Getting a Driver’s License in Malaysia

Hello, I’m Soumame, 17 years old. Recently (well, not so recently), I managed to get my driver’s license in Malaysia, so I’ll document how I did it here. First, I should mention that in Malaysia, you can get a regular driver’s license from age 17, so please keep that in mind while reading.

I’m sharing my personal experiences and impressions about getting a license in Malaysia, as some of my acquaintances had questions about the process.

Application

First, you need to decide which driving school to attend. I chose Metro Driving Academy. I didn’t think too much about it as it was recommended by an acquaintance, but it was quite helpful that they offered classes in English. I recommend checking websites or inquiring whether English instruction is available.

What I Needed

Basically, just a passport was enough, but having a bank account was useful as there were bank transfers involved. The place I went to accepted JOMPAY as a payment method. It’s helpful to keep payment receipts as proof. When getting a license, they check passport and visa validity periods as it can take up to 3 months depending on congestion. You might be rejected if these are clearly too short.

Time to Apply!

After applying through the website, I received a WhatsApp message. I applied for automatic transmission (DA). Some schools only offer automatic, so check beforehand. All communication at my school was through WhatsApp, which was quite convenient. When asked about payment, just sending the receipt was sufficient. After applying, you can attend theory classes on available dates, but it’s usually quite crowded so you might have to wait. Popular schools might have waiting times of up to a month. As is common in Malaysia, I recommend allowing plenty of time, especially if you’re a student.

The cost was RM2500. According to friends, this is quite expensive, with some places offering courses for as low as RM800. I thought it was still quite reasonable, especially since it included retake packages.

Just between us, some of my friends paid extra (amount withheld) to pass their tests. Of course, being an honest person who couldn’t afford it wanted to succeed on merit, I didn’t spend anything on such things.

[Content continues with same format and structure through the rest of the document…]