Chiang Mai office guide
Convert a foreign driving licence in Chiang Mai.
For the currently verified foreigner/new-Thai-licence route, start with Office No. 2 at Mae Hia. Office No. 1 did not expose that service in the English queue checked on 20 August 2026.
Your route
Three checks before you book.
Use Office No. 2
Mae Hia is the driving-licence office; No. 1 is the wrong counter for this job.
Confirm the service
A selectable office still needs the correct foreign-licence appointment.
Solve address proof
Use the Chiang Mai Immigration form, then confirm the finished letter with No. 2.
Where to apply
Use Office No. 2 at Mae Hia for driving-licence work
The similar office names cause avoidable wrong trips. Official provincial material assigns driving-licence services to Office No. 2.
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Map of Chiang Mai city focused on Provincial Land Transport Office No. 2 at Mae Hia.- Selectable
- Listed, disabled
- Map only
Before you choose an office
Use the positive service signal, not the similar office name
Office No. 1 at Nong Hoi remained listed but disabled and did not expose the checked foreigner service. That is not proof that the office has no licence function or is closed. For this route, use the positively verified Office No. 2 service unless the DLT directs you elsewhere.
Office No. 2 is at Mae Hia on the road south
Office No. 2 is at 192 Moo 7 on Chiang Mai–Hot Road in Mae Hia and handles driving-licence services. On 20 August 2026 it was selectable and exposed ‘Foreigner: NEW THAI DRIVING LICENCE’. Confirm that the appointment covers conversion from your foreign licence.
Treat queue visibility and service acceptance separately
The foreigner service label is stronger than office visibility alone, but it still does not prove conversion eligibility, a free date, language support, or acceptance of your category and documents. Confirm the booked service when the label is unclear.
Chiang Mai document stack
Resolve local residence evidence before the short medical window
The national checklist applies in Chiang Mai. The local timing risk is usually address evidence obtained outside the DLT, followed by the 30-day medical certificate.
Passport
Address proof
Medical
Home licence
E-learning
Passport and current stay copies
Bring the original passport and requested identity, entry, or extension copies.
The published operational checklist asks for at least 15 days remaining, and the foreign licence should remain valid for the full authorised Thai stay. Confirm near-expiry cases with Office No. 2.
Certificate of Residence or confirmed alternative
Chiang Mai Immigration links to a dedicated letter-of-residence form generator.
Its checklist asks for passport and visa or stamp pages, TM.30, residence proof such as a rental agreement or house registration, one 2-inch photo, and ink signatures on copies. The office is at 71 Moo 3 Airport Road, Suthep 50200, phone 053 201 755. Confirm the finished document with DLT Office No. 2.
Medical certificate, foreign licence, and translation if needed
The health certificate must fall inside the published 30-day window.
Bring the valid original foreign licence and copy. If it has no English, add the certified Thai or English evidence required by the regulation. Car and motorcycle categories must be separately visible.
One-hour foreigner e-learning result
Complete the official DLT module and keep a digital and printed result. Confirm whether the selected office accepts the online result for the booked service and whether two applications require duplicate paper sets.
Chiang Mai appointment flow
The office number changes the journey, not the national test rule
The enacted DLT table normally treats written and driving tests as passed after same-type evidence is accepted. Physical screening remains at Office No. 2.
- 1
Match the booking to the numbered office
Check the office number, address, appointment category, and vehicle type before leaving.
A booking for No. 2 does not send you to No. 1, and a generic new-licence label may not explain the foreign-evidence route clearly enough.
- 2
Submit documents before screening
Staff first check passport, residence, medical, training, licence validity, language, and category.
Carry originals and the requested copies. If a car and motorcycle application are both planned, confirm the number of medical and residence originals in advance.
- 3
Complete reaction and vision checks
Physical screening is separate from the computer theory test and practical driving test.
English explanations may be available but are not guaranteed by the national checklist, so arrange language help if you cannot confirm the station instructions.
- 4
Clarify any full-test instruction
If theory or practical testing is assigned, ask what triggered it.
The registrar may request more evidence, medical confirmation, or a driving retest after reviewing suitability, history, or the evidence. An accepted application normally produces a 2-year temporary Thai licence; a car-only entitlement still cannot create a motorcycle category.
Chiang Mai costs
Budget for documents and the correct cross-city journey
The counter tariff is the same national amount. The local variation comes from residence evidence, clinic timing, translation, copies, and travelling to the correct numbered office.
Official DLT counter charge
The current checklist lists 205 baht for a private car licence and 105 baht for a motorcycle licence, including the application fee. Two categories are separate Thai licences and can require separate supporting originals.
Variable local expenses
Residence evidence, clinic fees, certified translation, photocopies, photographs if requested, and transport are separate. Travelling to the wrong numbered office can also create a repeat trip, so verify the address attached to the appointment.
Keep optional assistance outside the government fee
Language help and document preparation do not change the legal evidence required and are not part of the DLT tariff. Confirm the official office route and file before paying for any optional support.
Conversion FAQ
The questions to settle before you travel.
These answers follow the published national rules. The selected office still confirms your documents and vehicle category.
What Thai licence does an accepted conversion produce?
It normally produces a 2-year temporary Thai licence. After holding it for at least one year, an eligible holder can use the ordinary private-licence route; that later step is not automatic, and the regulation excludes some immigration statuses including tourism, sport, and transit admissions.Which Chiang Mai DLT office should I use for licence conversion?
Start with Office No. 2 at Mae Hia. Official provincial material confirms driving-licence services there, and on 20 August 2026 it exposed the foreigner new-licence service in Smart Queue. Confirm that the appointment covers conversion from your licence.What did Smart Queue show for Chiang Mai Office No. 1?
It was listed but disabled and did not expose the checked foreigner new-licence service on 20 August 2026. That is not an office-closure notice or proof that it has no licence function. Office No. 2 at Mae Hia was the positively verified route.What documents are needed in Chiang Mai?
Prepare passport and copies, accepted Thai residence evidence, a medical certificate within 30 days, the valid original foreign licence and copy, certified translation if it has no English, and the one-hour DLT e-learning result.Are theory and practical tests required in Chiang Mai?
Published DLT rules generally waive written and driving tests for an accepted valid same-type foreign licence, while physical screening remains. The office can assign the standard route when the category or documents are not accepted.How much does foreign-licence conversion cost in Chiang Mai?
The published DLT counter fee is 205 baht for car or 105 baht for motorcycle. Residence evidence, clinic, translation, copies, and local travel are separate.
How we checked it
Official rules first. Branch details second.
For the foreign/new-Thai-licence route checked here, use Office No. 2 at Mae Hia. On 20 August 2026 it was selectable and exposed ‘Foreigner: NEW THAI DRIVING LICENCE’; Office No. 1 did not expose that service. The label still does not guarantee conversion eligibility or a date.
Independent guide · Official sources checked · Branch process can vary.
Show all 11 official references
Official guidance
Department of Land Transport: How to get your first Thai driving licence — foreign-licence conversion checklistLaw
Department of Land Transport / Royal Gazette: Enacted rules for training and testing driving-licence applicants (2022)Law
Royal Thai Government Gazette: Ministerial regulation on applications and issue of driving licences (2020)Law
Royal Thai Government Gazette: Motor Vehicle Act amendment — two-year temporary driving licenceOfficial service
Thailand Government Contact Center: Temporary private driving licence service handbookOfficial service
Department of Land Transport: DLT e-LearningOfficial service
Department of Land Transport: DLT appointment serviceOfficial guidance
Chiang Mai Provincial Government: Provincial agency directory — Mae Hia transport office addressOfficial guidance
Chiang Mai Provincial Government: Mae Hia transport office — new and renewed driving-licence servicesOfficial service
Chiang Mai Immigration: English services and letter-of-residence formOfficial guidance
Chiang Mai Immigration: Office address and telephone
Confirm the branch, then prepare only if needed.
Use the full checklist for the national baseline and confirm the selected branch before travelling. Only prepare for theory if that office says it applies to your case.
