Countries That Require an International Driving Permit

Countries that require an IDP usually do so to ensure their officials and police can read and verify a foreign driver's entitlement. An IDP translates your licence into several languages and presents your vehicle categories in an internationally recognised format, removing the guesswork when your home licence is in an unfamiliar language.

The legal basis is the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions on road traffic. A country that has signed one of these may formally require visitors from non-equivalent licensing systems to carry the matching IDP format, especially when renting a vehicle or being stopped at a checkpoint.

Destinations broadly fall into three groups. Some mandate an IDP for all foreign drivers and may fine you or refuse a rental without it. Others treat it as recommended but not legally compulsory. A third group only effectively needs it when your licence is in a non-Latin script or a language local authorities cannot read.

Even where an IDP is not strictly required by law, car rental companies and insurers often ask for one as a condition of their own. That means the practical requirement can be stricter than the legal one, which is another reason many travellers carry an IDP regardless of the headline rule.

Start with official sources: the destination country's road or transport authority, its embassy or consulate, and your own government's travel advice pages. These will tell you whether an IDP is required and which convention format the country recognises.

Confirm a few specifics in writing where possible: whether the IDP is required for tourists, whether it is needed to rent a car, the minimum driving age, and any extra documents. Because rules can change and vary by region, verify close to your travel date rather than relying on older guidance.

An IDP must be obtained before you travel and is based on your existing valid national licence. With International Drivers you can apply online, upload your licence, and receive a digital IDP quickly, with a printed copy available if your destination expects a physical booklet.

Carry your IDP together with your original licence and passport. Because the IDP only translates and supports your national licence, both must be valid and presented together to satisfy the countries that require it.