How foreigners can get driver’s license in Cambodia

Cambodia is a country where public transportation is almost non-existent, so being able to get from one place to another is dependent on your personal vehicle – especially if you are looking to stay here for a while. Although it might seem intimidating to apply for a license in a foreign country, the Cambodian government’s effort in digitalizing the registration process does make things a little bit easier. The locations are at Aeon Mall 2 (Sen Sok) and at the Department of Public Works and Transport office. The validity of a Cambodian driver’s license is 1 year. However, you can apply for a 10-year license which is a longer and more difficult process.

Types of licenses

There are 5 different categories of licenses that a you can apply for, but the ones that you are (probably) looking for are:

Type A: motorcycles license
Type B: license for cars with capacity up to 9 passengers

By law, it is not necessary to obtain a license for motorcycles with 125cc and under, though it can still be used as a form of identification when needed.

Preparation

Documents required to apply for a Cambodian driver’s license are:

Current driver’s license that has been translated to English or French (you can translate it at your country’s embassy)
Your passport with at least 6 months of eligibility
A valid VISA
Certificate of residence
Three 4×6 passport-sized photos with white background

Driver’s license length	Fee
1 year	License fee 30,000 Riel ($7.5) + medical fee 10,000 Riel ($2.5)
10 years	License fee 90,000 Riel ($22.5)

All trailers and semi trailers with a total weight of over 750kg must be registered for a vehicle identification card approved by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Don’t worry, if you do plan on getting the latter and need to review some of the traffic laws or just curious about the Khmer version of it, we recommend downloading the “Cambodia driving rules” app which is available on both IOS and Android.

Getting down to business

After obtaining all the necessary documents (and knowledge), head to the second floor of Aeon Mall 2 Sen Sok and look for “Driver’s License Service Center”. If you have a hard time finding the location, just ask the staff there for directions. Once you’ve arrived at the license center or at the Department of Public Works and Transport office, fill out a form with your personal information and proceed to take the eye test. Then, you are required to make copies of your documents for the officials to approve them. Lastly, just wait for the license to be printed and you’re all set!

For more information, you can check out the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s official website or contact their support via: