An international driving permit is a booklet that translates your driving licence, and it is valid only when you carry the licence itself. In the United States, AAA charges a $20 permit fee, and in Great Britain GOV.UK lists a price of £5.50 at participating PayPoint shops. Whether you need one depends on your licence, the country you drive in and, for a hire car, the rental terms.
What is an international driving permit?
An international driving permit, or IDP, is a translation of your home licence, not a licence in itself. AAA says it translates your identification information into 10 languages, so an officer or a rental agent who cannot read your licence can still understand it. The same page states that an IDP is only a translation of the licence, not a licence to drive.
That has a practical meaning. A permit with no licence behind it is just paper. GOV.UK tells drivers from Great Britain to have the licence with them at all times, and the permit goes alongside it, not in its place. AAA also says the permit is printed and mailed to you, and that digital versions are not available.
Two things follow when you pack. Keep the permit and the licence together in the same wallet or document pouch, and make sure the licence has not expired, because the permit rests on it. Most rental desks also ask for a payment card and a passport, which our guide to what you need to rent a car covers.
Do you need an international driving permit to drive in Europe?
Not always. It depends on who issued your licence, which country you drive in and what the rental company’s terms say. Those are three separate questions, and the answer to one does not settle the others.
For drivers from Great Britain, GOV.UK says you do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if you hold a photocard licence issued in the UK. You might need one in some EU countries and Norway if you hold a paper licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
For a licence issued outside the EU, the European Commission gives a short instruction: contact the authorities of the country you are visiting, or your embassy or consulate there.[1] AAA describes the range of rules. Some countries do not recognize a US licence but do recognize a permit, and Hungary is its example. Others honor a US licence but ask for a local-language translation, and Spain is its example. The permit can cover both situations.
Ask for the rule in writing from the embassy or the road authority of the country, not from a forum. Rules differ by country and by licence type.
Which countries ask for an international driving permit?
The table below follows the four countries whose pages we cover and shows what GOV.UK says for a Great Britain photocard licence.
| Country | IDP type listed | Great Britain photocard licence |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1968 | No IDP needed |
| Greece | 1968 | No IDP needed |
| Spain | 1949 | No IDP needed |
| Austria | 1968 | No IDP needed |
The GOV.UK page also advises, for any destination: if you are hiring a car, find out whether the hire company says you need an IDP. For Italy, GOV.UK adds that an Isle of Man licence holder needs a permit. It also says that anyone with a paper licence must update it to a photocard licence or get an IDP.
The table covers one kind of licence only. For other licences, see the country pages for the rules for renting a car in Italy, the driving rules in Greece, the rental rules in Spain and the driving rules in Austria. They sum up the local position in short form, and the embassy of the country remains the authority.
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Which convention applies: 1949 or 1968?
The convention matters because a permit is issued as a specific type, and the type is tied to the country you visit. GOV.UK says there are 3 types of IDP: 1926, 1949 and 1968.[2] The one you need depends on the destination, and if you travel through more than one country you might need more than one type.
The GOV.UK list shows the split. Mexico and Somalia are listed under 1926. Spain, the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia are among the 1949 countries. Italy, Greece, Austria, France, Germany and Portugal sit under 1968. AAA ties the permit it issues to the Geneva 1949 Convention on Road Traffic of the United Nations.
So a driver crossing from a 1949 country into a 1968 country should ask which type the second country wants. If your destination is missing from the GOV.UK table, the page says to ask that country’s embassy. The permit you hold also has to still be valid in the country you visit.
How do you get an international driving permit in the US?
You apply to AAA, which says it is one of two official organizations authorized by the US Department of State to issue permits.[3] You need a valid US driver’s licence. The permit fee is $20, and you can apply three ways: at a AAA branch that offers the service, by mail, or through an online application.
The online route has an extra $10 passport photo fee plus shipping, and the photo is taken with a smartphone camera. AAA says that if you need a permit in 7 business days or less, you should visit a branch. Even an online application ends with a printed permit that is mailed to you.
Plan the timing. AAA says permits may not be issued more than 6 months before the date you want them to take effect, so an application a year ahead will not work. It also says an IDP that goes with a US licence can only be issued in the USA, and no other country can issue one to accompany it. Apply before you leave, not from the airport abroad.
How do you get an international driving permit in the UK?
You buy it in person from certain shops that have PayPoint, and GOV.UK gives the price as £5.50. You need a valid Great Britain or Northern Ireland driving licence to get one.
Pick the permit by destination. The GOV.UK table tells you whether the country is 1926, 1949 or 1968, and notes stay-length limits for some countries. Examples on the page are 90 days in the Bahamas and 30 days in Guam. If the trip takes you through several countries, you may need more than one type. Ask the PayPoint shop which types it can issue before you queue.
A Great Britain licence holder who is renting a car also has a second job. GOV.UK says to get a check code to share your driving licence information, which is usually needed for car hire. Northern Ireland licence holders show the paper counterpart instead. If you plan to drive on the other side of the road, read about the countries that drive on the left too.
What should you look out for when you buy a permit?
Buy it only from the bodies named by your own government. In the US, AAA says it is one of two organizations authorized by the Department of State. In Great Britain, GOV.UK points to PayPoint shops. A website that offers some other route is not what those pages describe.
Several details from the issuers help you spot a mismatch. AAA says its permits are printed and mailed and that digital versions are not available, so an instant download does not look like a permit from AAA. It also issues permits only to holders of a valid US licence. GOV.UK lists one price, £5.50, and one place, a PayPoint shop.
Last, do not rely on the permit alone. It does not override a country’s own rules, and AAA notes that a government may not require a permit while rental companies in that country do. For the legal position, ask the embassy of the country you plan to drive in.
If a seller promises a permit without asking for your licence, treat it as a warning sign. The permit exists only to accompany a licence.
