If you are told your overseas licence is not valid or you wish to learn to drive here then you will have to take a driving test. To do this you will have to attend an approved driving school. A list of driving schools can be found at www.drivinginstitute.com.my.

Once you have registered at the school, you will be given a book with 500 questions in it about driving on the roads. This book covers all the rules for driving in Malaysia and has to be memorised. You also have to attend a five hour lesson at an approved driving school. There is an English version of the question book but the class is conducted in Malay although most teachers will be willing to speak a little English to help explain.

Once you believe you know all the correct answers to the 500 questions you are ready to take your first (written) test. You will also have to undergo a basic car maintenance course which covers things like changing a tyre, checking oil, battery and water levels and topping up. You will then be able to sit for your “L” license test. There is an English language test conducted monthly and tests in Malay are held every week. This written exam has 50 of the questions which appeared in the book and you have to answer 42 correctly.

Once you pass this you are allowed to drive a car with “L plates” on them. This is valid for three months. It can be extended for a small fee if you are still not ready to take the exam. You can only learn to drive at a driving school using one of their cars. The driving school will then teach you to drive which must be for a minimum of ten hours. It should be noted that you are only allowed to drive cars from the driving school until you have passed your test.

When you feel you are ready you can take the driving test proper. This can be arranged quite quickly and is a practical driving test only with no written exam. You also have to take the test in the driving school’s car. If you pass your drivers test then you will be given a “P” license which you must always place on the outside of any car you are driving. During the next two years if you break any traffic regulations you will receive penalty points. If these exceed 15 during the two year period your license will be revoked. If not then you can obtain a proper license.