Driving licence and IDP for a rental car in Thailand

To drive a car in Thailand as a visitor you need your national driving licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP), or a Thai driving licence. The IDP is a booklet that translates your licence; it is issued in your own country before the trip, usually in a day, and it is only valid together with the licence it belongs to. Without it a rental is still handed over by many agencies, but you are driving illegally, and that is the part that can cost you real money after an accident.

Updated 2026-09-18

What you need to have in the car

Your national driving licence, valid, in the category for a car.
An International Driving Permit — the 1968 Vienna Convention version, or the older 1949 Geneva one. Both are accepted in Thailand.
Your passport, or a copy of it with the entry stamp.
The rental contract and the insurance papers, which we keep in the glovebox.

What the police actually check

Traffic police in Phuket set up checkpoints on the main roads, most often around Chalong circle, on the way to Patong and on route 402 near the airport. They stop cars at random and ask for a licence; in a car they also look at seat belts. It is a routine check, it takes a minute, and the usual outcome for a tourist with the right documents is that you drive on.

If you have no IDP, the officer can fine you on the spot for driving without a valid licence. The fine itself is not the expensive part — the insurance is.

Why the IDP matters more than the fine

Thai motor insurance covers the driver named in the rental contract who holds a licence valid in Thailand. If you crash without a valid licence, the insurer can refuse the claim, and then the damage to the rental car, the other car and anything else stops being a ฿15,000 excess and becomes the full repair bill. Travel and medical insurance policies usually have the same clause for injuries.

This is the whole reason we ask for the IDP at hand-over. It costs a few euros at home and it is the difference between an annoying afternoon and a bill you will remember.

If you already live in Thailand

A Thai driving licence replaces both documents. If you are on a long-stay visa it is worth getting: the process at the Phuket Land Transport Office takes a day, and the licence is also accepted as ID in most places.

Rules that surprise visitors

Traffic drives on the left. The first ten minutes are the dangerous ones; take them slowly and follow the car in front.
Seat belts are required in the front and the back, and checkpoints do look at this.
The alcohol limit is low and checks are common in the evening. Drink-driving voids the insurance completely.
Speed limits are posted: usually 60 km/h in towns and 80–90 km/h on route 402, the main road along the island.
Overtaking motorbikes appear on both sides. Check the mirror before every turn and before opening a door.

Questions

Can I rent a car in Phuket without an International Driving Permit?

Many agencies will hand you the keys, but you would be driving without a licence that is valid in Thailand, and the insurance can be refused after an accident. We ask every renter for an IDP together with the national licence.

Is a photo of my licence enough?

No. Bring the physical licence and the physical IDP. A photo on the phone is useful as a backup if you lose them, nothing more.

How long is an IDP valid?

Usually one year from the date it was issued, and never longer than your national licence. Check the date before you fly — an expired IDP is the same as none.