International driving permits and U.S. drivers' licenses are not valid in Vietnam.  Foreigners renting vehicles risk prosecution and/or imprisonment for driving without a Vietnamese license endorsed for the appropriate vehicle.  Non-Vietnamese citizens who wish to drive in Vietnam should contact any office of the Provincial Public Transportation Service of the Vietnamese Department of Communications and Transport to obtain a Vietnamese driver's license. 

Vietnamese Driving Licences are mandatory for all drivers of motor vehicles as well as for riders of motorcycles with a capacity of over 50 cc. Non-Vietnamese citizens are only permitted to drive in Vietnam if they hold a temporary Vietnamese Driver’s License ( driving licence ).

To convert your Driving Licence or International Driving Permit or international translation of driver's license into a temporary Vietnamese Driver’s licence, the applicant must first hold a valid Vietnamese residence permit or visa of at least three month’s validity and a valid Driving Licence.

Traffic in Vietnam is chaotic.  Traffic accidents occur frequently and the most common victims are motorbike riders and pedestrians.  At least 30 people die each day from transportation-related injuries and many more are injured, often with traumatic head injuries. 

Traffic accident injuries are the leading cause of death, severe injury, and emergency evacuation of foreigners in Vietnam. Traffic accidents, including those involving a pedestrian and a motorized vehicle, are the single greatest health and safety risk Non-Vietnamese  citizens will face in Vietnam