The International Driving Permit for Thailand: what riders actually need
7 min read · Updated June 2026 · By the RideLanna team in Chiang Mai
Short version: to legally ride any scooter or motorbike in Thailand as a visitor you need two documents, your home licence with a motorcycle category and an International Driving Permit carrying that same motorcycle endorsement. Not one or the other. Both.
This guide explains the rule, the real-world consequences of skipping it, and how to get an IDP before you fly. It takes most people under an hour at home and costs less than a nice dinner.
What the law actually says
Thailand recognises IDPs under the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions. The IDP is a translation booklet that accompanies your home licence, it is not a licence by itself. For two wheels it must show category A (motorcycles), which only appears if your home licence includes motorcycles.
A car-only licence with an IDP does not entitle you to ride a scooter, even a 110cc one. That is the detail most travellers miss, and the one insurers lean on when they refuse a claim.
What happens if you ride without one
Day to day: police checkpoints around Chiang Mai (the moat, Huay Kaew Road toward Doi Suthep, Route 1095 to Pai) stop scooters routinely. Riding without a valid licence and IDP means a fine, typically 500 to 1,000 THB, and you can be stopped again the same day.
The real cost is insurance. Travel policies require you to be legally licensed for the vehicle you ride. Unlicensed means your medical evacuation, hospital bills and liability are on you. Private hospital care for a serious crash runs into tens of thousands of dollars. The IDP is not bureaucracy, it is the key that keeps your insurance alive.
How to get an IDP (it is easy, at home, before the trip)
IDPs are issued by the motoring authority or automobile association of the country that issued your licence. You cannot get one in Thailand for a foreign licence, so sort it before you fly:
- United States: AAA, around 20 USD, walk-in or by mail
- United Kingdom: at the Post Office, 5.50 GBP, five minutes
- Australia: your state motoring club (NRMA, RACV, RACQ...), around 49 AUD
- Canada: CAA, around 30 CAD
- EU countries: your national automobile club or licensing office, typically 15 to 25 EUR
- Bring passport photos, your licence, and ask explicitly for the 1968 convention IDP where both are offered
No motorcycle licence at home? Your honest options
Option one: get the motorcycle category at home before travelling. It is the only option that keeps both the law and your insurance fully on your side, and the skills course will genuinely make you safer on Thai roads.
Option two: long-stayers can obtain a Thai motorcycle licence at a Department of Land Transport office, which involves residency paperwork, a medical certificate and a test. Realistic for expats and slow travellers, not for a two-week holiday.
Option three: do not ride. Chiang Mai has songthaews, Grab and tour drivers for every route in this guide's sister articles. A driver for a day costs less than one X-ray.
Quick answers
Do I really need an IDP if shops rent without asking?
The shop's leniency does not transfer to the police or your insurer. Renting is easy without one, riding legally is not. Get the IDP.
My IDP has no motorcycle category. Can I ride a 50cc or an electric scooter?
Anything registered as a motorcycle needs the A category, regardless of engine size. Some electric bicycles fall outside motorcycle rules, but rental e-scooters and mopeds in Thailand generally do not.
How long is an IDP valid?
1949-convention IDPs are valid one year from issue, 1968-convention permits up to three years (capped by your licence expiry). Thailand accepts both, check which one your country issues.
Will RideLanna check my licence?
Yes. Every RideLanna partner checks your home licence and IDP at delivery. It protects you, your insurance and the shop. It also means no awkward surprises at a roadside checkpoint.
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