Conversion of foreign driving license to local one

www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/09/ … ng-menace/

Apparently this is why the conversion was suspended. No idea if it will be reinstated.

still suspended

Do you need to have the following documents when you drive in Malaysia if a Malaysian driving license is not available:

1) foreign driving license (if with Malay or English translation)
or
2) IDP
or
3) foreign driving license and IDP

Is it a question or a statement?

I have the same question as the post, is it still suspended?
I already had my own driving license and IDP. Is it legal for foreigners to drive the car in Malaysia?  Or have to take driving classes (But the cost for that too expensive and very hard to arrange the time to go to class). Has anyone can give some suggestion to me how to make it better?

Thanks for your help!

P/s: I knew it better go to school to take the class, but it quite inconvenience.

Thanh2019 wrote:

I have the same question as the post, is it still suspended?
I already had my own driving license and IDP. Is it legal for foreigners to drive the car in Malaysia?  Or have to take driving classes (But the cost for that too expensive and very hard to arrange the time to go to class). Has anyone can give some suggestion to me how to make it better?

Thanks for your help!

P/s: I knew it better go to school to take the class, but it quite inconvenience.

Still suspended as far as I know.

I don't know the letter of the law, but this is my inexpert opinion based upon the research I've done:
If you have 1) A currently valid driving licence from you home country AND 2) your country was a signatory to the 1949 Convention AND 3) you have a so-called 1949 type IDP .... then you're clear and free to drive.
Not all of the above may be necessary - I'm talking belt and braces here.

The latest rule is to have a current driving licence (translated into English or Bahasa Malaysia if necessary) Plus an IDP (International driving permit) .

The Convention mentioned above is replaced by the current rule that no conversions are being done

Hi Gravitas,
when last checked IDP is issued from the home country and is valid only for 6 months?
Is there a way to get IDP license issue from KL and if yes what is the validity?

thanks a lot for your response.

I've been to JPJ Shah Alam last month. The officer mentioned as long as you have valid India Diving license and have the copy of license stamped by Indian Embassy in Malaysia validating it's genuine (this can apply from BLS agency), you can drive in Malaysia. Please do note the embassy stamp validity is only 1yr.
Recently there have been numerous traffic checks especially targetting foreigners and being issued summons even though they have all the required documents. They were asked to pay the summon or go to court to appeal. In one case, the judge ordered to pay the fine, again even after having all the documents.

For the past 20 years I have used the IDP issued by AAA in USA. It was most recently viewed by police two weeks ago with no problems.

When I am stopped in checkpoints, all thats needed is the IDP but i give IDP, passport, car ownership and insurance all together. My US licence in not required or valid here and I dont even carry it anymore except in US.

The police have always encouraged me to apply for the local licence (conversion) but I have never seen the point so I ignore them. Now I have an excuse, they are not issuing the conversions!

Having said that, not ALL IDP are accepted here. People can buy official looking IDP online for $20 or something and those are not valid or legal. AAA was the original IDP and I think they know those by now. Maybe there is also a legal one issued in UK or AU, I am not sure.

Recently checked and any conversion is still suspended.. IdP can be valid for the first year only..

When it was still possible to convert I went to JPJ to do so but didn't then (silly me) for two reasons the officer said I could only have local licence for length of my visa (then 6 months) and I needed the so called counterpart, UK had already stopped issuing counterpart but JPJ had not caught up with the newer rules in UK. I figured I'd revisit once I got a longer visa. After the suspension of conversions I got IDP too as belt n braces from the RAC in the UK https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driv … ng-permit/ but note as of next month it is no longer possible to do so by post and you have to go to a post office in person.

Any update ?