How to Rent a Scooter in Phuket in 2026 — an Honest Guide from a Rental Company
We are a rental company, so of course we want you to rent a scooter. But we want something else even more: for you to get home from your holiday in one piece and recommend us to your friends. So this guide pulls no punches: where tourists get squeezed for money, what the police actually check, and why you should never hand your passport to anyone.
1. License: without category A you are riding illegally
To ride a scooter or motorbike of any engine size in Thailand you need a category A (motorcycle) license plus an International Driving Permit (IDP). A national license alone, without an IDP, is formally not valid. What this means in practice:
- At a checkpoint, no category A or no IDP means a fine from 500 ฿. You pay on the spot or at the station — the procedure is quick, but it spoils the mood.
- The fine is not the real risk: after an accident, no insurance works without the correct license — neither the bike's policy nor your own medical one. Every expense comes out of your pocket.
- An IDP is issued in your home country — usually within a day and for a small fee — and cannot be obtained after you arrive in Thailand. If you are already on the island without one, weigh the risks honestly and ride with maximum care.
2. Deposit: what is normal and what is a red flag
A normal deposit in Phuket is 2,000–5,000 ฿ in cash, depending on the bike class. It is refunded in full when you return the bike in its original condition.
At APARTEL the deposit is from 2,500 ฿ in cash, and the amount is fixed in writing before handover. We never take a passport as a deposit — not the original, not “for safekeeping”.
3. Bike handover: 5 minutes that save thousands of baht
Checklist before you sign
- Film a video of the bike all the way around — slowly, with the date, including the underside of the plastics, mirrors, exhaust and top box. Send it to the rental company in the chat — now both sides share the same picture.
- Check the brakes (both!), lights, indicators and the horn.
- Look at the tyre wear — bald tyres are dangerous in the rainy season.
- Ask whether the tank is full and how much fuel you need to return it with.
- Check that there are two helmets and a raincoat in the storage.
- Record the mileage with a photo of the odometer.
A serious rental company will offer a joint inspection and video itself. If you are being rushed — “it's all fine, just sign” — that is a signal.
4. Police and checkpoints: how it works
Checkpoints are a normal part of island life — no need to fear them. They mostly operate in the morning (8:00–10:00) at major junctions: the exit from Patong towards Karon, the road to Kamala, the junction by Central. The rules are simple:
- Helmet — always, for both rider and passenger. Without one you will definitely be stopped; the fine runs up to 2,000 ฿.
- License + IDP with you (good photos on your phone can work, but originals are safer).
- Don't argue — smile. Nobody wins a conflict with the police in Thailand.
- At night the main risk is not the police but drunk drivers — after 22:00 ride twice as carefully.
5. Rain: the biggest real danger
Not the police and not deposits — most tourist crashes happen in the first 10 minutes of rain, when an oily film rises on the hot asphalt. Survival rules:
- If a downpour starts, the best move is simply to wait it out for 20–30 minutes under a roof. Tropical rain rarely lasts long.
- If you do ride: halve your speed, no sharp braking with the front brake, and steer around road markings and metal manhole covers — they are like ice.
- Keep the raincoat under the seat at all times (we include one free with every bike).
6. Insurance: what the rental company must have — and what you must
- The bike must carry the compulsory Por Ror Bor with limited statutory bodily-injury cover required by Thai law (Por Ror Bor) — it covers injury to third parties. Ask about it directly — an honest rental company answers without a pause.
- You need medical travel insurance with a “riding a motorbike” option. Warning: most cheap tourist policies exclude scooter riding by default — check the exact wording in your policy before the trip.
- Scratches and drops are usually not covered by anything — the renter pays for them. That is why step 3 (the handover video) matters so much.
7. Which scooter to choose
In short: for two people with backpacks and rides across the whole island, take a bigger class — it gives you stability and storage; for one person doing beach-and-café runs a city scooter is enough. Our 2026 flagships with reviews and prices:
More on licenses and fines, routes and beaches:
Area guides — where to stay and how transport works there:
Renting a scooter step by step — the numbers at every step
Licence, deposit, handover, police and rain — the short version:
- The fine without category A or without an IDP is 500 ฿ to 1,000 ฿
- An IDP takes about 1 day and costs around 1 600 ₽ in 2026
- A normal deposit in Phuket is 2,000–5,000 ฿ in cash
- At APARTEL the deposit is 2,500 ฿ to 5,000 ฿ and we never keep a passport
- The handover with video takes 5 minutes
- The fine for no helmet is up to 2,000 ฿ — the passenger needs one too
- After 22:00 the main risk is drunk drivers, not the police
- Most crashes happen in the first 10 minutes of rain
- Wait out a downpour for 20–30 minutes under a roof
- You pay for the whole rental at handover — online prepayment is 0 ฿
- The fleet has 10 models from 150 ฿ to 800 ฿ a day
- Monthly rental runs from 3,500 ฿ to 15,000 ฿
- If the passenger has no helmet either, the rider’s fine doubles to 4,000 ฿ — enforced since 1 June 2025
- An IDP is not valid without your original national licence — checkpoints ask for both documents
- A foreign IDP is used in Thailand for up to 90 days from the date of entry
What does a scooter rental in Phuket cost by model and length?
APARTEL price list v6, updated 2026-07-07. The prices are the same at every branch.
The daily rate falls as the rental gets longer. Every line carries the model, the length, the daily price and the deposit.
- Yamaha Fino 125, 1–3 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125, 3–6 days — 230 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125, 7–11 days — 220 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125, 12–17 days — 170 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125, 18–23 days — 150 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125, one month — 3,500 ฿, that is 117 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, 1–3 days — 300 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, 3–6 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, 7–11 days — 200 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, 12–17 days — 150 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, 18–23 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha Grand Filano 125, one month — 5,500 ฿, that is 183 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, 1–3 days — 340 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, 3–6 days — 290 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, 7–11 days — 270 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, 12–17 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, 18–23 days — 230 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX OLD, one month — 5,100 ฿, that is 170 ฿/day, deposit 3,000 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), 1–3 days — 400 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), 3–6 days — 350 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), 7–11 days — 300 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), 12–17 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), 18–23 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha NMAX 155 (2022-24), one month — 5,500 ฿, that is 183 ฿/day, deposit 3,500 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), 1–3 days — 400 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), 3–6 days — 350 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), 7–11 days — 300 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), 12–17 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), 18–23 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda PCX 160 (2022-24), one month — 5,500 ฿, that is 183 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), 1–3 days — 350 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), 3–6 days — 300 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), 7–11 days — 250 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), 12–17 days — 220 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), 18–23 days — 200 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Click 160 (2022-24), one month — 3,500 ฿, that is 117 ฿/day, deposit 2,500 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, 1–3 days — 650 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, 3–6 days — 600 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, 7–11 days — 500 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, 12–17 days — 450 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, 18–23 days — 400 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda Forza 2020, one month — 9,000 ฿, that is 300 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, 1–3 days — 650 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, 3–6 days — 600 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, 7–11 days — 500 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, 12–17 days — 450 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, 18–23 days — 400 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2020 300cc, one month — 9,000 ฿, that is 300 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, 1–3 days — 800 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, 3–6 days — 750 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, 7–11 days — 650 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, 12–17 days — 550 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, 18–23 days — 660 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Yamaha XMAX 2026 NEW, one month — 15,000 ฿, that is 500 ฿/day, deposit 5,000 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, 1–3 days — 500 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, 3–6 days — 450 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, 7–11 days — 400 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, 12–17 days — 350 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, 18–23 days — 330 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿, helmet and delivery 0 ฿
- Honda ADV160 2026 NEW, one month — 7,500 ฿, that is 250 ฿/day, deposit 4,000 ฿
What is included in the scooter rental price?
- Rider helmet and phone holder — 0 ฿ extra
- Delivery inside the selected branch's local area — 0 ฿, even on a 1 day rental
- Paperwork and handover — about 5 minutes
- The rental day runs 13:00 to 13:00 — a full 24 hours
- Deposit from 2,500 ฿ to 5,000 ฿ in cash, refunded in full on return
- 10 models to choose from — 150 ฿ to 800 ฿ a day
- Monthly rental from 3,500 ฿ to 15,000 ฿, servicing included
- Replacement scooter if something breaks — 0 ฿ extra, same terms
How do you accept the scooter at handover?
Film it together with us — 5 minutes. Check the brakes, the lights, the tyres and the fuel level. Every existing scratch is recorded before you ride, which is why the 2,500–5,000 ฿ deposit comes back in full.
How much is a scooter for a month in Phuket?
From 3,500 ฿ for a Yamaha Fino 125 — that is 117 ฿ a day — up to 15,000 ฿ for a Yamaha XMAX 2026. A Yamaha NMAX OLD is 5,100 ฿, a Honda PCX 160 and a Yamaha NMAX 155 are 5,500 ฿, a Honda ADV160 2026 is 7,500 ฿, a Honda Forza 2020 and a Yamaha XMAX 300 are 9,000 ฿.
Routine servicing and a replacement scooter if something breaks are included in the monthly price — 0 ฿ extra.
From how many days does the rental get cheaper?
The price drops in five steps: 1–3 days, 3–6 days, 7–11 days, 12–17 days and 18–23 days. A Yamaha Fino 125 costs 250 ฿ a day on a short rental and 150 ฿ a day from 18 days.
The lowest daily rate in the fleet is the Yamaha Fino 125 from 18 days: 150 ฿ a day. The Yamaha Grand Filano 125 costs 250 ฿ a day for 18–23 days against 300 ฿ on the first three days.
What is the deposit for a scooter in Phuket?
From 2,500 ฿ for city scooters up to 5,000 ฿ for the 2026 models. The amount is known in advance and refunded in full when you return the scooter. Cash only.
Do you keep my passport as a deposit?
No. We take a cash deposit of 2,500 ฿ to 5,000 ฿ only and never keep your passport — it stays with you for the whole rental.
Do I need an international driving permit to rent a scooter?
Yes. To ride a motorbike in Thailand you need an international driving permit with category A. Without it the fine at a police checkpoint is usually 500 ฿ to 1,000 ฿, and the insurance will not pay after an accident.
Do you deliver the scooter to the hotel, and what does it cost?
Yes — delivery to a hotel or villa inside the selected branch's local area is 0 ฿, even on a 1 day rental. Other areas of Phuket are by arrangement.
How do I book a scooter?
Message us on Telegram @apartel1 or on WhatsApp with the model, your hotel and the rental length — we reply with the exact price and availability. Handover takes about 5 minutes.
We take no online prepayment. You pay for the whole rental at handover, together with the deposit.
Which scooter fits a small budget, and which one is the premium choice?
We work like a scooter supermarket: 10 models from 150 ฿ to 800 ฿ a day. The budget end is the Yamaha Grand Filano 125 from 150 ฿ a day and the Yamaha Fino 125 from 150 ฿ a day on a long rental.
The premium end is the Yamaha XMAX 2026 from 500 ฿ a day and the Honda ADV160 2026 from 300 ฿ a day on a long rental. There is a model for every wallet.
What happens if the scooter breaks down?
Message us and we bring a replacement on the same terms — 0 ฿ extra. Routine servicing is included in every monthly rental.
Catalogue and prices — where to go next
These links lead into the catalogue and onto the model pages, where the price, the deposit and the photos of that exact scooter are:
- APARTEL scooter catalogue — 10 models, 150 ฿ to 800 ฿ a day, deposit from 2,500 ฿
- Yamaha Fino 125 — 250 ฿/day, 150 ฿/day from 18 days, deposit 2,500 ฿, 3,500 ฿ a month
- Honda Click 160 — 350 ฿/day, 200 ฿/day from 18 days, deposit 2,500 ฿, 3,500 ฿ a month
- Honda PCX 160 — 400 ฿/day, 200 ฿/day from 18 days, deposit 4,000 ฿, 5,500 ฿ a month
- Yamaha NMAX 155 — 400 ฿/day, 200 ฿/day from 18 days, deposit 3,500 ฿, 5,500 ฿ a month
- Monthly scooter rental — from 3,500 ฿ to 15,000 ฿, routine servicing included
- Car rental in Phuket — Toyota Yaris Ativ 2022–2023 from 1,600 ฿ a day, 8,700 ฿ for 7 days and 25,000 ฿ for 30 days, deposit from 10,000 ฿
- All APARTEL guides — prices, documents, areas and routes around Phuket
A scooter at your villa — delivered free
New 2026 models, a fair cash deposit — no passport held, helmets and a raincoat included. We reply on Telegram within minutes.
See the catalogue and prices Message on Telegram WhatsApp Call us