Before you travel
Why you need an international driving permit.
It is a translation of the licence you already hold, in the format the 1949 and 1968 conventions specify. Here is when that matters — and when it genuinely does not.
Four things that go wrong without one
The rental desk will not release the car
This is the one that actually strands people. Major rental firms make it a condition of hire wherever the local rules call for it, and the check happens at the counter with your flight already landed and your booking already paid. There is no way to obtain a permit at that point in most countries.
Your insurance quietly stops covering you
Motor policies and travel policies both tend to require that you were legally entitled to drive. Driving without a document the country requires can be treated as driving unlicensed, which is a standard exclusion — so a claim after an accident is refused, and the liability lands on you personally.
A roadside check is a language problem, not a legal one
An officer who cannot read your licence has no way to confirm what you are entitled to drive. The permit exists so that the same details appear in a format they recognise, which is the difference between a two-minute stop and an impounded vehicle.
It is the accepted translation, not a second licence
Countries that ask for one are not asking you to qualify again. They are asking for your existing entitlements in a readable form — which is why the permit is worthless on its own and always travels with the licence it translates.
When you do not need one
Plenty of sites in this category imply every traveller needs a permit everywhere. That is not true, and it is worth saying so. You do not need one to drive in the country that issued your licence. Within the EU and EEA, a licence from another member state is already valid. And a handful of countries recognise neither convention — China is the significant one — so no permit will help you there and we will tell you rather than sell you one.
How you get one
- 1
Check your destination
Look up the country you will be driving in. We publish what each one currently expects, including the ones that need nothing from you.
- 2
Fill in your details
Your name, date of birth and licence details, plus a photo of the front and back of your licence and a plain portrait. About four minutes.
- 3
A person checks it
Someone on our team compares what you typed against the licence you uploaded, so an error is caught before it is printed.
- 4
Receive your permit
The digital copy arrives by email the same day. Printed booklets are dispatched by tracked courier.
Common questions
What happens if I drive abroad without an international driving permit?
Where one is required, you are driving without a valid entitlement. In practice that means the rental company can refuse to release the car, your insurance can decline a claim, and police can fine you or impound the vehicle. The financial exposure is far larger than the cost of the permit.
Do I need an international driving permit if my licence is in English?
Often yes. Some countries require a permit regardless of what language your licence is in, because the requirement is about the convention format rather than the language. Others only ask when the licence is not in a language they read. Check the destination page for the country you are driving in.
Do I need one for a short trip?
The requirement is usually about whether you are driving at all, not how long for. A number of countries do allow a short grace period on a foreign licence, and where that applies we say so on the destination page rather than selling you something you do not need.
Is an international driving permit worth it?
If you are renting a car in a country that asks for one, it is the difference between driving and not driving. If your destination does not ask for one, we will tell you that on its page — we would rather lose the sale than have you turned away at a counter abroad.