Malaysia foreign driving license conversion is now open to far fewer people than it used to be. As at November 2026, the groups JPJ has named as able to convert a foreign licence into a Malaysian one are Malaysian citizens, participants in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme and members of the diplomatic corps. Other foreigners were told to get a Malaysian licence the same way a Malaysian learner does, though some reports say certain expats and spouses of Malaysians still qualify, so check with JPJ. The rules changed twice in a year, so work out which group you're in first.
What changed, and when
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 19 May 2025 | JPJ stopped accepting applications to convert foreign licences, except from the diplomatic corps, MM2H participants and Malaysian citizens who held a foreign licence before they ever had a Malaysian one. Other foreigners must follow the standard licensing procedure. |
| 1 June 2026 | The Transport Ministry eased conversion for Malaysian citizens. The existing categories for non-citizens, such as MM2H and the diplomatic corps, stayed as they were. |
Requirements, procedures and fees are published on the JPJ website, jpj.gov.my, and applications go to state JPJ offices. Check there before you go, because the details have moved more than once.
Which group are you in?
A Malaysian citizen with a foreign licence
From 1 June 2026 you can apply at any state JPJ office. The foreign licence must be valid and in force, with no restrictions on it, and the application is subject to a record check and JPJ's standard procedure. A learner's or probationary licence from abroad is unlikely to qualify. If your licence isn't in English or Malay, expect to need a certified translation.
An MM2H participant
Your category was kept through both changes. Check the document list on the JPJ website, or ask your state JPJ office, before you go.
Diplomatic corps
Conversion is still available under the diplomatic category. The JPJ website lists what to bring.
An expat on an employment pass, a student, or a spouse
You probably can't convert. JPJ's May 2025 notice said foreigners outside the named groups must follow the standard licensing procedure. It gave those groups as examples, though, and a May 2026 Motorist article also lists expats holding specific work endorsements and spouses of Malaysian citizens, so ask your state JPJ office whether your pass counts before you book lessons. If it doesn't, to drive here long term you need a Malaysian licence through the normal route: the theory course and test, a learner's licence, lessons at a driving school, and the JPJ practical test, followed by a probationary licence. Our guide to getting a driving licence in Malaysia walks through the steps.
How long you can keep driving on your foreign licence while you live here is the least clear part. The motoring site Motorist reported in January 2026 that residents of more than 12 months are expected to hold a Malaysian licence, and JPJ's May 2025 announcement mentioned separate rules for foreigners here for less than a year. Ask JPJ for a definite answer for your pass type, and tell your car insurer which licence you hold; a claim can be refused if the driver's licence isn't valid for Malaysia.
A visitor
You don't need to convert anything. ASEAN licences are recognised as they are. Other visitors drive on their home licence together with an International Driving Permit, and a licence that isn't in English needs an IDP or a certified translation. Our guide to the International Driving Permit covers getting one, and Malaysia's road rules for foreigners covers the driving itself.
Getting around while it's sorted
The licensing route takes time: a course, a test, lessons and a booked practical test. In the meantime you still need to get to work.
- A Grandpride chauffeur can be booked by the hour, from 3 to 23 hours, or for one-way trips and airport runs. You don't need a licence to be driven.
- If you've already bought or leased a car, Grandpride's driver service puts a driver in it for RM 385 for an 8-hour day, door to door.
- If your current licence is accepted for driving here, a self-drive rental or a subscription is possible; which licences Grandpride accepts from foreign renters and subscribers is CHECK: licence, IDP and pass requirements for non-Malaysian renters and subscribers.
Our guide to cars for expats in Malaysia compares renting, subscribing, leasing and buying once you have the licence question settled.
