By Javier Sánchez · Updated 2026-10-19

Translating your foreign licence for the Thai DLT

If your licence is not in English or Thai, the DLT wants a certified translation. Who must certify it depends on your embassy and on the office, so confirm both before you pay.

This is one step of the main guide: how to get a Thai driving licence as a foreigner.

Do you need a translation?

Only if your licence is not in English or Thai. If it is, bring the original and a copy. If it uses another script or language, the DLT expects a translation into Thai or English. Some people report that an International Driving Permit helps, because it is multilingual, but offices differ on whether they ask for it with the home licence.

Who certifies the translation

This is where sources differ, and it is the reason to ask first.

What sources report: Who must certify the translation?

  • Your embassy. A translation company says the translation must be certified by your home embassy. Sawadee Translations, a translation company
  • Some embassies certify the translation themselves, others authenticate the original licence or issue their own extract. same company
  • The consular centre can prepare it for a fee in the Swiss case. Swiss FDFA
  • A translator on the embassy's approved list, otherwise the embassy may decline to certify it. a forum user, German licence

So the safe order is: ask your embassy what it does, then ask the DLT office whether it accepts that.

What it costs

We found few real prices. A Bangkok translation company lists certified driving licence translation from 700 THB per page, and one forum user reported about 1,000 THB for a German licence. Embassy fees are not published in the sources we found.

Sources from translation companies are selling a service, so treat their requirements as a starting point and confirm with the embassy and the DLT.

Legalisation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

One translation company says some DLT offices also want the translation legalised by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which adds a step and a fee. Most guides do not mention it, so ask your office whether it applies to you.

Before you pay anyone

  1. Ask the DLT office

    What it accepts: embassy certification, an approved translator or both.

  2. Ask your embassy

    Whether it certifies translations, which translators it lists and the fee.

  3. Do it early

    The translation does not expire like the 30-day certificates, so it can be ready before the medical certificate.

  4. Keep copies

    Bring the original licence, the translation and a copy of each.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to translate my driving licence for the DLT?

Only if it is not in English or Thai. If it is, the original and a copy are enough.

Does the embassy have to certify the translation?

Often yes, but practice differs by embassy and by DLT office. Ask both before you pay.

How much does a certified licence translation cost in Thailand?

The only figures we found are from about 700 THB per page at a Bangkok translator to around 1,000 THB reported on a forum. Embassy fees are not published.

Can an International Driving Permit replace the translation?

Not reliably. Some offices accept the IDP next to the home licence, others do not. Ask your office.

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Related guides

Which visa do you need for a Thai driving licence? A non-immigrant visa is the safe bet for converting a foreign licence in Thailand. What offices accept on a tourist visa or DTV, and what to do first. Medical certificate for a Thai driving licence What the DLT medical certificate is, what the clinic checks, what it costs (about 100-300 THB at a clinic), how long it is valid and when to get it. Do you need an International Driving Permit in Thailand? Do you need an International Driving Permit to drive in Thailand? Rules for tourists and residents, the motorcycle category, fines and insurance.

Sources

Requirements, fees and procedures change and differ by office. Confirm with the Department of Land Transport or your local office before you act.