Translating a Non-Latin Driving Licence

A driving licence is only useful to a foreign official if they can read the name, licence number, vehicle categories and expiry date. When those details are printed solely in Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Thai or another non-Latin script, a rental agent or police officer in another country often has no way to confirm what you are allowed to drive.

This is not about the validity of your licence, which remains genuine, but about communication. Without a translation, a routine rental pickup or roadside check can stall while staff try to interpret an unfamiliar document.

An IDP reproduces the key information from your national licence into a booklet that lists your details in several widely used languages, following the format set out in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions. An officer or rental clerk simply reads the section in a language they understand and matches it against your original licence.

Because the layout is standardised internationally, the reader does not need to know your home language at all. That is what makes the IDP so effective for drivers whose licences use a script that is uncommon in their destination.

A certified translation of your licence is another option and is sometimes specifically requested for visa, residency or licence-conversion processes. For everyday driving and car rental, however, an IDP is usually the more practical choice because it is purpose-built, internationally recognised and presented in multiple languages at once.

Some travellers carry both: an IDP for driving and roadside checks, and a certified translation when an authority asks for a formal translated document on file. Check what your specific destination and purpose require before you travel.

Apply for your IDP while your national licence is valid, since the permit is tied to it and cannot outlast it. With an online provider such as International Drivers, you can complete the application by uploading your licence details and receive a digital IDP quickly, with a physical copy posted if you want one to carry.

Always confirm that the details on the IDP exactly match your original licence, and keep both documents together when you drive. An IDP with mismatched or outdated information will not do its job at a checkpoint.