Temporary Import of Motorcycle into Thailand

Thai Department of Land Transport

How to apply for temporary import permit before using foreign-registered vehicle in Thailand.

Which type of vehicle can apply for temporary permit?

  • Motorcycle
  • Passenger car with no more than 9 seats (including driver seat).
  • Pick-up truck with no more than 3,500 kilograms of maximum permissible weight.

CANNOT APPLY: vans, camper cars, buses and trucks.

Exempted from this regulation:

  • Vehicle used for Thai-Foreign Government Collaboration.
  • Locally frequent vehicles under local customs jurisdiction.

  • Vehicles registered in Lao, Malaysia and Singapore.

    How do I apply for temporary permit for foreign-registered vehicle?

    You have to apply for the temporary permit through Thai travel agency that holds tourism business license issued by Department of Tourism.

    • The travel agency must operate with inbound or outbound tourism business license.
    • The application with required documents must all be submitted no less than 15 working days prior to the date of entry
    • The application can be submitted at Bangkok Land Transport Office Area 4 or any main provincial transport office.

    Validity of the temporary permit for foreign registered vehicle

    The temporary permit’s validity will be issued according to the submitted itinerary with 30 days as maximum for each time. You have a limited quota of 60 days per year.

    Condition for using foreign-registered vehicle in Thailand.

    Travel agency must assign a reasonable number of tour guides or escorts to assist and lead traveler throughout their journey in Thailand. The guidelines are as follow:

    • 1 to 5 vehicles. At least one tour guide/escort with one Thai-registered escorting vehicle.
    • 6 to 15 vehicles. At least 2 tour guides/escorts and 2 escorting vehicles.
    • More than 15 vehicles. At least 3 tour guides/escorts and 3 escorting vehicles.

    Tour guides or escorts must be Thai nationals while at least one escorting vehicle must be Thai-registered. In the case of more than one escorting vehicle, tour guides/escorts may aboard foreign-registered vehicle which travels with the group. Travel agency will have to declare the list of tour guides/escorts along with respective vehicle that each one aboard.

    What document you need for the application?

    Travel agency must submit documents concerning the agency itself as follow:

    • Photocopy of national identification card or certificate of legal person registration.
    • Photocopy of tourism business license.
    • Power of attorney (if the tourism business license holder does not process the application by themselves).
    • Letter declaring list of tour guides/escorts and escorting vehicles.
    • Application form.

    As for travels;

    • Photocopy of passport with no less than 6 months of validity (and photocopy of a passport page with entry visa unless the travelers come from one of the visa exempt countries).
    • Photocopy of driving license with no less than 5 months of validity.
    • Photocopy of vehicle registration certificate (and proof of ownership if not included).
    • Photocopy of vehicle inspection certificate.
    • Letter of Consent (if the owner of the vehicle is not part of the trip).
    • Pictures of vehicle in color (Body type and license plate of the vehicle must be visible).
    • Photocopy of compulsory motor vehicle insurance schedule.
    • Photocopy of third party liability insurance schedule. Minimum coverage are as follow;
      • 1,000,000 THB of loss of life, bodily injury or damage to health, per person in an accident.
      • 1,000,000 THB of property damage liability per accident.
    • Itinerary and Letter stating necessity of using foreign registered vehicle in Thailand, signed by traveler or signed and stamped by foreign travel agency cooperating with Thai Travel agency.

    Non-English document must be accompanied by certified Thai or English translation by a competent authority

    For more information

    • For Bangkok, Bangkok Land Transport Office Area 5 or International Transport Affairs Group of Planning Division.
    • For other provinces, the main provincial land transport office.

    To discuss the new Temporary Import of Motorcycles regulations you can use our forum, see New Rules: Temporary Import of Motorcycle into Thailand.

    Last Updated Sunday, 19 February 2017 @ 11:20 PM ICT