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The Tabien Baan (Yellow Book) Guide for Expats in Thailand

A Tabien Baan is a house document, which translates literally as ‘House Registration' in Thai. The type of document relevant to foreign nationals is the yellow book Tabien Baan (ท.ร.13, Thor Ror 13).

This house registration book contains the details of all foreign nationals registered as living at the address (as their primary residence).

The Tabien Baan doesn't prove ownership of the property, only residence.

This yellow book differs from the standard blue book issued to Thai nationals (the ท.ร.14, Thor Ror 14). A foreigner can't be listed in a blue book, but you can apply for a yellow book to prove where you reside.

The Tabien Baan is used in Thailand for address verification, and is also a voter's roll used to identify those eligible to vote in elections.

yellow-tabien-baan-house-book

Why Do Expats Need a Tabien Baan?

Not everyone does need one. In fact, many people live here for years and never need one. However, it reduces the paperwork when applying for a driving license or buying a car, because you won't need a residence certificate for proof of residence. Some types of bank account may require you to provide a Tabien Baan.

Depending on the requirements for the service you are dealing with, you may be able to avoid the need for a Tabien Baan by going to your embassy and getting a stamped letter to prove your residency. Doing this as a one off isn't a big deal, but doing so multiple times will become a hassle.

Getting your yellow house book is also the pathway to obtaining the Pink ID Card, which is an ID card for foreign nationals. More on that another time.

In summary, the benefit of the house registration book is hassle-free address verification.

What Details are Contained in the Tabien Baan?

The yellow book is written in Thai and contains details about the property. The first page contains the address and type of property (house or condo). Flip the page over and you'll see the name, nationality, date of birth and ID number of the house owner/master.

The proceeding pages of the book list the details of all other non-Thai residents residing at the property (that's you).

How Do I Get a Tabien Baan?

When you buy a property in Thailand, you are given a Tabien Baan as part of the property transfer process. However, by default this is usually a blue Tabien Baan and not the yellow one a foreigner requires. You can exchange this, though, at a local district office.

It's actually a good idea when buying a property to request the correct Tabien Baan prior to the transfer, so that you don't have to mess about with applying for one.

Outside of buying a property, you can apply for your yellow house registration book at a local amphur (district office).

As is par for the course, you may find slightly different requirements between district offices, but below are the standard requirements:

Required Documents

Please note that you will need a ‘house master' to approve your application to be listed at the property. This will be the owner of the house, or your landlord. If you live rurally, perhaps with your Thai partner, you may also need approval from the head of the village (the Phu Yai Baan).

Unless you're a long-term renter and have a good relationship with your landlord, don't be surprised if your landlord refuses your request for a Tabien Baan. Generally speaking, most expats with the yellow house book got it issued off the back of their partner's family home.

  • A current passport (containing your visa entry stamp)*
  • Two passport size photos
  • Your work permit (if you have one)
  • Your marriage certificate
  • The ID card of your Thai spouse
  • The house master's blue book (Tabien Baan). Or your lease agreement coupled with a copy of your landlord’s ID card and his/her Tabien Baan
  • Two witnesses of Thai nationality and over the age of 20. They will need their ID cards with them.

You will need original copies and photocopies of your documents.

* My understanding is that the yellow Tabien Baan book is for expats on long stay visas (O, OA, OX, Elite, B, etc) and not for tourist visas or those entering on an exemption stamp. However, don't quote me on that as I'm sure someone will arrive in the comments and say they've gotten one on a tourist visa.

Processing Times

Again, this is office dependent, but most district offices can issue a Tabien Baan within an hour or so. You might have to come back the next day if they are really busy.

Rurally speaking, if you or your partner knows someone who works there, a small donation to the tea jar usually results in an expedited service.

Cost

The Tabien Baan is free, officially, but you may find that some district offices charge an administrative fee, or simply charge you because they can.

Generally speaking, if you go along with a Thai person you won't pay a dime. You may have to pay a fee to replace a lost or damaged book.

How Long do I Need to Have Lived at the Property?

It might seem a little strange, but you don't actually need to live at the property where you are registered. There is no time frame requirement either.

This is not unusual, though, not when you consider the millions of Thais who work away from the family home and return perhaps once a year for Songkran.

For address verification purposes, you might choose to register yourself at your wife's family home in Nakhon Nowhere but spend much of your time in Bangkok.

Have Your Say…

Got a question about getting a Tabien Baan? Have you already got one? And if so, has it been beneficial?

Share your questions, comments and experiences to help others get through the process as smoothly as possible.

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  1. James R. says

    To receive the yellow book and pink ID card, can I do this if we are living in the house together and not married?

    In lieu of a marriage certificate, I have a notarized, translated affidavit document that I am not married. It is registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok.

    Thanks for your help, much appreciated!
    Reply

    • Gary farmer says

      Good luck to you James, I tried and became dissillusioned as they struggle with the concept of a partner who is not your wife.
      In practise they set out all the hopes I had to jump through and told me a decision is ultimately made by some Government official in Bangkok .
      They dont like unmarried foreigners getting these documents it seems to me.
      Reply

    • Martin says

      As far as I know you can both even if you are living in an apartment in a condo.
      Copy of ID card of the landlord, rental agreement, visa and extension are required.
      In your case, as foreigners cannot possess land (but can on the house built on it!) I guess the landlord would be your girlfriend.
      Reply

      • James R. says

        Yes, spot on. I’ll relinquish my current from my BKK rental and get a long-term lease from my gf.
        That way my other assets are mine should we split. And half the house value is mine even though I paid 100% of it.
        Hopefully it wont reach that stage but if it does, I think she could keep the house. We (I) paid just under 3m baht. It’s a McMansion
        Reply

  2. Tony Palmer says

    Thank you for your latest Newsletter Peter, they are much appreciated.

    Coincidentally, I received my Yellow Book and Thai ID card today.

    As is the case all over the Kingdom, from the information gleaned, it appears no two offices are the same and the information to obtain said items can differ.

    In my case, at the Amphur in Sai Mai, Bangkok, it took two separate visits, both of over an hour duration. On both occasions I was accompanied by my Thai wife, who incidentally is not a lady to be be trifled with!

    Today, THB30 changed hands for the ID card and we were told the Yellow Book normally costs THB60, but, due to COVID, there was no charge. Go figure?

    The office was very busy on both occasions and the staff were, in the main, rude, arrogant and condescending towards my wife, who I can only say was polite to them. I was dressed smartly and wai'd appropriately.

    My wife said afterwards that were it not for the fact that I wanted the two items and we were so close to getting them, she would have told them where to stick them and stormed-out!

    This may or may not be a normal occurrence for us expats, and reading various forums it appears some offices are much more user friendly towards us than ours'.

    I put it down to experience and yet another hurdle to overcome here and a small price to pay to be able to live here. It's done now thankfully, next stop a Thai driving licence, all fingers are crossed as well as both eyes that the process runs smoothly!

    Chok dee and here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year.
    Reply

    • Martin1 says

      Hello Tony,

      Sai Mai is exactly where I got both. So I consider you to be my neighbour. :-D

      While I second the the staff might be cold, never smiling, I found them to be professional and well informend! Actually i had expected worse. "Rude" I would not second.
      And I liked that one restaurant outside (the one more farer from the building).
      Reply

  3. Paul Hastilow says

    Today I went to local Immigration office in Hua Hin.
    I asked to apply for Tabien Baan.
    They told me They don't issue them.
    They put me in touch with an Agency/Lawyer.
    The lady there told me it will cost 13000 Baht......?
    I told her , I was informed it's Free.....?
    She said the Money is for Delivery and collection of Paper work to and from
    The Embassy, Deeds office, and immigration.
    Is this True....?
    Reply

    • Gary farmer says

      The figure she gave you is obviously just what they want to charge as the Tabian Baan is usually free. When I applied they wanted not only a marriage certificate ( which I dont have) but a certified Thai copy of my certificate of residence issued by Immigration and endorsed by the Foreign Affairs Dept in Bangkok . As I live in Isaan this would have incurred a trip south so I'm guessing that's part of the 13K charge plus tea money for various departments I suspect. As I'm not married to my partner I fell at the first hurdle and they wanted to know why I hadnt married her even !
      Reply

  5. Mike Baker says

    You don't need a Tabien Baan to buy a vehicle or get a drivers licence. You get a residence certificate from immigration for those purposes and I understand you may need a residence certificate even if you have a yellow house book. You use the yellow house book to get the residence certificate.
    Reply

    • JOHANNI MIKAEL DOSENIUS says

      Hi now it was about registering a new electrical cabinet and meter, I wanted everything on me. PEA demanded the yellow book for that purpose as well as PTT petroleum demanded the pink card with 13 numbers for their plastic card. I have had a driving license for 7 years
      Reply

    • Gary Farmer says

      Very true about getting a driving licence. You must tell Immigration the certificate is to obtain a licence as I was told there is the free certificate for this and a second one relating to Tabien Baan applications which required additional government stamps from the Foreign Affairs Department in Bangkok.
      Reply

  6. Martin1 says

    One addition: In Sai Mai district office I wasn't required to have two Thai witnesses (otherwise like when I married in Bang Rak I would have asked waiting people if they want to make some money) :-D :-D :-D

    But I got interviewd by the government officer!
    She masked me if I can speak Thai - which I declined. Then the interview continued in English. She asked questions obout how long I had stayed in Thailand, about how long I would like to stay in Thailand, how I make a living and so on.
    Apparently I have passed the interview. ;-)
    Reply

  7. Paul Hastilow says

    I am having difficulty with getting "Proof of Residence" on a legal Thai immigration form, written in English, or for that matter a Bank Statement.

    For me to update my details that meets the overseas banks requirements, they want "Name and Address" on Utility (Electric/water bills) as Proof, before
    Amending details.

    The problem is, they only Provide the local Stand/Plot Number (396/37) that was allocated to me on Deed of Sale Purchase. And that's it....? My name and Physical address is not shown.

    All documents that are approved here are obviously in Thai.
    How can I get one Translated into English with an Official Stamp proving
    It's Me and my 30 yr Lease of Land.....?
    'Cus the Banks will not accept anything less, due to Their Fruad Squad Regulations.

    This Even after going through the 2 yr Process of getting an OA Long Stay Visa
    From Thai Embassy, and Having it "Legalized" by DIRCO ( Department of International Relations & Cooperation Organization )

    If it's good enough for Government Departments, how come it's not good enough for the Banks....?
    Reply

    • JOHANNI MIKAEL DOSENIUS says

      I really do not need the yellow book, I know the rules, I pulled electricity into the house and new meters, Wanted to transfer the responsibility to me, the PEA electricity supplier demanded the house book and the 13-digit ID card, also tried to get a plastic card for offers at PTT they demanded the pink 13 digit card, I ignore the yellow book now.
      Reply

  8. JOHANNI MIKAEL DOSENIUS says

    Hi Peter, you provide good information, I built and paid for a house on my partner's land, only she is written in the Blue house book. We went to Amphure and applied for a yellow house book, the woman who was on duty answered that we must be married otherwise no yellow house book, she was not cooperative.
    Reply

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