Yes. Anything over 50cc requires a valid motorbike licence, and riding without one voids most travel insurance even in a minor accident. Rental shops rarely check; the police and your insurer do.
What a scooter costs by the day and the month, what the licence rule actually says, and what the fines are.
Common scams note
No page fetched in this session documented specific Nha Trang / Cam Ranh motorbike rental scams, so nothing is recorded rather than invented. The only adjacent verified warnings are: street-hailed taxis charging roughly double the app fare in Nha Trang (200,000 VND vs 75,000-100,000 VND for a 15-minute ride), and CXR taxi drivers preferring a negotiated fixed fare over the meter.
Typical prices
Bike Nha Trang 2026
Per Day VND
150,000
Per Week 7 Days VND
900,000
Per 15 Days VND
1,500,000
Per 15 Days NVX PCX VND
1,600,000
Per Month 30 Days VND
2,500,000
Note
Flat fleet pricing - the shop charges the same rate for all its standard models. Civil liability insurance, helmet, phone holder, bike lock and water included; fuel is the rider's cost. Free delivery in central Nha Trang; Cam Ranh Airport delivery available for a surcharge (amount not published).
Not priced separately by the Nha Trang shops checked - they use one flat rate for the standard fleet (roughly 150,000 VND/day).
Automatic Scooter 125 cc
Same flat rate at Bike Nha Trang (150,000 VND/day); PCX/NVX carry a small premium on longer terms.
150 cc Plus
Not offered by the Nha Trang shops checked. For reference, Tigit Motorbikes (no Nha Trang branch) lists e.g. Honda Blade 110cc at 658,000 VND/day for same-location hire and premium 150cc-500cc models at roughly 1,580,000-1,922,000 VND/day.
Central Nha Trang, free delivery; Cam Ranh Airport delivery on request
Motorbike Rental Nha Trang
Name
Motorbike Rental Nha Trang
Url
https://www.facebook.com/motorbikerentalnhatrang
Area
2 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Nha Trang
Phone
+84 911 144 438
Hours
closes 22:00
Tigit Motorbikes
Name
Tigit Motorbikes
Url
https://www.tigitmotorbikes.com/prices
Area
Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Da Nang, Hanoi (plus Phan Rang, Hue, Hoi An, Ha Giang, Phong Nha for an extra fee)
Nha Trang Branch
No
Deposit
USD 500 for a Honda Blade; USD 1,000 for all other bikes, by cash, transfer or card
Style Motorbikes
Name
Style Motorbikes
Url
https://stylemotorbikes.com/
Area
Ha Giang (20 Hoang Huu Chuyen), Hanoi (60 P. Nguyen Khiet, Old Quarter), Hoi An (171 Cua Dai), Ho Chi Minh City (292 Vo Van Kiet, D1)
Nha Trang Branch
No
Deposit norms
Small Shops
Passport or a cash deposit is the norm at Nha Trang street shops. Bike Nha Trang states 'just a passport or cash deposit'.
International Operators
Tigit Motorbikes takes USD 500-1,000 by card or transfer and does not hold passports.
Advice
Leaving a passport is common practice locally but is a well-known risk point; a cash deposit or a photocopy is safer where the shop will accept it.
Helmet law
Mandatory
Yes
Detail
Helmets are compulsory for both rider and passenger. Vietnam applies a zero blood-alcohol limit to drivers and riders.
Petrol price 2026
As Of
2026-09-10 (national price adjustment)
RON 95 III VNDPer Litre
24,230
RON 95 V VNDPer Litre
25,530
E 5 RON 92 II VNDPer Litre
23,740
Zone
Vung 1 / Petrolimex list price
Licence reality
Note
Most shops rent without checking a licence, but that does not make riding legal. Under Decree 168 an unlicensed rider faces 2-4 million VND (bike up to 125cc) or 6-8 million VND (over 125cc), a 7-day impound, and a voided insurance claim. Riders from 1949-convention countries (US, Australia, Japan, China, Canada) cannot be legal on anything above 50cc without a Vietnamese licence. Korea is the exception: a bilateral agreement in force since 23 July 2023 lets a Korean IDP be used in Vietnam for one year from its date of issue.
Can Foreigners Self Drive
Yes, but only with a valid home-country national driving licence PLUS an International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention by a country that is a contracting party to that convention. Any other IDP (1949 Geneva Convention, or one sold by a private organisation) is not recognised and the driver counts as unlicensed.
Vietnam Convention Status
Convention
Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna, 8 November 1968 (UN Treaty Collection chapter XI-B-19)
Vietnam Accession Date
2014-08-20
Vietnam Distinguishing Sign
VN
Parties Count As Of
91 parties and 36 signatories as listed by the UN Treaty Collection on 2026-09-11
IDP Acceptance
Accepted
IDPs issued by contracting parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention, this covers most of Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Nordics excl. Iceland), Russia, and many others.
Validity Condition
An IDP is valid in Vietnam if issued by the competent authority of a Vienna Convention member state, in the standardised format, and issued no more than three years before use.
Conflicting Claim
A US government-facing claim that Vietnam recognises US IDPs circulates; the Vietnam Tourism page notes the ambiguity but states the US only issues 1949-convention IDPs. Vietnamese legal sources are consistent that only 1968 IDPs are recognised.
Not Accepted 1949 Only
Verified Not Parties To The 1968 Convention
United States
Australia
Japan
Republic of Korea (signed 29 Dec 1969 but never ratified, so NOT a contracting party, but see the bilateral agreement below: a Korean IDP IS usable in Vietnam)
China
Canada
New Zealand
India
Ireland
Iceland
Practical Consequence
Travellers from these countries cannot legally drive in Vietnam on a home-issued IDP. Options are: obtain a 1968-format IDP from a country where they are eligible, convert to / obtain a Vietnamese licence (GPLX), or not drive.
Law 2024 2025 changes
Instrument
Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024 (Luat Trat tu, an toan giao thong duong bo 2024), in force 2025-01-01
Changes
Driving licence (GPLX) issuance transferred from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Public Security from 2025-01-01.
Motorcycle class A1 reduced from up to 175cc to up to 125cc for licences issued on or after 2025-01-01; licences issued before that date keep the 175cc entitlement without retesting, but revert to the 125cc limit on renewal after expiry.
Decree 168/2024/ND-CP replaced the previous penalty framework from 2025-01-01 with sharply higher administrative fines and a licence points-deduction system.
Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA (Ministry of Public Security) now governs issuance of IDPs in Vietnam. Article 29.1 states an IDP issued in Vietnam may not substitute for a Vietnamese driving licence inside Vietnam.
Decree 151/2024/ND-CP is reported to introduce testing requirements for under-50cc riders (previously licence-exempt); implementation detail not confirmed.
Licence classes
A 1
Motorcycles up to 125cc (from 2025-01-01; previously up to 175cc). Electric motorcycles up to 11 kW.
A
Motorcycles above 125cc. Decree 168 fine brackets are split at 125cc, confirming the threshold, though sources did not spell out the class letter for the >125cc category consistently (some texts also refer to A2 for >11 kW electric).
Under 50 cc
No driving licence currently required for motorbikes/scooters under 50cc, which is why 50cc scooters are the common rental for licence-less tourists. Decree 151/2024/ND-CP is reported to be changing this.
Electric
Electric two-wheelers of 4 kW or less and 50 km/h or less need no licence; up to 11 kW needs A1; above 11 kW needs A2.
Licence conversion
Who Can
Foreigners residing in Vietnam (temporary or permanent residence) can convert a valid foreign licence to a Vietnamese GPLX, or sit the Vietnamese test. Reported as suited to long-term residents with a work permit / residence card.
Typical Cost VND
385,000 - 735,000 VND reported
Typical Time
5-10 business days for conversion; 2-4 weeks to take the full Vietnamese test
Note
Short-stay tourists generally cannot convert; the practical route is a 1968 IDP.
Fines decree 168
Effective From
2025-01-01
Motorcycle Under 125 cc no Licence VND
2,000,000
4,000,000
Motorcycle Over 125 cc no Licence VND
6,000,000
8,000,000
Car no Licence VND
18,000,000
20,000,000
Vehicle Impound Days
7
Impound Storage Fee VNDPer Day
50,000
100,000
Lending Vehicle To Unlicensed Driver individual VND
8,000,000
10,000,000
Lending Vehicle To Unlicensed Driver organisation VND
16,000,000
20,000,000
Other Reported Range
Vietnam Tourism states fines for driving without a valid licence start at 2,000,000 VND and reach 6,000,000 VND for more serious cases.
Anecdote
Tigit Motorbikes reports Ha Giang enforcement against foreign riders at around 3,000,000 VND per person.
Insurance
Void Without Valid Licence
Yes
Detail
Vietnamese motor insurance policies exclude cover for accidents caused while driving without a valid licence, leaving the driver personally liable. Travel/medical insurance commonly excludes motorbike accidents unless the rider holds a licence valid for the vehicle, so claims are typically denied.
Self drive car availability Nha Trang Cam Ranh
Offered To Foreigners
Yes, but thinly. Peer-to-peer / platform rentals are the practical route; the international brands with a Vietnam presence largely do not have a Cam Ranh branch.
Verified Providers
MiotoRent (miotorent.com) lists self-drive cars in Nha Trang with delivery to Cam Ranh International Airport or a hotel, and states foreigners need a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP or a Vietnamese licence.
Localrent lists both Nha Trang and Cam Ranh as Vietnamese rental cities.
Kayak lists Hertz as a supplier with one location at Nha Trang Cam Ranh Airport.
Not Available
Avis Vietnam (avis.com.vn) lists only Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc, no Nha Trang or Cam Ranh branch.
Caveat
Several Vietnamese operators state that self-drive hire is rarely practical for visitors and push chauffeur-driven cars instead; with-driver hire is the dominant product in Khanh Hoa.
Questions people ask
Do I need a licence to ride a motorbike in Nha Trang?
Yes. Anything over 50cc requires a valid motorbike licence, and riding without one voids most travel insurance even in a minor accident. Rental shops rarely check; the police and your insurer do.
How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Nha Trang?
A few dollars a day for an automatic, less by the week or month. Expect to leave a deposit or a passport copy, and photograph the bike before you ride away.
Is it safe to ride a motorbike in Nha Trang?
The city is flat and the beachfront boulevard is wide, which makes it easier than Hanoi or Saigon. The risks are the traffic circles, the coastal road at night and a helmet that is not worth the name.
Sources
17
Every figure on this page comes from one of these pages, fetched on the date shown, or is computed from coordinates.