You need your driving licence and an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in Thailand, but the official pages do not agree on which kind. GOV.UK's Thailand travel advice says to carry both the 1968 version of the IDP and your UK licence, and its country table lists Thailand as a 1968 country. A Thai government page, which cites the Department of Land Transport, lists the IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention among the foreign licences acceptable in Thailand. Below are the pages side by side with their dates, then where to get the permit in the UK and the US, hire bikes, insurance and temporary Thai licences, as read on 16 October 2026. It is not legal advice.
Do you need an international driving permit in Thailand?
GOV.UK's travel advice says: if you are planning to drive in Thailand, you will need to carry both the 1968 version of the IDP and your UK driving licence while driving. The Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague, on a page dated 8 September 2022, says that for driving either a vehicle or a motorcycle while visiting Thailand it is required by law to hold an international driving licence, and to show it with your passport and national licence when asked.
1949 or 1968: what the pages say
| Source | What it says about Thailand | Date |
|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK, IDP country table | Type 1968 | Page updated 29 January 2025 |
| GOV.UK, Thailand travel advice | Carry the 1968 IDP and your UK licence | Page updated 12 October 2026 |
| thailand.go.th (Government Public Relations Department), citing the Department of Land Transport | Acceptable foreign licences: an IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention, or a licence from another ASEAN member country | Created 17 May 2023, updated 11 August 2023 |
| UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Geneva Convention | Thailand acceded on 15 August 1962 | Read 16 October 2026 |
| UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Vienna Convention | Thailand signed on 8 November 1968 and ratified on 1 May 2020 | Read 16 October 2026 |
| AAA, list of countries under the 1949 Geneva Convention | Thailand is on the list | As of August 2026 |
None of these pages says which permit a Thai police officer or a hire company will accept from a UK visitor. The Department of Land Transport's own English site did not open from here on 16 October 2026, so its current wording could not be checked; thailand.go.th gives its telephone number as +66 2271 8888. GOV.UK says that if you already have an IDP you should make sure it is still valid in the country you are visiting. Ask the Department or a Thai embassy before you buy. For Japan, see international driving permit Japan.
Where to get the permit
From the UK. GOV.UK says you get an IDP in person from certain shops that have PayPoint, for £5.50. You must live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, hold a full UK licence and be 18 or over. A 1949 permit lasts 12 months and a 1968 permit 3 years or until your UK licence expires, whichever comes first. You cannot buy one outside the UK, so do it before you fly. The steps and the documents are in how to get an international driving permit, and the country table is in the international driving permit guide.
From the US. USAGov, the US government's information site (last updated 14 April 2026), names two organisations authorised by the US Department of State to issue IDPs: the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). It says to carry both the IDP and your licence, that an IDP is valid for one year and cannot be renewed, and warns of fraudulent sites. AAA shows a $20 permit fee, plus sales tax where it applies, and asks for a valid US licence and two passport photos in person or by post; online it adds a $10 photo fee and shipping. A permit that goes with a US licence can only be issued in the USA. AAA issues permits only to people who hold a US licence, so a UK licence holder cannot get one there.
Hire cars, scooters and insurance
GOV.UK warns that motorcycles and scooters for hire in tourist areas are often unregistered and cannot be used legally on a public road. Check the lease for limits on engine size and licences. Many policies expect you to hold the correct UK licence for the car, motorbike or scooter; if you would not be allowed to drive it in the UK, your insurer may not cover you in Thailand. Driving without a valid licence could invalidate your travel insurance and leave you unable to claim after an accident. By law you must wear a helmet on a motorcycle. GOV.UK adds that the World Health Organisation ranks Thailand as one of the world's deadliest countries for motorcycle fatalities.
Staying longer: Thai licences
If your own licence cannot be used in Thailand, thailand.go.th says a temporary licence valid for 30 days is issued by the Provincial Land Transport Office in the province where the traveller entered. It asks for a passport with at least 6 months of validity, a certificate of address from the tour operator, a medical certificate no more than one month old and a valid foreign licence of the same type with a Thai translation by an authorised agency. The steps are a physical fitness test and a one-hour training session; the fees are 205 baht for the licence and 100 baht for the photo and plastic card.
For people who stay in Thailand temporarily, the Hague embassy page describes a one-year temporary licence from the Department of Land Transport or a Provincial Land Transport Office, with a visa other than a tourist visa, proof of residence, a health certificate and an international or translated national licence. If you live in Thailand, GOV.UK says you can apply for a Thai licence using your UK licence.
What BlitzBuddy does
BlitzBuddy does not check licences or permits. Its speed camera warnings work in the five countries where it warns and switch on by themselves on arrival; in the UK, Ireland, Thailand and every other country you get none, while your speed, your trips and reports from other drivers still work. Where speed camera warnings are allowed covers the rules by country. BlitzBuddy is free, with no ads and no subscription. It is available for iPhone; the Android version is coming soon.
More guides on permits, tolls and low emission zones are collected under driving abroad.
Sources
- Thailand travel advice: Safety and security, GOV.UK
- Check if you need an international driving permit (IDP), GOV.UK
- Get an international driving permit (IDP), GOV.UK
- The steps for obtaining a temporary driver's license for foreign tourists, Government Public Relations Department, Thailand (updated 11 August 2023)
- Driving in Thailand, Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague (dated 8 September 2022)
- Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna 1968: status, United Nations Treaty Collection
- Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva 1949: status, United Nations Treaty Collection
- International driver's license for U.S. citizens, USAGov
- International Driving Permit, AAA
- Countries that honor International Driving Permits, AAA (pdf, as of August 2026)
Sources read on 16 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an international driving permit in Thailand?
GOV.UK's Thailand travel advice says you need to carry both the 1968 version of the international driving permit and your UK driving licence while driving. A Thai government page lists the permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention among the foreign licences acceptable in Thailand.
Which international driving permit is valid for Thailand, 1949 or 1968?
The pages disagree. GOV.UK's table and travel advice give 1968; thailand.go.th, citing the Department of Land Transport, names 1949. The UN treaty record shows Thailand as a party to both conventions. Ask the Department of Land Transport or a Thai embassy before you travel.
Can I get an international driving permit for Thailand once I am there?
Not with a UK licence: GOV.UK says you cannot buy an IDP outside the UK. AAA says a permit for a US licence can only be issued in the USA, though it takes applications online or by post from people already abroad.
How much is an international driving permit for Thailand?
GOV.UK gives £5.50 for one permit, bought at selected PayPoint shops. In the US, AAA shows a $20 permit fee, plus sales tax where it applies; its online route adds a $10 photo fee and shipping.
Is my travel insurance valid if I ride a scooter in Thailand?
Not automatically. GOV.UK says many policies expect you to hold the correct licence for the vehicle, and that driving without a valid licence could invalidate your insurance. Check the policy and the hire agreement before you ride.
