CONVERTING A FOREIGN DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR USE IN VIETNAM: A COMPLETE GUIDE (2026)

Tuesday, 04/08/26

Thousands of foreigners move to Vietnam every year for work, business, or long-term residence. However, many are unaware that an international driving permit (IDP) or a foreign driver's license alone may not always be sufficient for legal driving in Vietnam. In this complete 2026 guide, we explain everything you need to know about converting a foreign driver's license in Vietnam, including eligibility requirements, required documents, processing times, costs, and the latest regulations.

WHO CAN CONVERT A FOREIGN DRIVER'S LICENSE IN VIETNAM?

Under Circular No. 108/2026/TT-BCA, effective from 1 July 2026, the following individuals are eligible to convert a valid foreign driver's license into an equivalent Vietnamese driver's license.

You may apply for a driver's license conversion if you are:

A foreign national residing, working, or studying in Vietnam and holding a valid driver's license issued by a competent foreign authority.
A holder of a visa or Temporary Residence Card (TRC) with a validity period of at least 90 days.
A holder of a valid Permanent Residence Card (PRC), diplomatic identity card, or official identity card.
A Vietnamese citizen who has continuously lived, studied, or worked abroad for at least three (03) months and possesses a valid foreign driver's license.

Applicants should carefully review the applicable regulations before beginning the conversion process to ensure that they satisfy all legal requirements.

WHICH FOREIGN DRIVER'S LICENSES CAN BE CONVERTED IN VIETNAM?

A valid foreign driver's license issued by a competent foreign authority may be converted into the equivalent Vietnamese driver's license category, provided that the applicant satisfies all applicable legal requirements.

The converted Vietnamese driver's license will correspond to the vehicle categories specified on the original foreign driver's license. For example, a foreign national holding a driver's license authorizing the operation of motorcycles with an engine capacity exceeding 175cc and passenger cars with fewer than nine seats may be granted the equivalent A2 and B2 licenses in Vietnam.

Licenses Not Eligible for Conversion:

Temporary foreign driver's licenses.
International Driving Permits (IDPs).
Expired, altered, damaged, or illegible driver's licenses that do not contain sufficient information or contain inconsistent identification details.
Driver's licenses issued by authorities that are not legally competent to issue driver's licenses.

DETAILED GUIDANCE ON PROCEDURE OF DRIVER’S LICENSES CONVERSION 2026

Full Procedure of Converting a Driver’s Licenses	Detailed Breakdown of Every Step in Driver’s License Conversion application
Step 1: Preparing Required Documents	📌 Required documents: Application form for converting a foreign driver’s license Certified Vietnamese translation of the foreign driver’s license Valid medical certificate issued by an authorized medical facility (not required if the conversion is within the validity of the visa or temporary residence card) A certified copy of one of the following documents: + Temporary Residence Card (TRC) + Permanent Residence Card + Diplomatic Identity Card + Official Identity Card
Step 2: Applying for Driver’s License Conversion for foreign expatriates	📌 Schedule an appointment by phone: 028.1081 (Call to book an appointment and select your preferred driver's license conversion office. Visit the office on your appointment date to complete the conversion procedure.) Applicants may choose one of the following Driver's License Conversion Offices of the Traffic Police Division in Ho Chi Minh City to complete the conversion procedure before scheduling an appointment: 🏢 In Ho Chi Minh city: Office No. 1: 252 Ly Chinh Thang Street, Nhieu Loc Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Office No. 2: 111 Tan Son Nhi Street, Tan Son Nhi Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Office No. 3: 08 Nguyen Anh Thu Street, Trung My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City. · Application Submission Hours: From Monday to Friday Morning: 7:30 AM – 11:30 AM Afternoon: 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM During this step, the applicant is required to present the original documents for verification, have their photograph taken, and pay the applicable fee.
Step 3: Receiving the result	Processing Time: Digital Driver's License: Available within 5–7 working days. You can check the status or access your digital driver's license at: https://gplx.csgt.bocongan.gov.vn/ Physical Driver's License: Issued within 2–3 months. The applicant may choose to receive the converted license either by postal service or directly at the office where the application was submitted.

VALIDITY PERIOD AND CONVERSION FEES

Item

Details

Validity Period

The validity of a converted Vietnamese driver's license is based on the shortest remaining validity among:

The applicant's passport
Temporary Residence Card (TRC) or visa
Foreign driver's license.

In addition, the validity period must comply with the maximum duration permitted under Vietnamese law for the corresponding license category.
For example, if your passport remains valid for three years, your Temporary Residence Card is valid for two years, and your foreign driver's license is valid for five years, the converted Vietnamese driver's license will generally be issued with a validity period of no more than two years.

Conversion Fees

Government fee: 135,000 VND (approximately USD $6)
Additional fee: document translation and notarization, medical examination (if required), postal delivery (optional), and other service charges.
Please note that processing fees and administrative requirements may be amended from time to time in accordance with the latest regulations.

📞 NEED ASSISTANCE WITH CONVERTING YOUR FOREIGN DRIVER'S LICENSE? CONTACT VISA5S.COM FOR PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Converting a foreign driver's license in Vietnam involves preparing the correct documents and complying with the latest regulations. At Visa5s.com, our experienced team provides comprehensive support throughout the entire conversion process, including:

Assessing your eligibility for driver's license conversion.
Advising on the required documents and application procedures.
Assisting with document translation and notarization (if required).
Preparing and reviewing your application to ensure accuracy.
Supporting you throughout the submission process and keeping you updated on the application status.

👉 Contact Visa5s.com today for fast, reliable, and hassle-free foreign driver's license conversion services in Vietnam.

RELATED ARTICLES TO TEMPORARY RESIDENCE CARD & VISA VIETNAM

OUR INSTRUCTION

CONVERTING A FOREIGN DRIVER'S LICENSE FOR USE IN VIETNAM: A COMPLETE GUIDE (2026)

How can we help?

FAQs