Get motorbike driving license for foreigners in Vietnam

How to Get a Motorbike License in Vietnam as a Foreigner (Without an Agency)

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Update: 26/10/2026

You can get a Vietnamese motorbike license as a foreigner without paying an agency. We just did it in Ho Chi Minh City, and the whole thing cost us about 2 million VND (roughly 75 USD). Agencies can charge several times more for the same exam, with quotes we have seen reaching 7 to 10 million VND. The process looks complicated from the outside, but it is a normal driving school and a normal exam, like anywhere else in the world.

Below is exactly how it went, step by step, plus a tool to find your route in 10 seconds.

Who this guide is for: foreigners living in Vietnam (we did it as residence card holders). Tourists should look at the international driving permit rules instead.

Table of Contents
Table Of Contents
  1. Which route is yours?

Which route to a Vietnamese motorbike license?

Which route is yours?

The short version: if you already have a car license in Vietnam (converted or issued here), you skip the theory test and go straight to the practical. Without one, you must pass the theory in Vietnamese first.

Why riding without a license is a bad idea

Many people in Vietnam ride without a proper license, but the rules are getting stricter. Without a valid license, an accident can leave you uninsured and exposed to the police. With one, you are legal, your insurance has a basis to cover you, and you can ride anywhere without worrying at every checkpoint. If you plan road trips through the rice fields and cities, it is worth the effort.

Which license class to choose

Since 1 January 2025:

  • A1: motorcycles up to 125cc, or electric up to 11 kW.
  • A: larger motorcycles.

You will still see the old A2 mentioned online. Larger bikes now fall under class A. We went for the biggest one, so we took class A, which also lets you ride smaller bikes, as the old A2 did. If you only ever ride 110 or 125cc scooters, A1 is enough.

Step 1: have a license, or pass the theory

Route A, a foreign motorbike license: convert it directly. No exam, in principle. Follow our guide to convert a foreign driving license in Vietnam.

Routes B and C, a car license: convert your foreign car license first (or use your Vietnamese one). Under Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA and its replacement Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA (in force since 1 July 2026), candidates for A1 or A who hold a valid car license are exempt from the theory test. You can read the official note on the Ha Tinh government website. This is the shortcut most guides never mention.

Route D, no license: you must take the theory in Vietnamese through a driving school. There are lots of questions to learn, and they are in Vietnamese, so this is the hardest barrier. A translator app or a tutor helps. If you can avoid it by converting a license first, do.

Step 2: pick a local driving school

An expat agency will handle paperwork for you, which saves a little time, but you pay several times the price. With a local school you do it yourself. There are many in the Go Vap area of Ho Chi Minh City.

  • They speak little English, but we managed fine with Google Translate. Some know basic English, and a few words of Vietnamese help.
  • They register you for the exam and give you practice sessions.
  • Elsewhere in Vietnam, search for driving schools in your city. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City and want the schools we know, message us through the contact page.

You may also need a medical certificate. The official requirements list one, so ask your school what they want.

Step 3: the practical training

Schools give you about 2 hours of practice. You wait your turn and share the bike with other students. It can be busy: in some months you may wait up to a month before your first session. You can ask for extra sessions, and some small businesses (look on Facebook) rent practice time by the hour or hour and a half.

The course is the same everywhere:

  1. A figure 8 on the ground.
  2. A tight turn out of it.
  3. A straight line, with a little acceleration.
  4. Another tight turn, then zigzags.
  5. A final series of high, narrow bumps to test your balance.

The goal is to not touch the white lines. The official pass mark is 80 out of 100 points, and touching a line costs 5 points. In our school, stalling a manual bike cost us 10 points. So you can afford only a few mistakes. The scoring sheet may differ slightly by test center, so ask your school.

The bikes:

  • Scooters (automatic): usually a Honda SH350i. Easy.
  • Manual bikes: an older Honda 250 (our school called it the LA250). It is harder, with a different center of gravity and handlebars set a bit to the side. Practice more if you pick this one.

Because the manual bikes are old, the battery or engine can be tired. Choose carefully, and ask your instructor to swap bikes if yours is in poor shape.

Good to know from our exam:

  • No closed shoes required. We saw people in flip-flops and crocs, and nobody cared.
  • We only used first gear on the manual bike. If you want to properly learn to ride a manual, get a specialized instructor. Driving schools only teach you the exam.

Step 4: the exam

Your school registers you for the next session. Expect to wait at least 3 weeks. On the day, you ride the course in front of examiners.

If you fail, you simply wait 2 or 3 weeks for the next session. A retake cost us 120,000 VND at our school. That is cheap, so do not stress.

Step 5: get your card

About 2 weeks after passing, you collect your Vietnamese motorbike license card. As far as we know, A1 and A licenses do not expire for Vietnamese citizens. Check with your school what validity is printed on yours as a foreigner.

ItemCost (VND)
Driving school (training and exam registration)1,920,000
Exam fee to the Ministry of Public Security70,000
Totalabout 2,000,000

That is roughly 75 USD. A retake costs 120,000 VND. If you also had to convert a car license first, add about 315,000 to 415,000 VND (notarized translation plus the state fee), which brings you to roughly 2.3 to 2.4 million VND. Agencies can ask for much more.

Plan the rest of your costs with our Travel Budget Calculator.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Skipping the car license conversion when you could have skipped the theory.
  • Waiting until the last minute: schools can have a month-long queue.
  • Picking a worn bike for the manual test without asking to swap.
  • Paying an agency without comparing with a local school.
  • Riding to the exam or the school without a license in the meantime.

Now go ride

With your license in hand, you are free to ride across Vietnam. Start with the coast road around Mui Ne, head north to Sapa, or string together the UNESCO sites in Vietnam by bike. Digital admin is easier too, see our VNeID guide. Not living here yet? Check our visa guide and where to withdraw money without fees. Exploring the south first? Try our Ho Chi Minh City hidden gems.

👉 Grab the free Vietnam 7-Day Itinerary.

FAQ

Can a foreigner get a Vietnamese motorbike license?
Yes. We did it ourselves, through a local driving school, without an agency.

Do I need to speak Vietnamese?
Not for the practical exam if you already have a car license: our school handled it with Google Translate. For the theory test, yes, the questions are in Vietnamese.

Can I skip the theory test?
Yes, if you hold a valid car license (A1 and A candidates), according to Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA, in force since 1 July 2026.

How much does the motorbike license cost?
About 2 million VND for us (1,920,000 VND to the school plus 70,000 VND exam fee). A retake was 120,000 VND.

How long does it take?
Roughly 5 to 9 weeks: up to a month waiting for training in busy periods, at least 3 weeks before the exam, and about 2 weeks for the card.

What if I fail the exam?
You wait 2 or 3 weeks for the next session and pay 120,000 VND at our school.

What is the pass mark?
80 out of 100 points on the practical. Each line you touch costs 5 points, per this legal explainer.

Is an international driving permit enough?
Only with your matching home license, and only if it was issued under the 1968 Convention. It cannot add a motorcycle category your home license lacks. Riding with the wrong papers can leave you uninsured.

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