i have my temp resident certificate now and have an appointment booked in for a couple of weeks time with the DLT to get my car and bike licence.

While my driving licence only covers me up to a 50cc on a bike I do have my CBT with me which is still valid in the UK so hoping this might be accepted so I don’t have to mess around riding a bike. Should be interesting to see what happens and a learning experience none the less.

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Neil ********

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Kevin ********

be careful with that, many people. Get fined believing that, but the police might not know that, and will fine you anyway, you can’t argue because that is disrespectful and will end up with more issues and bigger fines. 🤪

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Neil ********

i believe they adopted this change well over a decade ago. ( correction 2021 via 1968 IDP )

Saying that one of the first things I did when I got here was apply for my temp resident certificate and then book an appointment to have my licence converted which is in a couple of weeks, along with my bike test since my licence only allows 50cc and pretty much all bikes here are higher.

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Kevin ********

I’ve seen people fined for not. It’s best to do straight away.

Also consider that DLT might only accept in the 1st 90 days for conversion. And each police and DLT will have to ere own interpretations of the law, same as immigration so things differently in different places.

It’s Thailand that is normal, what works where I am in Samui won’t always work elsewhere.

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Kevin ********

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Steve *******

Yes. You only need your passport to buy the bike and a resident certificate to transfer ownership.

You don't actually need a license to buy one.

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Steve *******

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