Can foreigners buy a license plate in Thailand?
Usually yes, if you live here on a long-stay visa. This guide covers who can register, the documents, and how buying a plate with us works.
Who can register a car and plate
In Thailand a number plate belongs to a registered car. To put a plate on a car in your name, you need to be able to register that car.
- People living in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa, such as Non-B (work), Non-O (family or marriage) or a retirement visa, can usually register a car in their own name.
- People on a tourist visa cannot register a car, so they cannot hold a plate in their own name.
- A car and plate can usually also be registered under a Thai company.
Documents foreigners usually need
- Your passport with a current visa
- Proof of your address in Thailand: a certificate of residence from the immigration office or your embassy, or a yellow house book (Tabien Baan)
- In some cases, your work permit
Each DLT office can ask for slightly different papers. Before you pay a deposit, send us your visa type on WhatsApp or LINE and we will tell you what to prepare.
Bangkok plates
Thai plates show the province where the car is registered, and a plate goes on a car registered in that province. If your car is registered outside Bangkok, message us first so we can check.
Graphic auction plates and classic white plates
Graphic auction plates are special numbers sold by the Department of Land Transport (DLT) at auction. They are printed with a picture background and have no embossed edges. They can be moved to another car or passed to another person.
Classic white plates have black letters on a white background. We take care of the paperwork for these too.
How buying works with us
- Choose a plate on this site, or send us the number you want.
- Message us on WhatsApp or LINE. You can write in English. Our sales team replies with help from a translation tool.
- Pay a deposit by bank transfer to a Thai bank account. The plate is held for you.
- We meet you at the Chatuchak DLT office to hand over the plate and do the transfer, or we deliver to your home in Bangkok.
Graphic auction plates are usually quick: after the deposit you can receive the plate right away. Classic white plates take about one month or more.
If we cannot complete the transfer, you get a full refund or you can choose another plate.
Reading a Thai plate
A Thai plate has one or two Thai letters, sometimes with a digit in front, followed by a number of up to four digits. The province name is written below. For example, 9กธ 999 reads as the letters กธ with a leading 9, then the number 999. When you search our site, search by the number.
Not sure if you can register?
Tell us your visa type and the plate you like. We will check and reply.