Buy or Rent a Motorbike in Nha Trang: Costs and Paperwork
Rent if you stay a few months or hold no residence card: True Friends lists the Yamaha Grande from VND 130,000 a day. Buy only with a permanent or temporary residence card with 6 months or more left; a Honda Vision lists at VND 31,506,545. Either way you need a licence, and Nha Trang shops must check it.
Renting or buying, the licence comes first. Riding a motor vehicle on the road without the licence the law requires is a prohibited act.
Điều khiển xe cơ giới tham gia giao thông đường bộ không có giấy phép lái xe theo quy định của pháp luật
Driving a motor vehicle in road traffic without a driving licence as required by law is a prohibited act.
Law 36/2024/QH15, Điều 9 khoản 1
On a bike up to 125 cm3 the fine is VND 2,000,000 to 4,000,000.
Phạt tiền từ 2.000.000 đồng đến 4.000.000 đồng đối với người điều khiển xe mô tô hai bánh có dung tích xi-lanh đến 125 cm3 … Không có giấy phép lái xe
A fine of 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND applies to a person operating a two-wheeled motorbike up to 125 cm3 who has no driving licence.
Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP, Điều 18 khoản 5 điểm a
Licence rules that apply whether you rent or buy
A rental scooter parked at the roadside.
A bigger bike costs more if you are caught: VND 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 above 125 cm3. Check which licence your bike class needs before you sign anything.
A holder of an international permit from a Vienna Convention country carries the permit and a valid national licence for the matching class.
A foreigner with a valid national licence and a visa or temporary residence card valid for 90 days or more may convert it to a Vietnamese licence.
Moto4Free advises an international permit before renting a bike of 75cc or more.
San Ho Viet says the rider must be 18 or older and hold a licence.
Nha Trang tightened rental enforcement in 2026. On 8 May the Nha Trang Ward People’s Committee told agencies and businesses to strengthen oversight of motorbike rental. Rental businesses face strict penalties for giving a bike to a tourist, a foreign visitor included, without a valid licence or legal driving eligibility. Operators are told to verify each customer’s driving eligibility and keep insurance and vehicle inspections in order.
Tuoi Tre News reported on 1 August that Khanh Hoa traffic police identified nine businesses renting motorbikes to foreigners, mainly in Nha Trang Ward. It also reported that hundreds of foreigners were fined for not meeting the requirements to rent and ride.
Rental signs have dropped significantly compared with about three months earlier. Bikes are no longer parked in large numbers along Tran Phu, Hung Vuong, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Ton Dan.
A shop owner on Hung Vuong Street said shops now check whether customers hold a valid licence and other paperwork. Some shops stopped because very few foreign customers qualify.
What this means for you: expect a licence check at the counter, and expect some shops to refuse a customer who has none. A shop that hands over a bike with no check may itself be unlicensed, so that is a reason to walk away. The reports do not say which permit a shop will accept, so ask the shop before you travel.
Rent or buy: the short comparison
A rental scooter parked on a Nha Trang street.
Rent for weeks to a few months. Buying needs a residence card and suits a long stay. The figures below come from the sections that follow.
Rent
Buy new
Entry price
From VND 130,000 a day
From VND 29,151,000 for a Janus 125
Mid-range bike
VND 250,000 a day for a PCX 150
VND 39,753,818 for a LEAD ABS
Residence card
Not needed to rent
Needed: 6 months or more left
Licence
Needed
Needed
Extra costs
Insurance deposit at Like Bike
Registration tax 2%, plate fee VND 105,000
Rent when
You stay for weeks and hold no residence card.
You want a bigger bike for a trip: the PCX class is from VND 250,000 a day at True Friends.
You want an electric scooter for city rides inside a daily limit such as 100 kilometres.
Buy when
You hold a permanent or temporary residence card with 6 months or more left.
You expect to ride for many months and can pay a list price such as VND 29,151,000 for a Janus 125.
You accept the paperwork: registration with 2% tax, and a withdrawal when you sell.
Licence first, then the residence-card test, then the cost of buying new against renting.
What renting costs in Nha Trang
Rental scooters lined up outside the shop.
True Friends Easy Rider lists daily prices on its site, with no date shown. The Yamaha Grande 125cc is from VND 130,000 a day. A SYM Priti 50cc automatic is from VND 150,000. The Honda PCX 150cc and the NVX 155cc are each from VND 250,000.
Bike at True Friends
Per day, from
Yamaha Grande 125cc
VND 130,000
SYM Priti 50cc automatic
VND 150,000
Brand new NVX 155cc
VND 250,000
Honda PCX 150cc
VND 250,000
What a rental includes and what it holds
Prices differ by shop and season, so ask what the daily rate covers. San Ho Viet lists a rental from VND 150,000, with 2 helmets per bike and 0.5 litre of petrol in the tank. Moto4Free quotes VND 100,000 for a short ride of 5 hours or less and 30 km or less.
Like Bike asks for an insurance deposit, returned when the bike comes back. Other shops hold different things, so ask before you pay.
How a rental runs, step by step
Bring your identity papers and licence. San Ho Viet asks a cash deposit of 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 dong, depending on the bike, from a customer with no identity papers.
Sign the agreement. Like Bike needs the details of a foreign passport.
Pay. San Ho Viet takes 100% of the rental payment once the bike is handed over. Like Bike accepts cash in dong, dollars and euros.
Take photos of the bike before you leave.
Ride and keep the paperwork with you. At San Ho Viet the renter pays any traffic fine in full, and the rental time is still counted and not refunded.
Return the bike. San Ho Viet asks for notice of the return time at least 3 hours ahead. Like Bike compares the bike with the earlier photos before it returns the deposit.
A day you do not ride is still a day you pay for. San Ho Viet charges the full day when you keep the bike and key but do not ride. Like Bike lists an anti-theft lock with the rental and advertises hotel delivery.
An electric scooter changes the rent-or-buy sums. MOTO4FREE sets a daily limit of 100 kilometres for all its motorbikes and scooters, with an extra charge beyond it. A full charge takes about 4 hours.
On a long rental the shop can charge the bike at VINFAST stations in Vincom Plaza malls and covers the cost. For extended journeys outside the city, MOTO4FREE recommends a gasoline motorbike. Buying electric starts at VND 36,900,000 for the Yamaha NEO’s.
Honda Vietnam publishes a suggested retail price for each version. Yamaha Vietnam publishes a price list headed October 2026, with prices marked “from”. Dealers set the final price, so treat these as starting points.
Type
Honda, suggested retail
Yamaha, from
Entry manual
Wave Alpha: VND 17,957,455; Blade: VND 18,900,000
Sirius: VND 19,048,000
Everyday automatic
Vision: VND 31,506,545
Janus 125: VND 29,151,000; Freego: VND 30,340,000
Larger automatic
LEAD ABS: VND 39,753,818
Grande: VND 46,244,000
Larger automatic
Air Blade 125: VND 42,404,727
NVX: VND 55,300,000
Electric
not listed here
NEO’s: VND 36,900,000
Honda prices are for the standard version of each model. Registration tax and the plate fee come on top, as the next section shows.
What a new bike costs to put on the road
On top of the list price, a first registration adds 2% registration tax and a plate and certificate fee of VND 105,000 in Zone II. Compulsory insurance adds VND 60,000 a year for a bike of 50 cc or more.
A used bike changes owner through a re-issue of the certificate and plate. That costs VND 70,000, and the tax rate from the second registration on is 1%. The certificate is issued in no more than 2 working days from a complete file.
Registering a bike as a foreigner
A large scooter from a Nha Trang rental fleet.
Registering a bike in your name is a separate step from buying it. The rule turns on your residence document.
If you hold a residence card
A foreigner living and working in Vietnam shows a permanent residence card or a temporary residence card with 6 months or more of residence left. The registration certificate is then written for the term shown on that card. When the registration certificate expires, the owner must come to the registration agency to exchange or withdraw the certificate and plate.
Trường hợp chủ xe là người nước ngoài sinh sống và làm việc tại Việt Nam (trừ đối tượng quy định tại điểm a Khoản này): Xuất trình thẻ thường trú hoặc thẻ tạm trú (còn thời hạn cư trú tại Việt Nam từ 06 tháng trở lên).
Where the vehicle owner is a foreigner living and working in Vietnam, he or she shows a permanent residence card or a temporary residence card with 6 months or more of residence left.
Circular 79/2024/TT-BCA, Điều 10 khoản 2 điểm b
A Khanh Hoa police decision places motorbikes of foreign organisations and individuals with the traffic police department. A May 2024 procedure gives its reception address for motorbikes as 21 Da Tuong, Vinh Nguyen. A first registration needs 5 documents.
If you hold only a visa
The rule above names residence cards and no other document for a foreign owner. If you hold only a visa, that rule gives you no document to show. Ask the traffic police before you pay a seller. Renting avoids the question.
How the file moves
A dossier can be filed on the national public service portal, the Ministry of Public Security portal or other online public-service channels. It can also go through the national identification app, or in person at the registration agency.
The fee is paid through a bank or payment intermediary linked to the portal, or in person at the agency. You choose how to receive the result: on the portal or app, by public post, or at the agency. A new plate is issued immediately after a complete, valid dossier is received.
What registration costs
Zone II covers every province and city except Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The figures below are national rules.
Item
Amount
Registration tax, first registration
2%
Registration tax, second time or later
1%
Plate and certificate fee, first registration in Zone II
VND 105,000
Re-issue of the certificate and plate on a change of owner
VND 70,000
A certificate issued on a change of owner, or a first one, takes no more than 2 working days from a complete file. A person with unresolved traffic violations is not processed for registration of that vehicle.
Compulsory civil-liability insurance for a two-wheel motorcycle costs VND 55,000 a year under 50 cc and VND 60,000 a year from 50 cc up. Both prices exclude VAT.
A bike of exactly 50 cc falls in the band from 50 cc up, at VND 60,000.
The cover is limited:
Up to VND 50 million in property damage per accident.
Up to VND 150 million per person for injury or death.
Buying a used bike
A scooter parked at a coastal viewpoint.
A used bike changes hands in a transfer that the rules treat as re-issuing the registration certificate and plate, not a first registration. Moto4Free titles its site as motorbikes and scooters for rent and sale, so a shop you rented from may also sell.
Check these before you pay:
Proof of lawful ownership is a sale document or a decision of a competent authority.
Proof of completed financial obligations is the registration-tax payment document.
The seller keeps the old certificate and plate and submits them at withdrawal.
The seller has 30 days from the transfer paperwork to file the withdrawal.
A person with unresolved traffic violations is not processed for registration of that vehicle, so ask the seller whether any fine is still open. If the seller never files, the authority penalises the seller and the buyer signs as a witness. Get the seller to withdraw while you are both at the counter.
Selling the bike when you leave
Whoever owns the bike on paper stays responsible for it. The person named on the registration certificate keeps the owner’s duties until the withdrawal is done. So the paperwork matters as much as the handshake when you sell.
A coastal viewpoint on a ride out of Nha Trang.
Keep the certificate and plate. Do not hand them to the buyer; you submit them at withdrawal.
File the withdrawal within 30 days of the transfer paperwork.
Bring the withdrawal form, your papers, 2 rubbings of the engine and chassis numbers, a copy of the transfer document, and the certificate and plate.
While you wait for the result you may keep using the plate, and you return it when you collect the withdrawal certificate.
On request you receive a temporary registration certificate with the withdrawal certificate.
Your plate number is kept for you for 5 years, to be reissued if you register another vehicle.
Which one to choose
A rented scooter parked beside a Nha Trang beach.
The licence decides first, then the residence card. With no residence card, you rent. With one, compare the daily rate with the list price.
A stay of a few weeks
Rent. A Grande-class bike costs from VND 130,000 a day at True Friends. You pay no registration tax and no plate fee. The shop’s weekly or monthly rate is the number to compare.
A stay with a passenger or a longer ride
Rent a larger bike. A PCX-class bike costs from VND 250,000 a day. A shop may cap distance: MOTO4FREE sets 100 kilometres a day. Check the cap before you plan a trip to Cam Ranh or beyond.
A stay of many months with a residence card
Buying starts to make sense. A Vision-class bike lists at VND 31,506,545. Add 2% registration tax, a plate fee of VND 105,000 and compulsory insurance from VND 55,000 a year. The point where buying wins depends on the shop’s real daily or monthly price, so ask for a monthly rate before you decide.
Questions to ask before you pay
What does the daily price include? San Ho Viet lists 2 helmets and 0.5 litre of petrol.
What do you leave as a deposit, and when does it come back?
Is there a distance limit?
Who pays a fine, and does the clock keep running?
For a used bike: has the seller filed the withdrawal?
Not confirmed: Monthly rental rates and used-bike prices in Nha Trang: ask two or three shops and compare. Whether a visitor on a visa alone can register a bike: the rule names only residence cards, so ask the traffic police before paying a seller. Which permit a shop accepts: ask before you travel.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to rent or buy a motorbike in Nha Trang?
Renting costs from VND 130,000 a day for a Yamaha Grande at True Friends. A new Honda Vision lists at VND 31,506,545, plus registration tax of 2%.
Do I need a licence to rent a motorbike in Nha Trang?
Riding without a licence is a prohibited act. San Ho Viet says the rider must be 18 or older and hold a licence. Moto4Free advises an international permit for a 75cc or bigger bike.
Are Nha Trang rental shops still renting to foreigners in 2026?
Some are, with checks. Ward authorities ordered tighter oversight on 8 May, and shops must verify driving eligibility. Some shops stopped because few foreign customers qualify.
What is the fine for riding without a licence?
The fine is VND 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 on a bike up to 125 cm3 and VND 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 on a bigger one.
Can a tourist register a motorbike in their own name?
The rule asks a foreigner living and working in Vietnam for a permanent residence card or a temporary one with 6 months or more left. It names no other document.
Where do I register a motorbike in Nha Trang?
A Khanh Hoa police decision places motorbikes of foreign individuals with the traffic police department. A May 2024 procedure gives the reception address as 21 Da Tuong, Vinh Nguyen.
What does registration cost?
The registration tax is 2% for a first registration and 1% from the second time. The plate and certificate fee in Zone II is a flat VND 105,000. A change of owner costs VND 70,000.
Is insurance compulsory for a motorbike?
Compulsory civil-liability insurance costs VND 55,000 a year under 50 cc and VND 60,000 from 50 cc up, before VAT.
How much does the compulsory insurance pay out?
It covers up to VND 50 million in property damage per accident and up to VND 150 million per person for injury or death.
How do I buy a used bike safely?
A change of owner is legally a re-issue of the registration certificate and plate. The seller keeps the old certificate and plate for withdrawal and has 30 days to file it.
Do rental shops take a deposit?
Like Bike asks for an insurance deposit that is returned with the bike. Ask every shop what it holds before you pay.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
