Driving license conversion in Malaysia

Member since 12 August 2025

Rithhaknou SimonMember12 August 2025 08:42:49

Hey yall,

I will be moving to Malaysia soon on working visa, ive studied there as a student for 4 years and now returning to work at KLIA2.

As you know around the airport there is not much public transportation and so i would need to tackle that on my own.

I am cambodian, we are part of ASEAN and i hold a valid driving license here. So i just want to know the process or any possibilities of license conversion, so i could possibly rent a car there.🙏🏼

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Nazz Nazz Member

Member since 21 November 2025

Nazz NazzMember21 November 2025 05:37:23

Hi there,

If you are going to live here for a number of years, you'd have to get a local licence. Best place to get this information from is the JPJ website. JPJ stands for Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (Road Transport Department) or to go to a JPJ office that is most convenient for you.

It is imperative that you have with you the original set of documents and a xerox set of these documents (certified true copy) just in case.

The ASEAN thing does not hold water as it is all on country basis (for e.g. commonwealth countries). We just got this done earlier this year in KL! Not sure where the JPJ in Sepang is (KLIA is in Sepang, not KL).

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

iskandarhack Serial expat

Member since 29 August 2016

iskandarhackSerial expat21 November 2025 08:37:07

263

Malaysia doesn't do license conversions anymore.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/ … 9-says-jpj

However from the same article -

"For nationals of Asean countries, individuals may use their respective nations' driving licence, in accordance with the 1985 Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences Issued by Asean Countries"

So, you can use your Cambodian for a while at least. but you better check with JPJ regarding how long you can do so.

Nazz Nazz Member

Member since 21 November 2025

Nazz NazzMember21 November 2025 08:53:57

@iskandarhack

Thank you so much for expanding on this. They do not convert the licence per se but they have to sight the original (ours from the UK) to give you a Malaysian driving licence. Our neighbours are from the Ukraine and they had to apply for a Malaysian driving licence (had to take driving lessons and pass both theory and practical tests). The other neighbours who are Japanese nationals did not have to and they merely did what we did (no lessons nor tests).

As you rightly mentioned, best to check with JPJ.

ExpatUK2MY Active member

Member since 28 September 2017

ExpatUK2MYActive member30 November 2025 08:26:39

I am from the UK, and was able to convert my licence to a Malaysian one, but they recently changed it so that a lesson and tests must be taken. I think from Sepang there are a couple of centres around there (maybe my wife will go to in Sungai Pelek and Nilai). For JPJ offices, the closest one is probably the one in Seremban or Cyberjaya/Putrajaya