Do you need an international driving permit?

What is an international driving permit?

An international driving permit (IDP) is a translation of your driving licence into several languages, in a small paper booklet. It isn't a licence on its own: it only counts together with your own licence, so you always carry both. If the police stop you, you show both.

Two more things to know: an IDP isn't valid in the country that issued it, and there's no digital version. If someone offers you one as a PDF or an app, it isn't real.

Do you need an international driving permit?

It depends on three things: the country you're driving in, the licence you have, and the company you rent from. Some countries accept your licence as it is. Others want an IDP next to it, or an official translation. And rental companies can ask for an IDP even where the law doesn't.

The best check is your own government's travel advice for the country, plus your rental company's terms. Here are some common examples.

Do you need an IDP? Country examples

Japan

Japan is strict. It only accepts the 1949 type of IDP. If your licence is from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, you need an official Japanese translation of your licence instead, from your country's consulate or an organisation Japan approves, such as JAF. You can drive for up to one year from the day you arrive, or until your licence expires, if that comes first. I'm German, so for Japan I'd need the translation, not an IDP: Germany doesn't issue the 1949 type.

The United States

It depends on the state. New York and California, for example, accept a valid foreign licence. Other states may want an IDP too, and some rental companies ask for one. Canadians don't need an IDP in the US.

Spain

Your licence decides. The US government says Americans need an IDP to drive or rent a car in Spain. With a UK photocard licence, you don't need one. For other licences from outside the EU, Spain accepts an IDP, an official translation, or a licence in Spanish or in the UN format.

Italy

With a licence from outside the EU and EEA, Italian law wants an IDP or an official Italian translation next to it, unless a treaty says otherwise. UK photocard licences are fine without one.

Thailand

The Thai government says you need an IDP to drive a car or a motorbike, and you show it with your passport and your own licence when asked. Your licence alone isn't accepted.

Mexico

US and UK photocard licences are accepted. If you still have an old UK paper licence, the UK government says you may also need the 1926 type of IDP.

Which type of IDP do you need?

There are three, named after the treaties behind them:

• 1926: valid for one year. Only a few countries still need this one, such as Mexico for UK paper licences.
• 1949: valid for one year. This is the one Japan, the US, Canada and Australia use.
• 1968: valid for up to three years, but never longer than your licence. Many European countries and Thailand use this one (gov.uk lists the 1949 type for Spain).

The country you're visiting decides which type it accepts, and on a trip through several countries you might need more than one. Not every country issues all three: the US, Canada and Australia issue the 1949 type, Germany issues the 1926 and 1968 types, and the UK issues all three. The UK government has a handy country table.

Where do you get an IDP, and what does it cost?

From the official issuer in the country where you live, before you travel. You can't get a real one at your destination. A few examples:

• US: only AAA and AATA. The permit costs US$20, plus photo and shipping fees online.
• UK: in person at PayPoint shops (not the Post Office since April 2024), £5.50.
• Canada: the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), about C$32 (check your provincial club).
• Australia: the Australian Automobile Association online, or your state or territory motoring club, A$55 plus postage.
• Germany: your local driving licence office (in Berlin, any Bürgeramt), about €15.
• France: online only, through the ANTS since 3 March 2026, €7.25.

How to spot a fake international driving permit

Plenty of websites sell an "international driver's licence". The US government warns that many are scams after your money or your personal details, and a fake permit can land you in real trouble if the police stop you. Watch out if:

• it's sold online by a company your government doesn't name as an issuer
• it comes as a PDF or an app (real ones are paper booklets)
• it promises more than one year on a 1949 permit, or more than three years on any permit

Renting a car abroad

Rental companies can be stricter than the law: the UK, Canadian and Australian governments all warn that a rental desk may ask for an IDP even where you don't legally need one. And some insurance won't cover you if you drive without the right documents. So check your rental terms before you book, not at the counter.

When you compare rental cars, these are the sites I'd look at. They're paid links: if you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Check the country's rules and your rental terms before you go, and if you need a permit, get the real one at home. Then enjoy the drive.