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Car or motorcycle bought with you
ซื้อรถยนต์หรือมอเตอร์ไซค์ไปด้วยกัน
A vehicle bought in Thailand is registered in the buyer's name at the Department of Land Transport. A foreign buyer shows a passport and a residence document or a work permit.
Today's price from ฿4,000
- ฿105Fees at the Department of Land Transport for a transfer: ฿5 for the form and ฿100 for the transfer chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- 0.5%Stamp duty on a vehicle sale that carries no VAT: ฿1 for every ฿200 rd.go.th
- 15 daysTime to tell the registry about a transfer, counted from the day of the sale chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- 7 / 5 yearsRegistration age at which a private car (first number) and a motorcycle (second) need an inspection before the yearly tax chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
Try it
What do fees and taxes add to the price of a used vehicle?
How it goes
- A shortlist of cars, scooters or motorcycles is drawn up to your budgetHongdam · First
- Dealers and shops are visited with youHongdam, with you · After the shortlist
- Test drives and test rides are bookedHongdam, with you · After the visits
- Haggling with the dealer is added by the hourHongdam, if you add it · At the dealer
- A mechanic inspects a used vehicleA mechanic; you pay at cost · Before you buy
- The registration is put in your name at the Department of Land TransportHongdam, with you · After you buy
- A shortlist of cars, scooters or motorcycles is drawn up to your budgetHongdam · First
- Dealers and shops are visited with youHongdam, with you · After the shortlist
- Test drives and test rides are bookedHongdam, with you · After the visits
- Haggling with the dealer is added by the hourHongdam, if you add it · At the dealer
- A mechanic inspects a used vehicleA mechanic; you pay at cost · Before you buy
- The registration is put in your name at the Department of Land TransportHongdam, with you · After you buy
What you get
- Car฿8,000We choose cars that fit your budget, go to dealers with you, and book test drives. We put the registration in your name at Thailand's Department of Land Transport. Bargaining costs extra, by the hour. The car, and a mechanic's check of a used car, are charged at the price we pay.
- Motorcycle or scooter฿4,000We pick scooters and motorcycles for you to look at, go to shops with you, and book test rides. We put the registration in your name. Bargaining costs extra, by the hour. The motorcycle, and a mechanic's check of a used one, are charged at the price we pay.
What others charge
| Transfer at the Department of Land Transport | ฿5 for the form and ฿100 for the transfer chaiyaphumdlt.go.th |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty on the sale of a registered vehicle | ฿1 for every ฿200 or part of ฿200; none where the receipt carries VAT rd.go.th |
| Yearly vehicle tax | Motorcycle ฿100; a car by engine size, ฿1,200 for 1,200 cc and ฿2,900 for 2,000 cc chaiyaphumdlt.go.th |
| Compulsory third-party insurance (Por Ror Bor), a year | Motorcycles ฿323.14 to ฿645.21; passenger cars ฿645.21 roojai.com |
| Mechanic’s inspection of a used car by a Fastwork freelancer in Chiang Mai | ฿1,500 for a combustion or hybrid car, ฿2,200 for a luxury car; 1 day, report online fastwork.co |
| Hongdam · Car or motorcycle bought with you | from ฿4,000 |
Useful facts
- For a foreign owner, the Department of Land Transport's registration rule asks for a passport (or an alien identity certificate) with a photo, and one of these: a certificate of residence under the immigration law, a document showing a home in Thailand issued by a Thai authority, a foreign government body or an international organisation, or a work permit with a photo. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- A foreign owner with no domicile in Thailand files at the registry for the place shown in the official residence document, and only there. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- A transfer is notified to the registry within 15 days of the sale. Seller and buyer sign the transfer form, and the vehicle is brought in for inspection, except for a hire-purchase transfer. The vehicle carries no unpaid tax and no registry hold. The fees are ฿5 for the form and ฿100 for the transfer, and the service takes one working day. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- For a final sale the transfer needs the registration book, proof of the sale such as a receipt or a sale contract, and the ID of seller and buyer (for a foreigner, the alien identity certificate). The officer inspects the vehicle, confirms the stamp duty is paid, writes the transfer in the book and hands the book back. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- The registration book (ใบคู่มือจดทะเบียนรถ, the green book) is where the registry writes each transfer and each change to the vehicle, such as colour, engine or fuel. It has a box for yearly tax payments; when the box is full, a new book is issued for a fee. With no book, the entry reads “no book used” and a certified print-out of the registry data costs ฿20. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- The yearly tax on a private motorcycle is ฿100. A private car of up to 7 seats pays by engine size: ฿0.50 a cc for the first 600 cc, ฿1.50 a cc from 601 to 1,800 cc and ฿4 a cc above 1,800 cc. From the sixth year of registration the tax falls by 10%, and by 50% in the tenth year. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
- A car (sedan, van or pickup) registered for 7 years or more, and a motorcycle registered for 5 years or more, must pass an inspection at a private inspection station before the yearly tax. A private vehicle’s tax can be paid up to 90 days ahead, and proof of compulsory insurance goes with the payment. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
What people ask
Can a foreigner buy a car in Thailand?
The Department of Land Transport’s registration rule has a clause for foreign owners. The owner gives a passport or alien identity certificate with a photo, and a certificate of residence under the immigration law, a document showing a home in Thailand from an authority or organisation, or a work permit. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
Can a short-stay visitor buy a car in Thailand?
The rule lists documents and names no visa type. A foreign owner gives a passport with a photo and a residence document or a work permit, and files at the registry for the place shown in the residence document. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
Can a foreigner buy a motorbike in Thailand?
The registration rule lists the motorcycle as vehicle type 12 next to cars, and its clause for foreign owners sits in the general rule for registering a vehicle. A registration comes with proof of compulsory insurance that has not run out. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
What papers does a used car need?
For a final sale the transfer needs the registration book, proof of the sale such as a receipt or a sale contract, and the ID of seller and buyer. For a hire-purchase car it needs the contract, the instalment receipts and the last tax invoice with a letter confirming full payment. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
How is a used motorcycle transferred?
Seller and buyer sign the transfer form at the registry and bring the motorcycle for inspection. The fees are ฿5 for the form and ฿100 for the transfer, and the service takes one working day. The transfer is notified within 15 days of the sale. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
What does a used motorcycle need each year?
The yearly tax on a private motorcycle is ฿100, paid with proof of compulsory insurance that is still in force. A motorcycle registered for 5 years or more passes an inspection at a private inspection station first. The tax can be paid up to 90 days ahead. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
How much is the yearly tax on a used car?
A private car of up to 7 seats pays ฿0.50 a cc for the first 600 cc, ฿1.50 a cc from 601 to 1,800 cc and ฿4 a cc above that. On those rates a 1,200 cc car pays ฿1,200 and a 2,000 cc car ฿2,900. From the sixth year of registration the tax falls by 10%, and by 50% in the tenth year. chaiyaphumdlt.go.th
Is there stamp duty on a used car sale?
The Revenue Department’s tariff for a receipt of sale or transfer of a registered vehicle is ฿1 for every ฿200 or part of ฿200 of the amount. A receipt for income that carries VAT or specific business tax is exempt. rd.go.th
Also from Hongdam
Help with bargaining and disputes
฿800 / hour
We bargain or settle disputes for you, in Thai: with a dealer, an amulet seller or a neighbour, or about a deposit, a repair or a bill.
Price comparison
from ฿1,500
We ask sellers for prices and put them in one list. Our fee is the same whether you buy or not.
Rentals arranged
from ฿800
A car, a scooter, event equipment or a place for an event, found and booked.
Luggage or scooter sent
฿800
Across Thailand by courier or train; postage at the price we pay.
Lucky phone number or car license plate
฿600
One number checked for luck, or three lucky numbers picked for you.
Thai form filled in for you
฿400 / form
We fill in the form for you and add an English label to each field.
Elsewhere
Small print
Sources read 2026-10-24.