Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is an International Driving Permit?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a permit that presents a driver's home driving licence details in a form that officials in another country can read; it is not a licence in its own right, and the driver must carry the home driving licence alongside it. [1] For a driver holding a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence, whether a permit is needed depends on the country being visited and the length of the stay, and there are three versions: 1926, 1949 and 1968. [1]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An IDP sits alongside a home driving licence rather than replacing it; UK guidance says drivers must always carry the licence as well as the permit. [1]
- Three versions exist (1926, 1949 and 1968), and the one required depends on the country being visited and the length of the stay. [1]
- Some countries listed in UK guidance state that an IDP is needed for car hire; for most other destinations the guidance tells drivers who are hiring a car to check with the hire company. [1]
- Hire companies can set stricter conditions of their own, such as a minimum age and a year of driving experience in Japan. [6]
What does an International Driving Permit do?
An IDP restates a driver's licence details so that a police officer, border official or rental desk in another country can read them. The underlying permission to drive still comes from the home licence, which is why the two documents travel together: UK guidance states that a driver must always have the driving licence with them, as well as the IDP. [1]
For drivers with a Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence, the permit is obtained in person from certain shops that have PayPoint, at a stated fee of £5.50, and a valid GB or Northern Ireland licence is required to get one. [1] [5] A driver who still holds a paper licence is told either to update it to a photocard licence or to get an IDP. [1] UK guidance adds that a driver may need a permit for each country being visited. [5]
The permit is not for people relocating: UK guidance says not to apply for an IDP if you are moving abroad, and instead to exchange the UK licence or apply for a new one in the country you are moving to. [5] A driver who already holds an IDP should check that it is still valid in the country being visited. [1]
When do you need an International Driving Permit?
UK guidance frames the question around two variables: which country you are visiting and how long you are staying. [1] Holders of a photocard licence issued in the UK do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, but they might need one to drive in some EU countries and in Norway if they hold either a paper driving licence or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. [1]
A single trip can cross more than one permit regime: if you are travelling through more than one country, you might need more than one type of IDP. [1] Where a destination is not listed in the UK table, drivers are told to check with the embassy of the country they are travelling to, and drivers who are hiring a car are told to check with the hire company. [1]
Which version of the IDP do you need?
| Country | Version | What the guidance says |
|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire and for stays longer than 90 days; the permit must be certified by local authorities on arrival [1] |
| Botswana | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire [1] |
| Japan | 1949 | Carry the 1949 version plus the UK licence and insurance documents in the car [6] |
| Namibia | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire [1] |
| Philippines | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire and for stays longer than 90 days [1] |
| Saudi Arabia | 1968 | IDP needed for car hire [1] |
| Singapore | 1949 | IDP needed for car hire and for stays longer than 30 days [1] |
| Thailand | 1968 | Carry the 1968 version plus the UK licence while driving [8] |
| United States | 1949 | Check whether the individual state authority requires one and check with the hire company; you may need both the licence and an IDP to hire a car [1] |
| Vietnam | 1968 | Carry the 1968 version plus the UK licence when driving a car or motorbike [7] |
The list above is illustrative rather than exhaustive: the UK table covers a long list of countries and territories, and each entry names its own version and conditions. [1]
When does a car rental company require an International Driving Permit?
Two different layers of rule apply. The first is the destination country's own requirement, which for a handful of countries is stated in terms of car hire — Botswana, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Singapore and the Philippines are listed as needing an IDP for car hire, with the version varying by country. [1] For many other destinations the UK guidance repeats a softer instruction: if you are hiring a car, check whether the car hire company says you need an IDP. [1] In the United States, drivers are told to check both the individual state authority and the hire company, and that both a driving licence and an IDP may be needed to hire a car. [1]
The second layer is the rental company's own contract. Japan's travel advice notes that hire car companies often have stricter requirements for their customers, such as a year of driving experience and a minimum age. [6] Thailand's advice tells drivers to read the small print of the lease agreement, paying particular attention to any limits on engine size and necessary licences, and warns that if you would not be legally permitted to drive the vehicle in the UK, your insurer may not cover you for driving it in Thailand. [8] UK guidance also notes that a hire company may ask to see your driving licence information at pick-up, which can be shared with a licence "check code" obtained up to 21 days before the trip; holders of a Northern Ireland licence show the rental company their paper counterpart instead. [5]
For the paperwork that goes with this, see the car rental agreement checklist and car rental age and licence requirements.
How does an IDP relate to your home driving licence?
The home licence always does the legal work. In Japan, drivers need the 1949 version of the IDP plus their UK driving licence and insurance documents with them in the car, and the travel advice states that driving without the correct documents could lead to arrest and a fine. [6] Japan's advice adds that an IDP can be used for one year, regardless of its expiry date, and points anyone staying longer than a year to the process for applying for a Japanese driving licence. [6]
In Vietnam, the 1968 version of the IDP and the UK driving licence must both be carried when driving a car or motorbike, and it is illegal to drive without third-party insurance. [7] In Thailand, the 1968 version and the UK licence must both be carried while driving, and a driver who lives in Thailand can apply for a Thai driving licence using the UK licence. [8] Before any of this, UK guidance says to check that the home licence is still valid — renewing it online if it has expired or is about to — and to replace it first if it has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. [5]
Exceptions and limits
- Extra local permits. In Sri Lanka, as well as the IDP, a driver must get a Sri Lankan recognition permit from the Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) in Colombo. [1] In St. Lucia and St. Vincent, the UK licence or IDP is shown to the police to obtain a visitor's licence. [1] In Bahrain, the permit must be certified by local authorities when you arrive. [1]
- Additional photographic ID. In the United States, a driver with a paper UK licence must also take another form of photographic identification, such as a passport. [1] The same advice appears for Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini, and those entries add that an insurance company may ask to see an IDP after an accident. [1]
- Buying before you go. Japan's and Thailand's travel advice both state that an IDP cannot be bought outside the UK, so it should be obtained before travelling. [6] [8]
- Passports as security. Vietnam's advice says not to use a passport as a deposit for hiring vehicles or as a guarantee of paying a traffic fine [7], and Thailand's advice says not to hand a passport over as a guarantee, for example to motorcycle or jet-ski rental businesses. [8]
- Unregistered vehicles. Thailand's advice notes that motorcycles and scooters for hire in tourist areas are often unregistered and cannot legally be used on a public road, and that a helmet must be worn by law when riding a motorcycle. [8]
- Not a substitute for a local licence. For anyone moving abroad, UK guidance points to exchanging the UK licence or applying for a new licence in the destination country rather than applying for an IDP. [5]
Frequently asked questions
Do you need an International Driving Permit to rent a car?
It depends on the destination. UK guidance tells drivers who are hiring a car to check with the car hire company, and some country entries state outright that an IDP is needed for car hire, including Botswana, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Singapore and the Philippines. [1]
Can you drive abroad with an IDP alone?
No. UK guidance says you must always have your driving licence with you as well as your IDP [1], and the Japan and Vietnam advisories both require the UK licence to be carried alongside the permit. [6] [7]
Which version of the IDP do you need?
There are three versions — 1926, 1949 and 1968 — and the one required depends on the country being visited. A trip through more than one country may mean needing more than one type of IDP. [1]
Do you need an IDP to drive in Europe?
Not if you hold a photocard licence issued in the UK: no IDP is needed for the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. You might need one to drive in some EU countries and in Norway if you have a paper driving licence or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. [1]
How long can you use an IDP in Japan?
Japan's travel advice says an IDP can be used for one year, regardless of its expiry date, and that anyone planning to stay longer than a year should look at applying for a Japanese driving licence. [6]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. The rules set by individual rental companies in their own contracts, and the permit rules that apply to driving licences issued outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland, are not covered here; the glossary index lists the other terms on the site.
- GOV.UK: Check if you need an international driving permit (IDP), checked 18 October 2026
- GOV.UK: Driving abroad overview, checked 18 October 2026
- GOV.UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Japan travel advice, safety and security, checked 18 October 2026
- GOV.UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Vietnam travel advice, safety and security, checked 18 October 2026
- GOV.UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Thailand travel advice, safety and security, checked 18 October 2026