Guides · Bhutan

Driving licence renewal in Bhutan

Written from published rules on 27 August 2026. Not monitored for changes since. A starting point, not official advice — confirm anything that matters with Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA), Bhutan (འབྲུག་གི་ལམ་བདེ་སྒྲིག་དང་སྐྱེལ་འདྲེན་དབང་འཛིན།).

Renewing a driving licence in Bhutan generally involves submitting an application with required documents, undergoing a medical check-up if applicable, and paying the prescribed fee. The process is managed by the Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA).

Your timing

It is advisable for individuals to begin the renewal process several weeks before their driving licence's expiry date. This allows sufficient time to gather all necessary documents, schedule any required medical appointments, and account for potential processing times or public holidays at the RSTA offices.

Start 30 days ahead

This accounts for gathering documents, potential medical appointments, and RSTA processing times.

The process

  1. 1Obtain a driving licence renewal form from the RSTA office or download it from their official website.
  2. 2Complete the application form accurately.
  3. 3Undergo a medical examination by a registered doctor if required (e.g., for renewal after a certain age or if there are health considerations), and obtain a medical certificate.
  4. 4Submit the completed application form along with all required supporting documents to the nearest RSTA office.
  5. 5Pay the prescribed renewal fee at the RSTA counter.
  6. 6Collect the renewed driving licence upon notification or as per the indicated collection date.

What to bring

  • Original and photocopy of the expiring driving licence
  • Completed driving licence renewal application form
  • Recent passport-sized photographs (number to be confirmed with RSTA)
  • Identity document (e.g., Citizenship ID Card)
  • Medical fitness certificate from a registered doctor (if applicable, e.g., for applicants above 65 years or with specific medical conditions)
  • Proof of address (if current address differs from the one on the licence)

Who handles it

Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA), Bhutan (འབྲུག་གི་ལམ་བདེ་སྒྲིག་དང་སྐྱེལ་འདྲེན་དབང་འཛིན།)

https://www.rsta.gov.bt/driving-license-renewal/

The fee for driving licence renewal is set by the RSTA. For current fee details, individuals should consult the RSTA's official website or inquire directly at an RSTA office.

What commonly goes wrong

  • Ensure all required documents are complete and valid before submission to avoid delays.
  • Be aware of specific requirements for medical examinations, especially for older applicants or those with health conditions.
  • Verify the operating hours and any specific procedures of the local RSTA office before visiting.
  • Check if there are different requirements or fees for various types of driving licences (e.g., private vs. commercial).

Sources

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