Driving abroad can be easy and fun, allowing you access to places off the beaten tourist routes, or simply to provide quick unhindered travel to your destination.
One thing you should consider is whether you need an ‘International Driving Permit’.
Although an International Driving Permit is not necessary for all countries, it is a serious recommendation especially if you are a frequent traveller who drives abroad, either with your own vehicle or if you hire one.
What is an International Driving Permit?
It is an international document that validates an existing driving license in other countries. It is not a replacement for your existing national driving license, which is required to be a current valid license in the country of issue. You cannot get an IDP if you only have a provisional license.
An IDP is a requirement in 140 countries. Not having one can result, in higher rental fees and possible issue if you were to be stopped by the local police. For the small cost £5.50 (correct as at 25thJune 2019) it’s easier to have one than not.
It is essentially a multi-lingual translation of your standard driving license, that includes a validated passport style photograph and other vital personal information.
There are currently three different variants of the IDP. A 1926 or 1959 permit lasting for 12 months, and a 1968 permit that lasts for 3 years or until your UK driving license expires, whichever comes first.
In which countries do you need an IDP?
It is important to note that it is illegal to drive in some counties without having an IDP. It does depend on which country your driving license is issued in. If, for example, your driving license as issued in the United Kingdom you don’t need to have an IDP in EU/EEA countries (correct as at 25thJune 2019 – This may change once the Brexit process is completed), but you do need an IDP to drive in the United States of America.
An IDP is required or recommend in the following countries.
| Country | IDP | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | 1968 | |
| Algeria | 1949 | |
| Andorra | 1949 | |
| Argentina | 1949 | |
| Armenia | 1968 | |
| Australia | 1949 | |
| Austria | 1968 | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU, unless you have an older, paper UK driving licence. |
| Azerbaijan | 1968 | |
| Bahamas | 1968 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Bahrain | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days. You must get your permit certified by local authorities when you arrive. |
| Bangladesh | 1949 | |
| Barbados | 1949 | |
| Belarus | 1968 | |
| Belgium | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 185 days. |
| Benin | 1949 | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1968 | |
| Botswana | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire. |
| Brazil | 1968 | You need to get a certified translation of your IDP from the British consulate. |
| Bulgaria | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Burkina Faso | 1949 | |
| Cambodia | 1949 | |
| Canada | 1949 | |
| Cape Verde | 1968 | |
| Central African Republic | 1968 | |
| Chile | 1949 | |
| Congo | 1949 | |
| Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | 1968 | |
| Croatia | 1968 | |
| Cuba | 1968 | |
| Cyprus | 1949 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Czech Republic | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 1968 | |
| Denmark | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 90 days. |
| Dominican Republic | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Ecuador | 1949 | |
| Egypt | 1949 | |
| Estonia | 1968 | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU, unless you have an older, paper UK driving licence. |
| Eswatini (previously Swaziland) | 1949 | If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident. |
| Fiji | 1949 | |
| Finland | None | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU. |
| France | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| French Polynesia | 1968 | |
| Georgia | 1968 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Germany | 1968 | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU, unless you have an older, paper UK driving licence. |
| Ghana | 1949 | |
| Greece | 1968 | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU, unless you have an older, paper UK driving licence. |
| Guam | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 30 days. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident. |
| Guatemala | 1949 | |
| Guyana | 1968 | |
| Haiti | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Hungary | None | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Iceland | 1949 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 1 month. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| India | 1949 | |
| Iran | 1968 | |
| Iraq | 1968 | |
| Israel | 1968 | |
| Italy | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Jamaica | 1949 | |
| Japan | 1949 | |
| Jordan | 1949 | |
| Kazakhstan | 1968 | |
| Kenya | 1968 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Kuwait | 1968 | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1968 | |
| Laos | 1949 | |
| Latvia | 1968 | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU, unless you have an older, paper UK driving licence. |
| Lebanon | 1949 | |
| Lesotho | 1949 | |
| Liberia | 1968 | |
| Libya | 1949 | |
| Liechtenstein | 1926 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Lithuania | 1968 | If you have a photo card licence, you do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 185 days. If you have an older, paper licence, you will need an IDP if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, no matter how long you are staying. |
| Luxembourg | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 185 days. |
| Macao (Macau) | 1949 | |
| Madagascar | 1949 | |
| Malawi | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Malaysia (Sabah) | 1949 | |
| Mali | 1949 | |
| Malta | 1949 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Mexico | 1926 | |
| Moldova | 1968 | |
| Monaco | 1968 | |
| Mongolia | 1968 | |
| Montenegro | 1968 | |
| Morocco | 1968 | |
| Namibia | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident. |
| Netherlands | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| New Zealand | 1949 | |
| Niger | 1968 | |
| Nigeria | 1949 | You’ll need a 1968 permit instead to drive here on or after 18 October 2019. |
| North Macedonia | 1968 | |
| Norway | 1968 | If you have a photo card licence, you do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 90 days. If you have an older, paper licence, you will need an IDP if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, no matter how long you are staying. |
| Pakistan | 1968 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 30 days. |
| Paraguay | 1949 | |
| Peru | 1968 | |
| Philippines | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Poland | 1968 | If you have a photo card licence, you do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 185 days. If you have an older, paper licence, you will need an IDP if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, no matter how long you are staying. |
| Portugal | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 185 days. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Qatar | 1968 | |
| Romania | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Russian Federation | 1968 | |
| Rwanda | 1949 | |
| San Marino | 1968 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire. |
| Senegal | 1968 | |
| Serbia | 1968 | |
| Seychelles | 1968 | |
| Sierra Leone | 1949 | |
| Singapore | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 30 days. |
| Slovakia | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Slovenia | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal and you’re staying for more than 90 days. |
| Somalia | 1926 | |
| South Africa | 1968 | If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident. |
| South Korea | 1949 | |
| Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles) | 1949 | If the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019, you’ll be able to drive here without an IDP until 31 July 2020. From 1 August 2020 onwards, you will need an IDP if you’re staying in Spain for more than 6 months. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. |
| Sri Lanka | 1949 | As well as the IDP, you must get a Sri Lankan recognition permit from the Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) in Colombo. |
| St. Lucia | 1949 | Show your UK driving licence or IDP to the police to get a visitor’s licence. |
| St. Vincent | 1949 | Show your UK driving licence or IDP to the police to get a visitor’s licence. |
| Sweden | 1968 | You do not need an IDP unless the UK leaves the EU without a deal. |
| Switzerland | None | You do not need an IDP to drive here. You will not need an IDP to drive here when the UK leaves the EU. |
| Syria | 1949 | |
| Tajikistan | 1968 | |
| Thailand | 1949 | |
| Togo | 1949 | |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Tunisia | 1968 | |
| Turkey | 1968 | |
| Turkmenistan | 1968 | |
| Uganda | 1949 | IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days. |
| Ukraine | 1968 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 1968 | |
| United States | 1949 | If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident. |
| Uruguay | 1968 | |
| Uzbekistan | 1968 | |
| Vatican City | 1949 | |
| Venezuela | 1949 | |
| Vietnam | 1968 | |
| Zimbabwe | 1968 |
How do you get an IDP?
In the United Kingdom the process is extremely easy, with all three of the different convention issues available from the certain larger Post Offices, you can check your local one online.
When you attend the post office you will need to take with you:
- Your regular driving licence. Your old paper version or the photocard version, whichever one you have as a valid licence.
- A passport size photo that meets the same requirements as standard passport photo.
In your photo you must:
- be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera
- have a plain expression and your mouth closed
- have your eyes open and visible
- not have hair in front of your eyes
- not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)
- not have anything covering your face
- not have any shadows on your face or behind you
- Do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses. You can wear other glasses if you need to, but your eyes must be visible without any glare or reflection.
IDP after Brexit and driving within the EU after Brexit
If the United Kingdom leaves the EU without a deal you may need an IDP to drive in all EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries, with the exception of Ireland.
In the event of a no deal you will need a:
- 1926 permit to drive in Liechtenstein
- 1949 permit to drive in Spain, Iceland, Malta and Cyprus
- 1968 permit to drive in all other EU countries, plus Norway and Switzerland
What happens if I drive without an IDP?
This can be treated as a major driving offence comparable to driving without a valid driving license. If the country that you are intending to drive in requires one, you really need to ensure that you have one. You should ensure that you keep your IDP on you at all times when driving a vehicle. If you are stopped by the police and they ask to see your driving license simply show them your original driving unless they specifically request the IDP.