Before you start

Valid driving licence from your country of residence
International Driving Permit, strongly recommended as a translation
Valid visa or work permit, for endorsement beyond three months

Step-by-step

1
Drive on your home licence for the first three months
A foreigner resident for a period not exceeding three months may drive on a valid licence issued in their country of residence. Carry an International Driving Permit alongside it so officials can read the licence.
In personWho: You
2
Report to the transport authority before three months elapse
Staying longer requires reporting to the nearest office of the authority for endorsement of your driving licence. This is an endorsement of the licence you hold rather than a full conversion to a Bhutanese one.
In personWho: YouBefore the three-month threshold
3
Produce your visa or work permit and pay the fee
The authority requires evidence of lawful status and charges an endorsement fee. Fees are set nationally and reviewed periodically.
In personWho: You
4
Adjust to Bhutanese road conditions
Driving is on the left. Outside Thimphu, roads are narrow mountain routes with blind curves, landslide risk in the monsoon, and livestock. Distances that look short take far longer than a map suggests.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Home-country driving licence
International Driving Permit
Passport, visa or work permit
Passport photographs, typically required for endorsement

Things most newcomers don’t know

The three-month line is the whole rule, and it's easy to sail past.

Nothing prompts you at the border and nothing expires visibly. People on longer assignments simply keep driving on a home licence, which is fine until an accident or a check makes the omission expensive.

Source: Road Safety and Transport Authority requirements for foreigners

Endorsement, not conversion, is the mechanism.

You aren't exchanging your licence for a Bhutanese one in the way Ontario or NSW would do it — the authority endorses the licence you already hold. Don't hand over your original expecting a local card in return.

Source: Road Safety and Transport Authority requirements for foreigners

Most people in Thimphu do not need to drive at all.

The city is compact, taxis are cheap and shared, and traffic is light enough that the capital famously has no traffic lights. Weigh whether you need a car before taking on the paperwork and the mountain roads.

Source: community-reported

Monsoon changes the calculus between June and September.

Landslides and road closures are routine on the east–west highway in the wet season. Intercity driving in that window is a genuine planning constraint rather than an inconvenience.

Source: community-reported, consistent with published travel advice

Common mistakes to avoid

Crossing the three-month threshold without endorsing your licence.
Arriving without an International Driving Permit and relying on a licence officials cannot read.
Assuming a full Bhutanese licence is issued on the spot — endorsement is the normal outcome.
Planning intercity drives on map distances rather than mountain-road times.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.