How to Get an International Driving Permit: Official Routes and Translation Services
There are two genuinely different things sold under the name "International Driving Permit", and the difference matters. Knowing which one you need takes about two minutes and can save you both money and a problem at a border.
Route 1: the officially issued IDP
Under the UN Conventions, an IDP is issued by an organisation that the issuing country's government has authorised, and it can only be issued in the country that issued your national licence. In the United States that means the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. Other countries authorise their own national automobile associations or a government agency.
This is the route to take if you have been specifically told you need a government-recognised IDP, if you are dealing with a licensing authority, or if you want the document that carries formal standing under the Conventions. Fees are typically modest, and you apply in person, by post or online depending on the issuer.
The trade-off is time. Postal issue and delivery can take days to weeks, and you must be in your licence-issuing country to apply.
Route 2: a private multilingual translation
The second category — which is what this service provides — is a certified translation of your existing national licence into 12 languages, presented in the layout described by the Conventions and carried alongside the original. It is not government-issued and it is not a licence.
In practice it solves the everyday problem: a rental agent or traffic officer who cannot read your licence can read the translation. It is fast, it can be obtained from anywhere, and the digital copy arrives in minutes.
It is not a substitute for an officially issued IDP where one is specifically required by law, and any provider who tells you otherwise is not being straight with you.
How to choose
- Need a document with formal standing under the Conventions, or told explicitly to get an official IDP → use your country's authorised issuer.
- Need your licence readable abroad quickly, or you are already travelling → a translation document does the job.
- Not sure → check your destination's road-traffic authority and your rental company's terms first. They will tell you which one they accept.
What you need either way
- A valid, current national driving licence — expired licences are refused by every route.
- A recent passport-style photograph on a plain background.
- To be 18 or older.
- Your travel dates, so you can pick a sensible validity period.
More guides
- Do I Need an International Driving Permit? A Country-by-Country Reality Check
- 1949 Geneva vs 1968 Vienna Convention: Which IDP Format Does Your Destination Use?
- What Documents Do You Need to Rent a Car Abroad? The Complete Checklist
- How Long Is an International Driving Permit Valid? Validity, Expiry and Renewal