Technically, a foreigner needs a Vietnamese license to drive anything above 50cc; while this is rarely if ever enforced, your papers won’t be in order if you have an accident, whether it’s your fault or not…
Technically, a foreigner needs a Vietnamese license to drive anything above 50cc; while this is rarely if ever enforced, your papers won’t be in order if you have an accident, whether it’s your fault or not. For short stays in Vietnam, your driving license from your own country should be sufficient, provided it applies to motorcycles. If possible, DO obtain an official Vietnamese translation of your license (unless it mentions that you are not entitled to drive motorbikes!). Official translations can be obtained at the public notary’s offices in most large towns. It normally only takes a couple of days and a few dollars. An international driving license is only a recognized translation of your own country’s license. However, if you look closely at the document, you will probably find that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is still not part of the list of signatory counties. Nevertheless, any official-looking, photo-bearing document can be an asset when negotiating your way out of a delicate situation with local policemen or authorities.
If you intend to stay in the country for longer periods and wish to do more serious driving, then you might want to apply for a local driving license. You will need quite a bit of patience for this and a hefty pile of papers and letters that will include photocopies of passport, visa, driving license and originals of your driving license official translation as well as a letter from your sponsoring agency (not needed if you are on a tourist visa). DO remember that this driving license will usually only be valid for the same period as your visa! After that, you start the process over again! But experience will make the process much quicker.
