The importance of Obtaining a license:

You are not recommended to drive without a valid license - this needs to be either a Vietnam's driving license or a temporary license converted from your international driving permit. The penalties for not possessing a license when you drive can be severe: from 3 years up to 10 years if causing accident, and even 20 years if accidents causing death. 

Apply for a new Vietnam driving license: 

To apply for a Vietnam's driving license - whether car or motorbike, contact the Centre for Automotive Training and Mechanism at 83A Ly Thuong Kiet (Hanoi) or Office of Transportation at 63 Ly Tu Trong (Ho Chi Minh City).

Convert your old valid license to Vietnamese one: 

If you need temporary driver's licenses or to convert your license to Vietnamese equivalence, you need to contact Office of Traffic & Public Works at 16 Cao Ba Quat Street (Hanoi) or 63 Ly Tu Trong (Ho Chi Minh City).

Documents Required:

In order to apply or convert your existing driver license to a Vietnamese equivalence, you need to submit the following documents:

› One copy of your passport with the photo page and the visa page (both visa and passport need to be valid).
› One copy of your existing driving license, with a translated and notarized version (by a public notary place)
› Three passport size photos
› Filled in application form (contact us for word file)
› USD 1.5 for processing fee

Processing Time: 

The processing time of a driver license is about 5 working days. Application form and required documents can be submitted at the Department of Transport in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City mentioned above.