💡 Short answer: A certified translation of a Vietnamese driver's license (giấy phép lái xe, usually called bằng lái xe) is a complete English rendering of both sides of the card, every licence class spelled out, with the translator's signed certificate of accuracy. It lets a licensing office, rental company, insurer or immigration officer read your licence. It does not, by itself, give you the right to drive or to exchange the licence: those rules belong to the state, province or country you are in, so check them with the local licensing authority.
- Translate both sides. The back of a Vietnamese licence carries information the receiving office needs.
- Write out each class (A1, B, C1 and so on) as printed, with an English description of what it covers. A bare code means nothing to a foreign examiner.
- Use the passport spelling of your name and write dates unambiguously (05 August 1990, not 05/08/1990).
- For USCIS, where a licence is supporting evidence, 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requires a full English translation plus the translator's certification. No notarization.
- Whether you can drive on your Vietnamese licence, for how long, and whether you must test: ask the local licensing authority. It varies by state and province.
The question usually comes in one of three forms. "I just moved to Texas, the DMV asked for a translation of my Vietnamese licence." "The rental desk wants either an IDP or a translation." "My lawyer wants my licence translated as secondary ID for my N-400." In all three cases the document is the same small laminated or PET card, and the translation is the same job: everything on both sides, in a form the officer can check against the card in a few seconds.
What is actually printed on a Vietnamese licence?
Vietnamese licences have been issued in several designs over the years (older paper booklets, then laminated cards, then PET cards with a QR code), so I always work from the card in front of me rather than a template. On a typical card you will find:
- Front: licence number, full name with diacritics, date of birth, nationality, address or place of residence, the licence class or classes, expiry date, photo, and the issuing authority with seal and signature.
- Back: a table of vehicle classes with the vehicles each covers and the date each class was first granted, and on newer cards a QR code.
The back is where the examiner sees exactly what you are allowed to drive and since when. That is why a front-only translation is incomplete.
How should the licence classes be translated?
Vietnam's class codes do not map neatly onto American, Canadian or Australian classes, and the scheme itself has been revised over time, so the same letter can mean different things on an older and a newer card. My rule: translate the class code exactly as printed, then translate the description printed on the card for that class (vehicle type, engine size, seating or weight limits). I do not "convert" a Vietnamese class into a local equivalent. Deciding equivalence is the licensing authority's job, and an invented equivalence in a certified translation is a mistake waiting to be found.
A short example of how the class table looks in my translations:
| Class (as printed) | Vehicles covered (translated from the card) | Date granted |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | [English rendering of the description printed for A1 on this card] | [as printed] |
| B2 | [English rendering of the description printed for B2 on this card] | [as printed] |
The point is that the reader gets the card's own definition, not mine.
Certified translation, IDP or notarized translation: which one?
| Document | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Certified translation | Full English translation of both sides with the translator's signed statement of accuracy | Licensing office applications, rental and insurance desks, immigration files |
| International Driving Permit (IDP) | A permit issued in Vietnam that accompanies your licence when driving abroad | Short visits in countries that recognise it; check whether your destination does |
| Notarized translation | A certified translation where a notary also attests to the translator's signature | Only where a particular office asks for it; USCIS does not |
If you are not sure which one the office wants, ask them in writing and forward me the answer. It saves money on both sides. More on the difference: certified vs notarized vs sworn translation.
Does the destination change what I need?
The translation itself barely changes. What changes is what you do with it.
United States
Driver licensing is a state matter, so the rules on driving with a foreign licence, exchanging it, and testing are set by each state's DMV. Check your state DMV's page for new residents. If your licence is evidence in a USCIS file, the federal rule is simple: a full English translation and the translator's certification of competence and accuracy (8 CFR 103.2(b)(3)).
Canada
Licensing is provincial. Each province publishes its own rules for exchanging a foreign licence and what translation it accepts. Check your province's licensing authority before you book anything.
Australia
Licensing is handled by each state and territory, and translation requirements may include specific credentials. Check the road authority in your state; my notes on NAATI and Vietnamese translation explain the credential question.
Apostille
Per HCCH, the Apostille Convention entered into force for Vietnam on 11 September 2026. An apostille authenticates a public document; it does not translate it. Few licensing offices ask for an apostille on a driver's licence, but if yours does, it is a separate step from the translation.
Checklist: what must be in the translation?
- Both sides, with the back's class table complete.
- Full name as on the card, with the passport spelling made clear if they differ in diacritics.
- Date of birth, issue and expiry dates written with the month in words.
- Licence number digit for digit.
- Every class code with the description printed for it and the date granted.
- Address or residence exactly as printed.
- The issuing authority's name, the signer's title and name, and the seal described in brackets.
- A note for the QR code or photo, e.g. [Photo of holder], [QR code].
- My signed certificate: full name, statement of competence and accuracy, date, contact details.
This is the standard I apply in all certified Vietnamese document translation.
Why do licence translations get returned?
- Front side only. The class table on the back is missing.
- "Class B2" with no description. The examiner cannot tell what you are licensed for.
- Translator's own "equivalent" class instead of what the card says.
- Name mismatch with the passport you present at the same counter.
- No signed certificate, or a phone-app printout.
- Ambiguous dates like 05/08/1990.
The wider list is in why certified Vietnamese translations get rejected.
Cost, turnaround and what you receive
| Item | Vietnamese driver's licence |
|---|---|
| Sides translated | Both (front and back) |
| Indicative cost | 35-60 USD per document (both sides, certified) |
| Standard turnaround | 1 to 3 business days |
| Rush turnaround | Same or next business day, when available |
| You receive | Full translation of front and back plus a signed certificate of accuracy |
| Notarization | Not required for USCIS; arranged separately only if an office asks for it |
Send a clear photo or scan of both sides, with no glare over the class table. See also the Vietnamese translation cost guide.
FAQ
Does the translation need to be notarized for a DMV?
Usually a certified translation is what is asked for, but each state DMV sets its own rule. USCIS does not require notarization. If your office asks for it, I provide the certified translation and the notary step is done separately.
Can I drive abroad on my Vietnamese licence with a certified translation?
That is decided by the place you are driving in, not by the translation. Check the state, province or country's licensing authority for visitors and new residents.
Will you translate my B2 as a local class equivalent?
No. I translate the class code and the description printed on your card. The licensing authority decides any equivalence.
Do you need the original card?
No. A clear scan or photo of both sides is enough to translate. The office will usually want to see the original card when you apply.
Can the same translation be used for USCIS?
Yes, as long as it is complete and carries my certification of competence and accuracy, which is what 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) requires.
Sources: 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) (eCFR); HCCH: Viet Nam accedes to the 1961 Apostille Convention.
About the author
I am Dao Huy (Lucas), a Vietnamese translator based in Da Nang, with a BA from the University of Foreign Language Studies (UFLS), University of Da Nang. I work across English, Vietnamese, Chinese and French, and most of my certified work is Vietnamese civil, academic and financial documents prepared for immigration files. I sign every certificate personally, and you deal with me directly, not with a ticket queue.
Questions about a specific document? Send me a scan through the contact page and tell me which authority will receive it.
Written by Dao Huy (Lucas), Vietnamese translator and localization specialist (English, Chinese and French into Vietnamese). See translation services → · Certified Documents →