Vietnam is an incredible country to explore by motorbike. The winding mountain passes, bustling city streets, and scenic coastal roads offer an unforgettable adventure. However, for some foreigners, the dream ride can quickly turn into a nightmare if they’re caught driving illegally.
Despite what some rental shops and tour companies might tell you, driving a motorbike over 50cc in Vietnam requires a valid Vietnamese or ASEAN issued driving license OR an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention, carried alongside your national license.
If you’re tempted to “chance it,” here’s a stark look at the consequences you could face:
You could easily be one of the many lucky people that drive illegally and never meet the police, never have an accident and thus get away with it. Many reckless people will tell you that all is fine and you are unlikely to have any problems.
This is all good, until it isn’t.
This is the most common scenario. Vietnamese traffic police are highly visible, especially in tourist areas. They conduct frequent checkpoints and are more than happy to stop foreign riders.
Fines for driving without a valid license can range from 2,000,000 VND to 8,000,000 VND or more (approximately $80-$300+ USD). This fine must often be paid on the spot or at a designated traffic police office.
This means a lengthy and complicated process to retrieve it, often incurring daily storage fees.
You may also find that tour and rental companies are not happy about this and, even though they willingly rented to you, they will want to charge you any incurred cost.
This is arguably the most financially devastating consequence. Most travel insurance policies have a crucial clause: they are void if you are engaging in illegal activities. Driving without a valid license falls squarely into this category. Then, you face:
Imagine recovering from a serious injury while simultaneously facing massive bills and legal proceedings in a foreign language. It’s a scenario no one wants to be in.
While less common for a simple “driving without a license” offense, repeated offenses or involvement in a serious accident while driving illegally can escalate rapidly.
Trust us, your embassy IS NOT going to help you with this other than to perhaps facilitate a call back home to tell loved ones the bad news, so that they can set up a GoFundMe.
While rental companies might initially seem relaxed about licenses, they will likely hold you fully responsible if anything goes wrong.
We have all heard about the anecdotal stories of ‘mafia’ like behaviour from disreputable rental companies. Whether or not their threats of physical harm are anything more than threats is something we do not need to find out.
There are several ways to drive legally in Vietnam.
Find out about Driving legally in Vietnam in depth in our Legal Vault.
The freedom of the open road in Vietnam is enticing, but the risks of driving illegally far outweigh any perceived convenience. The small amount of effort it takes to obtain a valid 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP) before your trip is a tiny investment compared to the potential fines, medical bills, legal woes, and stress that come with being caught driving illegally.
However, as we mentioned, for some nationalities it is impossible to get a 1968 IDP. You can find out which countries signed which agreements here.
This could mean it is impossible to drive legally in Vietnam unless the rider can obtain a local license or an ASEAN country license.
Yes, absolutely. Your 1968 IDP is only a translation of your home license. It must contain the correct motorcycle category (A1/A2/A) stamp to prove you are licensed to ride a motorbike in your home country. Without the correct stamp, the IDP is insufficient, and you are considered to be driving without a proper license.
The IDP is valid for up to one year from the date of issue. However, its validity in Vietnam is also limited by your visa/stay duration. If your stay in Vietnam exceeds three months, you are generally required to convert your foreign license to a local Vietnamese license to continue driving legally.
No. According to Vietnamese law, motorbikes with an engine capacity of 50cc or less (or electric motorbikes with power up to 4kW) do not require a driving license (A1/A2/A) or an IDP. This is why many tourists use 50cc electric scooters, but they are often too slow or limited for long distances.
Forgetting a license you actually possess is a minor violation compared to driving without one. The fine for failing to carry a valid license is significantly lower, typically around VND 100,000 to VND 200,000 for motorbikes. You may be required to present the license later to avoid the heavier “driving without a license” fine.
It is unlikely but possible. The 1hr; 1 drink rule doesn’t exactly work every time. Because Vietnam has a zero-tolerance policy (0% BAC Breath Alcohol Content), even residual alcohol from the night before can result in a fine. If you drink, it is safest to wait many hours (or the whole day) before riding, or use a ride-hailing app.
Plan ahead, get the correct documentation, and enjoy your Vietnamese adventure responsibly and legally! If you need help or advice with that, get in touch.
Engine Type
air-cooled, single cylinder, SOHC
Displacement
411 cc
Bore X Stroke
78 mm x 86 mm
Ignition
TCI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
9.5:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
telescopic forks; stanchion diameter 41 mm
Rear Suspension
linkage-type monoshock
Front Brakes
single disc brake, diameter 300 mm, 2-piston floating caliper
Rear Brakes
single disc brake, diameter 240 mm, single-piston floating caliper
Front Tyres
90/90 – 21
Rear Tyres
120/90 – 17
Wheelbase
1465 mm
Seat Height
800 mm
Ground Clearance
220 mm
Kerb Weight
199 kg
Fuel Capacity
15 litres
Dimensions
2190 mm (L) x 840 mm (W) x 1360 mm (H)
Daily
Total
Rider (CRF 300)
$220
Pillion
$120
Damage Waiver
$20
Private Room
$40
Support Vehicle*
$150
* All prices given are in USD and apply per rider except for the support vehicle. The support vehicle is free for groups of 7 or more, otherwise the cost is shared across the group.
Daily
Total
Rider (XR 150)
Rider (CRF 300)
Rider (CB 500X)
Rider (Himalayan 400)
$220
Rider (GS 1250)
Pillion
$120
Damage Waiver
$20
Private Room
$40
Support Vehicle*
$150
* All prices given are in USD and apply per rider except for the support vehicle. The support vehicle is free for groups of 7 or more, otherwise the cost is shared across the group.
Daily
Total
Jeep (1 PAX)
$210
Jeep (2 PAX)
$120
Jeep (3 PAX)
$90
Jeep (4+ PAX)
$80
Rider (Easy Rider)
$115
Rider (Self-Drive)
$105
Private Room
$15
* Our jeep tour prices operate on a sliding scale. The larger your group, the less each person pays—each member of your group will pay the lowest daily rate shown. For example, if you have a group of 4 or more, you will each only pay $80/day. All prices are given in USD.
Engine Type
air-liquid cooled, twin cylinder, DOHC, boxer engine
Displacement
1255 cc
Bore X Stroke
102.5 mm x 76 mm
Ignition
FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
12.5:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
BMW Motorrad Telelever; stanchion diameter 37 mm
Rear Suspension
single-sided swing arm with BMW Motorrad Paralever
Front Brakes
dual disc brake, floating brake discs, diameter 305 mm, 4-piston radial calipers
Rear Brakes
single disc brake, diameter 276 mm, double-piston floating caliper
Front Tyres
120/70 R19
Rear Tyres
170/60 R17
Wheelbase
1514 mm
Seat Height
850 mm
Ground Clearance
790 mm
Kerb Weight
249 kg
Fuel Capacity
20 litres
Dimensions
2207 mm (L) x 952.5mm (W) x 1430 mm (H)
Engine Type
air cooled, OHC, single cylinder
Displacement
149 cc
Bore X Stroke
57.3 mm x 57.8 mm
Ignition
CDI
Fuel System
20 mm piston valve carburettor
Compression Ratio
9.5:1
Starter
electric with kick starter backup
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
telescopic fork, 180 mm axle travel
Rear Suspension
single shock swing arm, 150 mm axle travel
Front Brakes
dual piston caliper, 240 mm disc
Rear Brakes
mechanical drum
Front Tyres
90/90 19
Rear Tyres
110/90 17
Wheelbase
1362 mm
Seat Height
825 mm
Ground Clearance
243 mm
Kerb Weight
129 kg
Fuel Capacity
12 litres
Dimensions
2091 mm (L) x 811 mm (W) x 1125 mm (H)
Engine Type
liquid cooled parallel-twin four stroke
Displacement
470 cc
Bore X Stroke
67 mm x 66.8 mm
Ignition
PGMI – FI
Fuel System
fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
6-speed
Front Suspension
41 mm SFF-BP USD Forks
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
dual 296 mm discs with 4 piston calipers; ABS
Rear Brakes
240 mm disc; ABS
Front Tyres
110/80R19M/C (59H)
Rear Tyres
160/60R17M/C
Wheelbase
1445 mm
Seat Height
830 mm
Ground Clearance
180 mm
Kerb Weight
199 kg
Fuel Capacity
17.7 litres
Dimensions
2,155 mm (L) x 830 mm (W) x 1,410 mm (H)
Engine Type
single cylinder, DOHC, liquid cooled
Displacement
286 cc
Bore X Stroke
76 mm x 63 mm
Ignition
Full Transistor Digital
Fuel System
PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
Compression Ratio
10.7:1
Starter
electric
Gearbox
5-speed
Front Suspension
43 mm telescopic upside down
Rear Suspension
Prolink Mono with 5 stage pre load adjuster
Front Brakes
Rear Brakes
220 mm disc, single piston caliper
Front Tyres
80/100 21
Rear Tyres
120/80 18
Wheelbase
1455 mm
Seat Height
880 mm
Ground Clearance
285 mm
Kerb Weight
142 kg
Fuel Capacity
7.8 litres
Dimensions
2230 mm (L) x 820 mm (W) x 1200 mm (H)
