Reviewed by ThaiLawOnline, a licensed Thai law firm practising in Thailand since 2006. Thai lawyer of record: Wichuda Atthamethakon, LL.M., Thai Bar Licence 3149/2556.
Last updated on September 5, 2026
A tabien baan (ทะเบียนบ้าน, also written tabian baan or ta bien ban, in English the house registration book) is the official register, kept by the district registrar under the Civil Registration Act B.E. 2534, of a dwelling’s house number and the people who live there. Every house with a number has one. The blue book (Tor Ror 14) lists Thai nationals and foreigners with permanent residence; the yellow book (Tor Ror 13) lists foreigners on temporary stays. The book records residence, not ownership, but it is asked for in almost every dealing a foreigner has with Thai officialdom, from a driving licence to a property transfer.
Table of Contents
What the Civil Registration Act provides
The Civil Registration Act B.E. 2534 requires the registrar to prepare a house registration for every house that has been assigned a number. Section 36 covers the ordinary register for Thai nationals and foreigners with residence status, the blue Tor Ror 14; Section 38 covers foreigners permitted to stay temporarily and their children born in Thailand, the yellow Tor Ror 13. A person named in a house registration is presumed by Section 29 to live at that address, which is why banks, the Land Transport Department and Immigration accept it as proof of address.
Ownership is expressly excluded. Section 34 states that no one may rely on a house number or house registration to show a right in or ownership of land. The householder (เจ้าบ้าน) named at the front of the book is simply the person in charge of the dwelling, whether owner, tenant or occupier. Ownership of land is proved by the chanote; ownership of a house on someone else’s land is proved by the building permit, the sale agreement or a registered superficies.
Getting a yellow book as a foreigner
The application is made at the district office (amphoe, or khet in Bangkok) or municipality (tesaban) for the address, not at the Land Office. Requirements vary between districts, but the usual list is the passport with a valid visa or extension, a certified Thai translation of the passport, proof of the right to live at the address (the chanote or condominium title, a registered lease, or the owner’s consent with the owner’s blue book and ID card), passport photographs, and one or two Thai witnesses who can confirm residence. Some offices ask for a residence certificate from Immigration or the embassy, and some interview the applicant in Thai. The government fee is nominal.
Once issued, the yellow book opens the door to the pink ID card for foreigners under Sections 38/1 to 38/3, and it simplifies a Thai driving licence, opening a bank account, buying a vehicle and later immigration paperwork. The householder’s duties then apply: moves in and out must be notified within 15 days, and an administrative fine of up to 1,000 baht applies for failure. A condominium owner is usually named householder of the unit’s own book; a foreigner living in a Thai spouse’s house is listed in a separate yellow book for the same address.
Blue book against yellow book, and their limits
| Feature | Blue book (Tor Ror 14) | Yellow book (Tor Ror 13) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Section 36 | Section 38 |
| Who is listed | Thai nationals; foreigners with permanent residence | Foreigners on temporary stay; their Thailand-born children |
| Issued by | District registrar | District registrar |
| Proves ownership | No | No |
| Leads to | Thai ID card | Pink ID card for foreigners |
| Lapses when | Person moves or dies | Person moves, or permission to stay ends |
Two misunderstandings recur. The first is that being the householder in a blue book makes a foreigner’s Thai spouse the owner of the house, or that a foreigner’s yellow book gives a claim to the land; neither is true. The second is that the book is unnecessary. It is not legally compulsory for a foreigner to obtain a yellow book, but without one every office asks for a certificate of residence instead, and each of those costs time and a visit to Immigration. For anyone staying more than a year, it is worth the afternoon at the amphoe.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner get a tabien baan in Thailand?
Yes. A foreigner on a temporary stay can be registered in a yellow house book (Tor Ror 13) at the district office for the address, with a passport, translation, proof of the right to live there and Thai witnesses. Foreigners with permanent residence go into the blue book (Tor Ror 14) like Thai nationals.
Does the tabien baan prove I own the house?
No. Section 34 of the Civil Registration Act says a house registration cannot be relied on to show rights in or ownership of land. It proves where a person lives. Ownership of land is shown by the title deed and ownership of a house by the building permit, sale agreement or registered superficies.
What is the difference between the blue book and the yellow book?
Both are house registration books for the same kind of address. The blue book lists Thai nationals and foreigners with permanent residence; the yellow book lists foreigners staying temporarily and their children born in Thailand. The yellow entry ends when the foreigner’s permission to stay ends.
See also: pink ID card, amphoe (district office), permanent residency, building permit, the yellow book guide and Civil Registration Act B.E. 2534.
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