I’ve been living in Brunei for a while now, and let me tell you, getting a driving license here was quite a journey. I’ve heard from some friends that it can be a bit of a hassle, but I needed to get it done, so I decided to take the plunge and document the whole process to share with you all.
First things first, I had to figure out what the heck I needed to do. You can’t just walk in and get a license, you know? There are rules and steps. I did some digging around, asking people, searching online, and it turns out, like in most places, you need to go through a driving school. No big surprise there. I found a local driving school, enrolled, and started taking their theory lessons. We went through road rules, signs, and all that stuff. It was a bit boring, but hey, gotta do what you gotta do.
After I completed the theory part, it was time to get behind the wheel. We did a bunch of practical lessons with an instructor. We drove around town, practiced parking, did hill starts – the whole nine yards. My instructor was a pretty chill guy, which made the whole experience less nerve-wracking. I must have spent hours driving around those streets, but slowly but surely, I started getting the hang of it.

Once I felt confident enough and my instructor gave me the green light, I had to book a driving test. Now, this was the part I was most anxious about. You hear stories about how strict the examiners can be, and I didn’t want to mess it up. I practiced even more, going over every little detail, trying to be as perfect as possible.
The day of the test finally arrived, and I was a nervous wreck. I got to the testing center, did the usual checks, and then it was time to hit the road with the examiner. We drove around, he gave me instructions, and I tried my best to follow them while not breaking any rules. I think I did okay, but it was hard to tell. The examiner was pretty stoic the whole time.
After the test, I had to wait for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the examiner told me I passed! I couldn’t believe it. All that hard work and practice paid off. I was so relieved and excited that I almost forgot to breathe. I had to go to the Land Transport Department (LTD) office to get my actual license. There was a bit of paperwork to fill out, and I had to choose whether to pick up a printed license or use the digital one in the TransportBN app. I opted for the printed one, just in case.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I did:
- Enrolled in a driving school
- Completed theory lessons
- Took practical driving lessons
- Booked and passed the driving test
- Went to the LTD office to get my license
Important Note
I realized that my foreign driving license would only be valid for three months. I needed to get this done before that period ended, or I wouldn’t have been able to drive at all.
And that’s my story of getting a driving license in Brunei. It was a bit of a process, but I got through it. If any of you are planning to get a license here, I hope my experience helps you out. Just remember to stay calm, practice a lot, and follow the rules. You’ll do great!