The ultimate guide to driving license in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the top destinations for tourists and the best places for foreigners to live and work in Asia in recent years. A large number of foreigners wonder if they can drive motorcycles or cars in Vietnam using their driving licenses which were issued in their countries. What should foreigners if they would like to get Vietnamese driving licenses? This guide to driving license in Vietnam lets you know more about driving license in the S-shaped country, be confident to use your international driving license or arrange to get a Vietnamese driver’s license.

Use your IDP or IAA driver license in Vietnam – best choice of tourists

IAA (International Automobile Association) is not related to any government or state agency in the world. An IAA driver’s license is valid for 10 – 20 years and valid in 190 countries, including Vietnam.

Your IDP (International Driving Permit) is valid in Vietnam if it was issued by one of the countries listed in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which was signed on 8th November 1968 and came into force on 21st May 1977. The participants include:

• Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria,
• Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark,
• Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy,
• Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Norway,
• Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland,
• Tajikistan, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe.

*Note:

• IDP or IAA driving license is valid if you are a traveler having a tourist visa, being valid for less than 3 months.
• Whether you have IDP or IAA driving license, you must bring the domestic driving license with you when you drive in Vietnam. If you can not present your domestic driver’s license to police upon request, your IDP or IAA driver’s license is not accepted and you will be punished.
• You do not have IDP or IAA but a driving license issued by one of the countries listed in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, you can convert your domestic driving license into IDP online at https://www.e-ita.org/vietnam.
• If you stay in Vietnam for a long time and have a work permit OR you have a visa which is valid for more than 3 months, you must get a Vietnam driver’s license for foreigner by exchanging your domestic driving license into Vietnamese driving license or registering and passing exams.

What to know about classes of driving licenses in Vietnam?

• A1 motorcycle driving license is offered to people aged 18 and above, who only want to ride two-wheel motorcycles with engine capacity from 50 cc to 175 cc.
• A2 motorcycle driving license in Vietnam is the choice for a person who wants to ride two-wheel motorcycles with engine capacity from 175 and A1 license-friendly motorcycles.
• A3 motorcycle driving license: three-wheel motorcycles and A2 license-friendly motorcycles.
• B1 (automatic car & truck) for the person who does not work as a driver and only rides only automatic cars with less than 9 seats, automatic trucks with a loading capacity of less than 3,500 kg, automatic car for the disabled.
• B1 (manual car & truck) for the person who only rides only manual cars with less than 9 seats, manual trucks with a loading capacity of less than 3,500 kg, manual car for the disabled.
• B2 for the person who work as a driver and wants to ride cars with less than 9 seats and trucks with a loading capacity of less than 3,500 kg.
• There are also A4, C, D, E, F, FB2, FC, FD, FE.

 

How to exchange a domestic driving license issued in your country or international driving license into Vietnam driving license?

Condition

• You stay in Vietnam for a long time and have a work permit OR you have a visa that is valid for more than 3 months.
• You have IDP which was issued by one of the countries participating in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic OR IAA driver’s license.
• You do not have IDP or IAA but a driving license issued by one of the countries listed in Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, you can convert your domestic driving license into IDP online at https://www.e-ita.org/vietnam.

What to do?

Step 1 – Prepare documents as follows:

• Three photos 3×4 cm;
• Driving license, one copy of your driving license, with a translated and notarized version (by a public notary place);
• Passport, one notarized copy of the passport (including visa page). Note that the passport and visa should be valid;
• Your temporary residence card.

Step 2 – Bring documents to Department of Transportation of provincial city or province where you live

• Go to Directorate for Roads of Vietnam, Department of Transportation of provincial city or province where you live. In Hanoi, you can go to Hanoi Department of Transportation at 2 Phung Hung Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi or 252 Ly Chinh Thang Street, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Submit the documents and pay a fee which is VND 135,000.
• Let them take a photo and receive the your passport and driving license after they copy and scan them.
• Receive a receipt.

Step 3 – Receive Vietnam driving license

• Come to the department, show them the receipt to receive your new Vietnam driving license after 7 days.
• If you register express service, the driving license will be sent to your place after 7 days.

How to get a Vietnam driver’s license for foreigner?

Condition

• You are Vietnamese person or a foreigner who studies or works in Vietnam for over 3 months.
• You are above 18 years old.

What to do?

• Find a trusted driving training center near you.
• Register with the center, provide documents they ask for and pay fees as requested. Do not forget to ask them to clarify the fees.
• Join the class to listen to theory test lessons and driving lessons, practice driving with teachers. In case you drive well, you do not need to take driving lessons or practice. The center will announce to you when to take the tests.
• Take theory tests and driving tests.

Who to contact?

You should come to one of the driving training centers near you. Some of the driving training centers in the center of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are as follows:

• Ho Chi Minh City Motorcycle & Car Driving Training Center at 39/1 Tran Hung Dao Street, Cau Kho Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; Website: https://truongdaotaolaixehcm.com; Tel: 1900 633670.
• Thanh Cong Car Driving Training Center at 439 Hoang Van Thu Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City; Website: https://trungtamhoanggia.com; Tel: +84 28 3780 1232.
• Hoang Gia Car Driving Training Center at  37-39 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; Website: https://trungtamhoanggia.com; Tel: +84 28 38305555.
• PCCC Car Driving Training Center – Ministry of Public Security at 243 Khuat Duy Tien Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi; Website: http://daotaolaixeoto.vn; Hotline: +84 978 699 866.
• C500 Car Driving Training Center – Security Academy at 12 Tran Phu Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi; Website: https://hoclaixec500.com; Hotline: 1900 8921.

Documents

• One notarized copy of the passport (including visa page).
• Application form for request of learning and taking driving tests.
• 4 photos 3×4 cm with blue background, taken at the learning system.
• Medical examiner’s certificate. The medical tests take place at driving training centers.

Cost of getting A1 motorcycle driving license in Vietnam

• Cost for medical tests: VND 135,000.
• Cost for driving theory test: VND 40,000; Fee for driving practice test: VND 50,000.
• Cost for PET-card driving license: VND 135,000.
• Cost for learning materials, courses, documents and organizing driving tests: different at different driving training centers, about VND 150,000.

Cost of getting B2 motorcycle driving license in Vietnam

• Cost for driving theory and practice test and PET-card driving license: VND 585,000.
• Learning materials, documents: from VND 150,000.
• Medical tests: VND 135,000.
• Theory test and driving lesson: driving theory test lessons cost VND 3,000,000, driving practice lessons cost VND 200,000/1 hour.

Driving theory and driving tests

Driving theory test on a category A1 small motorcycle consists of 20 questions and you must answer at least 16 questions correctly within 20 minutes. You should study with a full list of possible 150 questions. The driving test to get an A1 motorcycle license is as shown in the image.

In order to pass the driving theory test on a category B2, you should study a list of possible 600 car license test questions, and must answer 32 questions right out of 36 within 20 minutes. See the image and video about the test here.