Do I need an International Driving Permit?
What an IDP is
An IDP is a standard booklet that translates your licence into several languages. It is defined by two UN road-traffic conventions: the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1968 Vienna Convention. A 1949 IDP is valid for one year; a 1968 IDP for up to three years, but never beyond your licence’s expiry.
Countries recognise the IDP of the convention they signed. Japan, for example, only accepts 1949 IDPs, and Vietnam only accepts 1968 IDPs.
Who can issue one
Only your home country can issue your IDP, through the organisation it authorises. In the United States that is AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA), and AAA charges $20. The US Federal Trade Commission warns that websites selling IDPs through any other company are scams. FTC, AAA
IDP or licence translation?
| International Driving Permit | International Driving Document | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Your home country’s authorised body | {company}, a private company |
| Legal status | Recognised under the 1949 or 1968 convention | A translation; acceptance depends on local authorities and rental companies |
| Where it works best | Countries that require an IDP | Countries that accept foreign licences but expect them to be readable |
| How you get it | In person, by post or online from the issuer, before you leave home | Online, PDF within {hours} hours, booklet by post, also while you are abroad |
When a translation helps
If your destination accepts foreign licences, a translation makes yours readable at a rental desk or a roadside check. That matters most when your licence is in a language or script local staff don’t read. It is also a practical backup alongside an IDP, since it shows your details in 12 languages.
Check your destination
Our country guides list the driving side, road-convention membership, the documents visitors need and local road rules.
Sources: US Federal Trade Commission consumer alert on IDP scams (June 2024); AAA International Driving Permit information.