Vietnam driving license for foreigners: IDP and motorbike rules in 2026

Before you rent a motorbike in Vietnam, one question matters more than the bike itself: does your license actually count here? The rules behind the Vietnam driving license for foreigners changed on 1 January 2025, when the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (Law No. 36/2024/QH15) replaced the old motorcycle classes, and the procedures were updated again in mid 2026.

This guide is based on the official texts as they stand in October 2026, with article numbers so you can check them yourself. It covers the current license classes, which international driving permits Vietnam accepts, what an IDP for a Vietnam motorbike trip has to look like, the fines in force, and what to do if you stay long enough to swap your license for a Vietnamese one.

The short answer

• Scooters and motorbikes above 50 cc need a license with a motorcycle class: A1 up to 125 cc, A above 125 cc.
• As a visitor you need an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention plus your national license, both valid and both with you on the road.
• A permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, the type sold in the United States, does not meet that rule. South Korean permits are covered by a separate 2023 agreement.
• A moped of up to 50 cc with a design speed of no more than 50 km/h needs no license, but the rider must be at least 16.
• Riding without the right license means a fine of 2 to 8 million VND and, far more serious, no cover from compulsory insurance if you hurt someone.

License classes in Vietnam since 1 January 2025

Article 57 of Law No. 36/2024/QH15 sets out fifteen license classes. Only three of them matter for a typical holiday rental:

• Class A1: two-wheel motorcycles up to 125 cc, or with an electric motor of up to 11 kW.
• Class A: two-wheel motorcycles above 125 cc or above 11 kW, plus everything allowed under A1.
• Class B: cars with up to 8 seats not counting the driver, and light trucks up to 3,500 kg.

The old split between A1 (50 to under 175 cc) and A2 (175 cc and above) no longer applies to new licenses. A Vietnamese A1 license issued before 2025 that has not been exchanged still covers bikes from 50 cc to under 175 cc under the transition rules in Article 89, which is why older guides still quote 175 cc as the dividing line.

Mopeds: the only license-free option

The law treats a moped (xe gắn máy) as its own vehicle type. Under Article 34 it is a two or three wheeler with a design speed of no more than 50 km/h and an engine of no more than 50 cc, or an electric motor of no more than 4 kW. Article 56 exempts moped riders from the license requirement, but they still have to know the traffic rules, be fit to ride and be at least 16 years old (Article 59). For classes A1, A and B the minimum age is 18.

In practice this means a 50 cc city scooter is the legal choice for someone without a motorcycle license, while the popular 125 cc and 155 cc automatics are not. Engine size is printed on every bike page in our catalogue, so you can match a bike to your class before you book.

Which foreign licenses are valid in Vietnam

Article 57(6) lists the licenses that are valid on Vietnamese roads: a Vietnamese license; an International Driving Permit together with a national license, both issued by a country that is party to the 1968 United Nations Convention on Road Traffic (the Vienna Convention); and licenses recognised under a treaty or agreement that Vietnam has signed with another country.

Your IDP and home license work as a pair

Article 57(8) defines the IDP as a permit issued in the standard format by a state authority of a Vienna Convention member. It is valid for no more than three years and never longer than your national license. On the road you must carry both the IDP and the national license, and the license has to cover the vehicle: a car-only license does not let you ride a motorbike, even with an IDP in your pocket. Riding with an IDP but without your home license is fined exactly like riding with no license at all.

Two practical points follow from that definition. Booklets sold online by private companies as an 'international driving license' are not issued by a state authority, so they do not qualify. And an IDP issued by Vietnam is not valid inside Vietnam (Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA, Article 30), so plan to get your permit from the authority at home before you fly.

1968 or 1949: check your country

The UN treaty register lists Vietnam as a party to the 1968 Convention since 2014, along with countries such as the United Kingdom (ratified in 2018), Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine, Thailand and the Philippines. The UK government's travel advice for Vietnam confirms that British visitors need the 1968 version of the IDP together with their UK license.

The United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and India do not appear on the list of parties. The permit sold by AAA in the United States is issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, so it does not meet the requirement in Article 57.

South Korea is a special case. It signed the 1968 Convention but never ratified it. Instead, Vietnam and Korea agreed to recognise each other's international driving permits, and since 23 July 2023 Korean citizens with a Korean IDP may drive in Vietnam for one year from the date the permit was issued. If your country is not on the 1968 list, ask the Vietnamese embassy whether a similar agreement covers you before you plan a ride.

Fines for riding without a valid license in 2026

Penalties are set by Decree 168/2024/ND-CP, in force since 1 January 2025 and amended by Decree 238/2026/ND-CP from 15 August 2026. The amendment did not change the license fines in Article 18, which are issued to the person riding:

• Motorbike up to 125 cc or 11 kW with no license, the wrong class, or an IDP without the national license: 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND.
• Motorbike above 125 cc or 11 kW in the same situations: 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 VND.
• Car with no license: 18,000,000 to 20,000,000 VND.
• Motorbike without a valid compulsory liability insurance certificate: 200,000 to 300,000 VND.

Insurance is the bigger risk

Every motor vehicle in Vietnam must carry compulsory civil liability insurance, which pays for injury and damage you cause to other people. Decree 67/2023/ND-CP, Article 7, lists the cases in which the insurer does not pay, and one of them is a rider with no license, with an invalid or expired license, or with a license that does not match the vehicle.

So after a collision, the other party's medical bills and repairs are yours to pay. The UK government warns that foreigners involved in an accident in Vietnam may face criminal charges, may have to pay compensation even for minor injuries, and can be barred from leaving the country while the case is investigated. It also advises checking that your travel insurance covers motorbike riding before you go.

Other rules the police enforce

The license is only the start. These rules come from the same law (Articles 9 and 33), with fines for motorbike riders from Article 7 of Decree 168/2024/ND-CP:

• Helmets for rider and passenger, with the strap fastened. No helmet: 400,000 to 600,000 VND.
• One passenger only, with exceptions such as a child under 12. Carrying two passengers: 400,000 to 600,000 VND.
• Zero alcohol: any alcohol in blood or breath is prohibited. At the lowest level the fine is 2 to 3 million VND, above 50 mg per 100 ml of blood (0.25 mg per litre of breath) it is 6 to 8 million, and above 80 mg (0.4 mg per litre) it is 8 to 10 million plus a license suspension of 22 to 24 months.
• Holding and using a phone while riding: 800,000 to 1,000,000 VND.
• Speeding by more than 20 km/h: 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 VND.

Staying longer: exchanging your license for a Vietnamese one

Since March 2025 driving licenses in Vietnam are handled by the traffic police under the Ministry of Public Security. The current procedure is Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA, in force since 1 July 2026, which replaced Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA.

Under Article 24, a foreigner who lives, works or studies in Vietnam and holds a valid national license can apply to exchange it for the matching Vietnamese class. You also need one of these: a diplomatic or official ID card, a visa or temporary residence card with at least 90 days of validity left, or a valid permanent residence card. The file includes a certified Vietnamese translation of your license and a copy of that document, plus a health certificate unless you are exchanging for the period shown in your visa or temporary residence card.

You submit the file at a provincial Traffic Police Division, at a commune police office with a reception point, or online through the National Public Service Portal. An IDP cannot be exchanged, and neither can a temporary foreign license. The Vietnamese license you receive is issued in line with the validity of your national license and your visa or residence card.

A quick check before you rent

• Look at your license: is there a motorcycle class, and does it cover the engine size you want?
• Get a 1968 IDP from the issuing authority at home before you travel, and keep it with your national license.
• Match the bike to your class: a 50 cc moped without a license, up to 125 cc with A1, anything larger with A.
• Do not hand over your passport as a deposit, as the UK government also advises.
• Wear the helmet, skip the drink and keep the phone in your pocket.

Choosing a bike at UNIQ Moto

Our fleet in Nha Trang runs from 50 cc city scooters to litre-class bikes such as the Yamaha MT-10, and every listing shows the engine size, so you can pick a bike that fits your license. Browse the 50 cc scooters, the 110 to 155 cc automatics or the large motorcycles, or see the cars if you travel as a group. Bikes come with two helmets, a full tank, an alarm lock and a short briefing, with free delivery to your hotel. There is no online prepayment: the deposit is handed over at delivery in USD, EUR, crypto or VND, and a manager confirms availability before the booking is final.

For more planning, read how to rent a motorbike in Vietnam, our comparison of motorbike and scooter rental in Nha Trang and the guide for foreigners who want to own a motorcycle in Vietnam.