Do I Need an International Driving Permit in Thailand?Rule for all foreign drivers
Foreign visitors need an IDP. Licences issued by ASEAN member countries are accepted without one. Otherwise a temporary licence must be obtained from the Department of Land Transport.
- Licence alone is enough if: issued by an ASEAN member country
- Otherwise you need: An IDP
Source: Thailand government portal (Department of Land Transport) (official source), checked 10 November 2026.
Rule for all foreign drivers
Foreign visitors need an IDP. Licences issued by ASEAN member countries are accepted without one. Otherwise a temporary licence must be obtained from the Department of Land Transport.
- Licence alone is enough if: issued by an ASEAN member country
- Otherwise you need: An IDP
Source: Thailand government portal (Department of Land Transport) (official source), checked 10 November 2026.
Rules for all foreign drivers in Thailand
Foreign visitors need an IDP. Licences issued by ASEAN member countries are accepted without one. Otherwise a temporary licence must be obtained from the Department of Land Transport.
- Licence alone is enough if: issued by an ASEAN member country
- Otherwise you need: An IDP
- IDP format accepted: 1949
- Exception for licences from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam: ASEAN licence accepted without IDP
Source: Thailand government portal (Department of Land Transport) (official source), checked 10 November 2026.
Which IDP version Thailand accepts
Thailand is a party to both the 1949 Geneva and the 1968 Vienna Convention, so both IDP formats are recognised.
| Convention | Status |
|---|---|
| 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic | Party (acceded 15 August 1962) |
| 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic | Party (ratified 1 May 2020) |
Source: United Nations Treaty Collection.
Getting the right IDP for Thailand
Ask for the 1968 IDP. In the UK: PayPoint stores (choose the 1968 IDP). In the US: AAA. In Canada: CAA. Elsewhere: your national automobile club or licensing authority.
What the UK, US and Canadian governments tell their citizens
UK and Canadian licence holders need an IDP.
UK licence holdersIDP required. Version mentioned: 1968 IDP.You need a 1968 IDP plus your UK licence.Source: UK FCDO, updated 12 October 2026
US licence holdersNot covered by this source.
Canadian licence holdersIDP required.You need an IDP with a motorcycle endorsement to ride a motorcycle.Source: Government of Canada, updated 13 October 2026
What the governments say
Short quotes from each government's travel advice for its own citizens. The wording is theirs.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
You’ll need to carry both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence while driving. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
Source: UK FCDO travel advice for Thailand, updated 12 October 2026. Quoted as published.
Government of Canada
You must carry an international driving permit or a Thai driver's licence to drive in Thailand. … It is illegal to operate a motorcycle without a valid Thai motorcycle licence or an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement.
Source: Government of Canada travel advice for Thailand, updated 13 October 2026. Quoted as published.
Questions
Can I drive in Thailand with a foreign licence?
Foreign visitors need an IDP. Licences issued by ASEAN member countries are accepted without one. Otherwise a temporary licence must be obtained from the Department of Land Transport. Source: Thailand government portal (Department of Land Transport).
Can I drive in Thailand with a 1968 IDP?
Yes. Thailand is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention (ratified 1 May 2020), so a 1968 IDP is recognised. Carry it together with your national driving licence.
Can I drive in Thailand with a 1949 IDP?
Yes. Thailand is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention (acceded 15 August 1962), so a 1949 IDP is recognised. Carry it together with your national driving licence.
Do UK licence holders need an IDP in Thailand?
Yes. Version mentioned: 1968 IDP. You need a 1968 IDP plus your UK licence. Source: UK FCDO, updated 12 October 2026.
Do Canadian licence holders need an IDP in Thailand?
Yes. You need an IDP with a motorcycle endorsement to ride a motorcycle. Source: Government of Canada, updated 13 October 2026.
About International Driving Permits
What is an International Driving Permit?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is an official translation of your national driving licence, set out in a standard format agreed under United Nations road traffic conventions.
An IDP is not a licence on its own. It is valid only when carried together with your valid national driving licence. During a traffic stop, you must show both documents.
An IDP helps because it allows police, car rental companies and insurers abroad to read and understand your licence details, even where the language differs from their own.
You can only obtain an IDP from the country that issued your driving licence, and you must do this before you travel. It cannot be obtained or renewed once you are abroad.
Whether you need an IDP depends on your destination, where your licence was issued and sometimes how long you plan to stay. The answer for this country is at the top of this page.
1949 or 1968 IDP: which one do you need?
There are two main IDP formats, based on two UN road traffic conventions: the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1968 Vienna Convention. An older format, based on the 1926 Paris Convention, is still required in a few countries.
The 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. The 1968 IDP is valid for up to 3 years, or until your national licence expires, whichever comes first.
Your destination decides which format it accepts, based on the convention or conventions it has joined. Some countries are party to both the 1949 and 1968 conventions.
If you are visiting several countries on one trip, you may need more than one IDP, depending on which conventions each country has joined.
| Format | Based on | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 IDP | 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic | 1 year from date of issue |
| 1968 IDP | 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic | Up to 3 years, or until your national licence expires, whichever comes first |
| 1926 IDP | 1926 Paris Convention | Required in a few countries only |
The page for each country shows which convention it has joined.
Related
- International Driving Permit: all countries
- Do I need an IDP in Malaysia?
- Do I need an IDP in Cambodia?
- Do I need an IDP in Laos?
- Do I need an IDP in Myanmar?
- How to get citizenship of Thailand
Sources and methodology
- Thailand government portal (Department of Land Transport): rules for foreign drivers in Thailand (official source), checked 10 November 2026.
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Thailand. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Government of Canada: travel advice for Thailand. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
- United Nations Treaty Collection: status of the 1949 and 1968 road traffic conventions.
The licence statuses above were checked by hand against the government text on 9 November 2026. Government advice changes often: confirm the current rules with the official source before you travel.
Last checked 9 November 2026.