110 to 125 cc
Honda Scoopy, Honda Click
Patong, Kata, Rawai: short hops, the beach, dinner in the evening. Below 125 cc, climbing Patong Hill two-up is a crawl.
150 to 400 THB a day
2,000 to 4,000 THB a month
Scooter rental in Phuket: what it costs, and how to ride home without a dispute
In 2025, Phuket police recorded 30,551 traffic offences, 26,515 of them for riding or driving without a licence. Of the 23,646 people fined for riding without a licence or for a rental-related offence, 20,901 were foreigners. Almost all of them thought they were fine.
What licence do you need to ride a scooter in Phuket?
A motorcycle licence from home, plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles. Not a car licence, not a car licence with an IDP, and not “it's only a 125, it'll be fine”. Thailand classes every two-wheeler as a motorcycle, even a 110 cc scooter.
The International Driving Permit is issued in your country of residence, before you leave, and it only shows the categories already on your national licence. There is no way to fix this once you're in Phuket, which is why we ask the question when you request a quote, not when you pick up the keys.
Without that licence, three things fall at once. The fine: 1,000 baht, or 2,000 if you can't show the document. The helmet: 2,000 baht since 1 June 2025, 4,000 if your passenger is bareheaded too. And above all your travel insurance, which will refuse to pay out after an accident. It's by far the most common reason claims are turned down in Thailand.
The compulsory vehicle insurance, Por Ror Bor, doesn't change that: it only covers capped medical costs. Not the scooter, not theft, not the rider. Phuket sees around 135 road deaths a year, and nearly nine in ten involve a two-wheeler.
If you don't hold the motorcycle category, the conversation doesn't end there. We never put anyone on a bike illegally, but tell us before you arrive and we'll look at what's possible in your case. And if you'd rather not ride at all, we'll find you a driver: plenty of our clients end up using one for long trips and keeping the scooter for beach runs.
Which scooter or motorbike, and for what budget?
These are the island's market prices, checked in September 2026 with rental shops in Patong and along the west coast. They aren't our rates: ours depend on the length of rental, the season and delivery, and come as a quote.
155 to 160 cc
Yamaha Aerox, Honda PCX, Honda ADV 160
The sweet spot for covering the whole island two-up, inland hills included. The ADV 160 has the ground clearance and ABS brakes.
300 to 700 THB a day
6,500 THB a month for the ADV 160 ABS
300 to 350 cc
Yamaha XMAX, Honda ADV 350, Honda Forza
Comfort over distance: Phuket to Khao Lak, Phuket to Krabi, 200 km days. Enough under-seat space for two full-face helmets.
1,000 to 1,500 THB a day
12,000 to 15,000 THB a month
Maxi-scooters
Honda X-ADV 750, Yamaha TMAX 560
The bikes people most often ask for by name. A proper motorway machine, and the first category where the deposit gets serious.
2,200 to 2,500 THB a day
On request: availability is the real question
Big bikes
Honda Rebel 500, Kawasaki Z900, Ducati Monster, BMW, Yamaha R1
Phuket has a well-stocked big-bike fleet. A litre sports bike rents for around 4,950 THB a day, with deposits up to 70,000 THB.
930 to 4,950 THB a day
Deposits up to 70,000 THB: negotiate that first
Scooter rental prices in Phuket, model by model (September 2026)
The six models we're asked for most, with the ranges published by the island's rental shops. High season, November to April, usually adds 50 to 100 THB a day. Deposits run from 3,000 THB for a 125–160 cc to 10,000 THB for a 300–350 cc, and the compulsory insurance included only covers capped medical costs: what the rental insurance really covers is in the contract.
| Model | Engine | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Click 125 | 125 cc | 150–400 THB | 2,000–4,000 THB |
| Honda Click 160 | 160 cc | 300–500 THB | 3,500–6,000 THB |
| Yamaha NMAX 155 | 155 cc | 300–550 THB | 4,500–7,500 THB |
| Honda ADV 160 | 160 cc | 500–700 THB | 6,500–7,000 THB |
| Yamaha XMAX 300 | 300 cc | 1,000–1,500 THB | 12,000–15,000 THB |
| Honda ADV 350 | 350 cc | 1,000–1,500 THB | 12,000–15,000 THB |
Differences between shops come down to the bike's age, ABS, delivery and the season. A rock-bottom price with a high deposit or limited insurance often costs more than an honest rate: always compare price, deposit and excess together. Two names you may hear don't exist in any catalogue: the “ADV 360”, which is really an ADV 160 or 350, and the “DR1”, which almost always means a Yamaha R1.
Can you rent a scooter in Phuket without leaving your passport?
Yes, and it's the only right way to do it. Holding a passport as security is illegal in Thailand, yet plenty of counters in Patong still ask for it.
The pattern is always the same. The passport goes in a drawer. When you bring the bike back, scratches, a mirror or a panel are “discovered”. The bill is non-negotiable, and the passport only comes out once it's paid. The UK Foreign Office explicitly advises British travellers never to hand over their passport as a deposit for a scooter or jet ski, and the US State Department describes the same scheme, for real or invented damage.
The acceptable norm fits in one line: a cash deposit of 3,000 to 5,000 baht, and a photocopy of your passport. Nothing else. If a shop wants the original, walk to the next one: there are 288 licensed rental businesses on the island.
If you rent on your own, film a time-stamped 360-degree video of the bike before you leave, including the odometer and fuel gauge. And save the number of the Tourist Police, 1155: they speak English and do step in on this kind of dispute.
What we do that a rental counter doesn't
We don't rent bikes ourselves: we put you in touch with licensed shops we know, and we stay in the middle until the bike is returned. That's where the difference is, not in the daily rate.
We check your licence before booking
Motorcycle category, valid. If it's missing, we tell you and switch to a driver. We'd rather lose a rental than see you in an accident with no cover.
A filmed handover, both ways
The bike is filmed at pick-up and at return, with the shop present. Scratches “found” on return cause most disputes, and a shared video makes them disappear.
A deposit that doesn't vanish
A cash deposit at the market rate, never your passport, and any deduction has to be backed by a photo. Agreed in writing before you hand over a single baht.
A quick road briefing
The descent from Patong Hill, where the police checkpoints usually are, the stretches that turn to soap with the first rain. Five minutes that can save you an evening in A&E.
A word on the rules, because they're changing: the amended Motor Vehicle Act that applies in 2026 requires rental businesses to use specific registration, hold a licence per area and carry compliant insurance, with fines of 10,000 to 100,000 baht. Counters that don't comply will disappear during the season. We only work with those that do.
Scooter rental in Phuket: common questions
- How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Phuket?
- Market prices checked in September 2026 in Patong and on the west coast: 150 to 400 THB a day for a 110–125 cc scooter, 300 to 700 THB for a 155–160 cc, 1,000 to 1,500 THB for a 300–350 cc, and 2,200 to 2,500 THB for a maxi-scooter such as a TMAX or X-ADV. By the month, expect 2,000 to 15,000 THB depending on the engine size. High season, November to April, usually adds 50 to 100 THB a day.
- Can I rent a scooter in Phuket without a licence?
- Plenty of shops will hand you the keys, but riding without the right licence is illegal and it's what the police check most. Thailand treats every two-wheeler as a motorcycle, so you need a motorcycle licence from home plus an International Driving Permit covering motorcycles. Without them you face fines, and your travel insurance is very likely to refuse any claim after an accident. If you don't have the motorcycle category, tell us before you arrive: we'll look at your options, or put you with a driver instead.
- Do I have to leave my passport as a deposit?
- No, and you shouldn't. Holding a passport as security is illegal in Thailand, and both the UK Foreign Office and the US State Department warn travellers against it. The acceptable norm is a cash deposit of 3,000 to 5,000 THB for a standard scooter, plus a photocopy of your passport.
- What are the fines for riding without a licence or helmet in Phuket?
- 1,000 baht for riding without a licence, 2,000 baht for being unable to show it, and 2,000 baht for not wearing a helmet since 1 June 2025, or 4,000 if both rider and passenger are bareheaded. In 2025, Phuket police recorded 30,551 traffic offences, 26,515 of them for riding or driving without a licence.
- Does travel insurance cover a scooter accident in Thailand?
- Only if you held a valid motorcycle licence for that bike and wore a helmet. That's the most common reason claims are refused. The compulsory insurance attached to the vehicle, known as Por Ror Bor, only covers capped medical costs: not the bike, not theft, not you as the rider.
Which bike, and for how long?
A few lines are enough. We read every request ourselves and reply by hand, based on your dates, your group and what matters to you.
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