International Driving Permit: Rules, Types and Use

An international driving permit helps a police officer or rental desk read the key fields on a valid domestic licence. It does not create a new driving entitlement. Before booking a car, you need four answers: which licence issued the permit, which convention type the destination accepts, how long the visit lasts, and whether the rental company asks for an additional document.

Use the IDP checker for an initial screen, then open the destination authority’s page. The car-rental insurance guide covers a separate decision: whether the protection and excess in the rental contract fit the trip.

International driving permit beside a passport A permit is one part of a document set. Photo by Tony Webster via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Decide which document your trip needs

The useful starting point is the licence-issuing jurisdiction, not the passport you carry. A visitor may fall into one of four patterns:

Situation	What to verify before booking
The destination accepts your domestic licence	Whether a translation, time limit or rental-company document still applies
The destination accepts an IDP with the domestic licence	The convention type, physical format and permitted vehicle class
The destination accepts a local translation	Who may prepare the translation and whether the original licence must be carried
The destination issues a temporary or local permit	The application location, arrival documents, vehicle class and processing time

Start with the licence that will be shown at the roadside

An IDP is issued in connection with a valid domestic licence. The American Automobile Association states that it issues IDPs for valid US licences and that another jurisdiction cannot issue an IDP to be used with that US licence. The same principle is a useful warning for other licence holders: an internet seller cannot change the issuing jurisdiction by printing a card.

Keep the document chain together

Carry the physical domestic licence, the physical IDP or approved translation, and your passport. Save scans offline for a lost-document conversation, but do not treat a phone image as a substitute for the originals. A rental booking confirmation is separate evidence; it does not prove that the local law accepts your documents.

Understand the convention types

The United Nations treaty records identify road-traffic conventions from 1926, 1949 and 1968. The current UK government table also lists three IDP types and warns that the required type depends on the destination. A country-by-country table is a starting point, not a universal permit.

Convention reference	Practical reading
1926	Still appears in a small number of official destination tables; verify the exact issuer and route.
1949 Geneva	Used by destinations such as Japan and by some issuing authorities for visitor driving.
1968 Vienna	Used by many destinations, with acceptance still shaped by local law and the licence itself.

The type follows the destination

The date printed on a permit is not enough. Check the destination authority or embassy, the issuing body’s application page and the rental company’s conditions. A permit that is genuine in the issuing jurisdiction can still be the wrong type for the road you plan to use.

Multi-country itineraries need separate checks

Driving from one jurisdiction to another can change the document requirement at the border. Write the route as a list of countries or regions, then record the accepted permit type, maximum stay, vehicle class and any translation requirement for each. If the route includes a ferry or a border crossing, confirm that the rental contract also permits the vehicle to cross.

Illustrative map of places that recognise an International Driving Permit This Wikimedia map is an illustration, not a current legal table. Recheck the destination rule before travel. Map by Joe DeRose, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Verify the issuing authority before paying

Use the official motor-vehicle department, police authority, automobile association or other body named by the licence-issuing jurisdiction. The application should identify the domestic licence, the applicant, the permit format and the authorised issuer.

Examples that show why the source matters

United Kingdom: GOV.UK says the permit needed depends on the destination and stay length, and it tells drivers to carry the domestic licence with the IDP. The page lists the 1926, 1949 and 1968 types and directs visitors to an embassy when a destination is not covered.
United States: AAA says it is one of two organisations authorised by the US Department of State to issue IDPs. It also states that digital versions are not available and that the applicant must hold a valid US licence.
Hong Kong: The Transport Department’s 1823 service requires a Hong Kong identity card and a valid full Hong Kong driving licence; its IDP is issued under the 1949 Convention and is valid for one year.
Taiwan, China: The Highway Bureau lists the domestic licence, identity documents, photographs and passport information for an application, and says the IDP is used with the domestic licence.

Treat prices and processing times as local data

Fees, photos, appointment systems and mailing times change. Use a current issuer page for the final amount and deadline. Do not copy an old travel blog’s price into a booking decision.

Check the destination rule with concrete examples

Japan has a specific document route

Japan’s National Police Agency says visitors may drive with a Geneva Convention IDP for up to one year after landing, or with a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, China accompanied by a qualifying Japanese translation. The original licence and the supporting document must be carried. A 1968 Vienna permit or an ordinary translation is not automatically interchangeable with that route. Read the Japan destination guide before booking a rural or winter stage.

Mainland China uses a different process

The Beijing traffic authority states that mainland China does not issue IDPs and that an IDP cannot be used to drive on mainland roads. A short-term visitor with a foreign, Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan-issued licence may need a Chinese licence or a temporary driving permit instead. The China destination guide explains the local permit and rental-contract sequence.

Let the authority resolve an exception

If a consulate, rental branch and government page appear to disagree, keep the disagreement visible. Ask the authority that controls the road or permit, save the reply, and delay the booking when the document chain is unresolved. A confident forum answer is not a legal determination.

International driving permit document Permit designs vary by issuer. Photo by Bilalmask1 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Avoid the common online traps

Warning signs before checkout

The seller never asks for a valid domestic licence.
The product is described as a “global licence” that works without a destination check.
The page hides the issuing organisation, convention reference or physical delivery details.
A plastic card, translation card or membership card is presented as a legal licence.
The seller promises acceptance by every rental company and every police authority.

Keep evidence for the rental handover

Email the branch a scan before paying when the destination has strict document rules. Ask which original documents must be shown, whether the vehicle class is covered, whether additional drivers need their own evidence, and how a camera or toll notice is handled after return. Save the reply with the reservation.

Carry a simple roadside card

Write the licence issuer, IDP issuer, permit number, emergency contact and rental-company number on a paper card. Keep the originals in a waterproof pouch. If the documents are lost, contact the police and the issuing authority; do not buy a replacement from an unverified seller at a border.

Sources and review date

This guide was reviewed on August 17, 2026. The legal rule belongs to the destination authority, while the rental contract may add operational conditions. Reopen the relevant authority page when the trip date, licence issuer or route changes.