Driving licence for use in Laos
Quick answer
The driving licence is issued by Department of Land Transport. Overseas use normally needs an international driving permit or a certified translation alongside it. It is then translated to the standard Laos accepts, legalised at Consular Affairs and attested at the destination mission where the receiving body requires it.
Step by step
- Obtain a certified driving licence
Request it from Department of Land Transport. Overseas use normally needs an international driving permit or a certified translation alongside it.
- Translate to the accepted standard
A certified Lao or English translation
- Consular legalisation
File the original with its translation at the Department of Consular Affairs, MFA.
- Destination mission attestation
Attest at the Laos mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
Cautions
- Lao authorities commonly require a further certification at the Lao foreign ministry after the document arrives
- Overseas use normally needs an international driving permit or a certified translation alongside it
- Thailand acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 and it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, so no Thai Apostille is issued yet, so no Apostille is issued in Thailand. The working route is certified translation, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA), and then attestation at the destination country’s mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps to use a Thai driving licence in Laos?
Obtain the driving licence from Department of Land Transport, translate it to the accepted standard, have it legalised by the Department of Consular Affairs, then attested at the Laos mission in Thailand where the receiving body requires it.
Which version of the driving licence is needed?
Overseas use normally needs an international driving permit or a certified translation alongside it
Does the driving licence need an Apostille before going to Laos?
Thailand acceded to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention on 30 June 2026 and it enters into force for Thailand on 28 February 2027, so no Thai Apostille is issued yet, so no Apostille is issued in Thailand. The working route is certified translation, legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs (MFA), and then attestation at the destination country’s mission in Thailand where the receiving authority requires it.
What must the driving licence translation contain for Laos?
A certified Lao or English translation, and every part of the document must be translated, including stamps, signatures and marginal notes.
Who receives the legalised driving licence in Laos?
The Lao Embassy in Thailand and the receiving authority in Lao PDR
Which Laos-specific caution affects the driving licence?
Lao authorities commonly require a further certification at the Lao foreign ministry after the document arrives
Is the driving licence a public or a private document?
It is a public record issued by a state authority, so it can enter consular legalisation directly once an accurate translation is attached.
What if the name on the driving licence does not match the passport?
Connect the names as a chain using change-of-name records or a spelling confirmation, then translate and legalise them together as one bundle.