International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit issued by Taiwan (officially the Republic of China)

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is an identity document that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country that recognises IDPs. To be valid, the IDP must be accompanied by a valid driving licence.

The IDP, which is slightly larger than a passport, is a multi-language translation of the driver's licence from the issuing nation, complete with photograph and vital statistics. Oftentimes, short term visitors do not need an IDP since their driving licence suffices.

Driver information

The 1968 convention (as amended in 2011)

The main regulations about driving licences are in Annex 6 (domestic driving permit) and Annex 7 (international driving permit). The currently active version of those is in force in each Contracting Party since no later than 29 March 2011 (Article 43).

Article 41 of the Convention describes requirements for driving licences. Key of those are:

• every driver of a motor vehicle must hold a driving licence;
• driving licences can be issued only after passing theoretical and practical exams, which are regulated by each country;
• Contracting Parties shall recognize as valid for driving in their territories:
  • domestic driving licence conforms to the provisions of Annex 6 to the Convention;
  • international driving licence conforms to the provisions of Annex 7 to the Convention, on condition that it is presented with the corresponding domestic driving licence;
• driving licences issued by a Contracting Party shall be recognised in the territory of another Contracting Party until this territory becomes the place of normal residence of their holder;
• all of the above does not apply to learner-driver licences;
• the period of validity of an international licence shall be either no more than three years after the date of issue or until the date of expiry of the domestic driving licence, whichever is earlier;
• Contracting Parties may refuse to recognise the validity of driving licences for persons under eighteen or, for categories C, D, CE and DE, under twenty one;
• an international driving licence shall only be issued by the Contracting Party in whose territory the holder has his normal residence and that issued the domestic driving licence or that recognised the driving licence issued by another Contracting Party; it shall not be valid for use in that territory.

Licence categories according to the 1968 convention applicable from 29 March 2011

Category	Description	Category	Description
A	Motorcycles	A1	Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 125 cm³ and a power not exceeding 11 kW (light motorcycles)
B	Motor vehicles, other than those in category A, having a permissible maximum mass not exceeding 3,500 kg and not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 3,500 kg	B1	Motor tricycles and quadricycles
C	Motor vehicles, other than those in category D, having a permissible maximum mass exceeding 3,500 kg; or motor vehicles of category С coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg	C1	Motor vehicles, with the exception of those in category D, the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 7,500 kg; or motor vehicles of subcategory C1 coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg
D	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of category D coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg	D1	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat but not more than 16 seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of subcategory D1 coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg
BE	Motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg and exceeds the unladen mass of the motor vehicle; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled exceeds 3,500 kg
CE	Motor vehicles of category С coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg	C1E	Motor vehicles of subcategory C1 coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 12,000 kg
DE	Motor vehicles of category D coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg	D1E	Motor vehicles of subcategory D1 coupled to a trailer, not used for the carriage of persons, the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 12,000 kg

The 1968 convention (original)

The Convention on Road Traffic has been ratified by 72 countries. Examples of countries that have not ratified the Convention include Chile, China (Republic of China), Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Holy See, Indonesia, Ireland,Iraq, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Venezuela.

The Convention had amendments on 3 September 1993 and 28 March 2006. There is a European Agreement supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic (1968), which was concluded in Geneva, on 1 May 1971.

Note that before 29 March 2011 the Article demanded Contracting Parties to recognise as valid for driving in their territories:

• any domestic driver's licence drawn up in their national language or in one of their national languages, or, if not drawn up in such a language, accompanied by a certified translation;
• any domestic driver's license conforming to the provisions of Annex 6 to the Convention; and
• any international driver's document conforming to the provisions of Annex 7 to the Convention.

Prior to 29 March 2011, Annex 6 and Annex 7 defined forms of driver's licenses that are different from those defined after that date. Driving licences issued before 29 March 2011 that match older edition of the Annexes are valid until their expiration dates (Article 43).

Licence classes according to the 1968 convention

Class	Description
A	Motor cycles
B	Motor vehicles, other than those in category A, having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg and not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat.
C	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of goods and whose permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg.
D	Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat.
E	Combinations of vehicles of which the drawing vehicles is in a category or categories for which the driver is licensed (B and/or C and/or D), but which are themselves in that category or categories.

The 1949 convention

The 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic has been ratified by 95 states. The 1949 Convention's description of a Driving Permit and International Driving Permit are located in Annexes 9 and 10. Switzerland signed but did not ratify the Convention.

There is a European Agreement supplementing the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic, in addition to the 1949 Protocol on road signs and signals, concluded in Geneva on 16 September 1950.

License classes according to the 1949 convention

Class	Description
A	Motor cycles, with or without a side-car, invalid carriages and three-wheeled motor vehicles with an unladen weight not exceeding 400 kg (900 lbs).
B	Motor vehicles used for the transport of passengers and comprising, in addition to the driver's seat, at most eight seats, or those used for the transport of goods and having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer.
C	Motor vehicles used for the transport of goods and of which the permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer.
D	Motor vehicles used for the transport of passengers and comprising, in addition to the driver's seat, more than eight seats. Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer.
E	Motor vehicles of category B, C, or D, as authorized above, with other than light trailer.

• "Permissible maximum weight" of a vehicle means the weight of the vehicle and its maximum load when the vehicle is ready for road.
• "Maximum load" means the weight of the load declared permissible by the competent authority of the country of registration of the vehicle.
• "Light trailers" shall be those of permissible maximum weight not exceeding 750 kg (1,650 lbs).

The 1926 convention

The 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic is the older IDP Convention. It is only required in Iraq and Somalia. International Driving Permits according to the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic are also valid in Liechtenstein and Mexico which also didn't ratify any of the above-mentioned later conventions. Mexico also recognizes the Inter-American Driving Permit according to the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943. This convention also contains regulations about driving licenses and an international driving license in its Articles VI and XIII and its Annex B and thus gives an alternative opportunity for a valid driving permit based on a convention between several sovereign states. Article XIII paragraph 2 says "the international driving licence issued in accordance with the international Convention of 1926 shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this Article" (which defines the requirements of the international driving license according to the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943). For states that have ratified the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic but did not ratify the 1. Convention on Road Traffic (1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic) (e. g. Germany) or the 19. Convention on Road Traffic (1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic) (Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Spain, India, Ireland, Iceland, Lebanese Republic, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand and the Vatican City State [eventually via the Holy See as contract party]) the number of states in which the International Driving Permit according to the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic is valid, is higher.

Both 1949 and 1926 Conventions are authorised for issue to people over the age of 18 holding valid UK driving licences.

Licence classes according to the 1926 convention

Class	Description
A	Motor vehicles of which the laden weight does not exceed 3,500 kg.
B	Motor vehicles of which the laden weight exceeds 3,500 kg.
C	Motor-cycles, with or without side-car.

Validation

According to the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic, an IDP remains valid for one year from the date of issue. However, according to the Vienna Convention, an IDP remains valid for no more than three years from the date of issue, or until the expiration date of national driving permit, whichever is earlier. An IDP is not valid for driving in the country where it was issued.

Countries recognizing IDP

Following is a map of countries that recognize the International Driving Permit

  Party to 1949 Convention

  Not Party to 1949 Convention; International Driving Permit Honored

List of countries and territories recognizing IDP

Afghanistan * Algeria Andorra Angola * Anguilla *, ** Antigua and Barbuda *, ** Argentina Armenia * Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan * Bahamas Bahrain * Bangladesh Barbados ** Belarus * Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan * Bolivia * Botswana Brazil Brunei * Bulgaria Burkina Faso * Burma * Cambodia *** Cameroon * Canada Cape Verde * Cayman Islands * Central African Republic Chad * Chile Colombia * Comoros * Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Costa Rica * Ivory Coast Croatia * Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti * Dominica *, ** Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador * Equatorial Guinea * Estonia * Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands Gabon * Gambia Georgia Germany * Ghana Gibraltar

Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea * Guinea-Bissau * Guyana Haiti Vatican City Honduras * Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia * Iran * Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy * Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan * Kenya * South Korea Kuwait * Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia * Libya * Liechtenstein * Lithuania * Luxembourg Macau * Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Mali Malta Mauritania * Mauritius Mexico * Moldova * Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat *, ** Morocco Mozambique * Namibia Nepal * Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua * Niger Norway

Oman * Pakistan * Panama * Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar * Réunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis * Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia * Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia * South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan * Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland * Syria Taiwan Tajikistan * Tanzania Thailand Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan * Uganda Ukraine * United Arab Emirates * United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan * Venezuela Vietnam * British Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands Western Sahara Yemen * Zambia Zimbabwe

* Not party to 1949 convention; International Driving Permit honored
** Requires presentation to local police and payment of special registration upon arrival
*** IDP must be exchanged for a local driving licence.

See also

• European Driving Licence
• Inter-American Driving Permit

References

• Text of the 1949 Treaty
• U.N. Conference on Road Traffic – Final Act (Vienna, 7 October – 8 November 1968)
• More Information about International Driving Permit Scams

External links

• IDP Requirements by Country — shows 1926 or 1949 IDP status and special requirements to use an IDP in each country
• Full text of Vienna 1968 Road Traffic Convention
• List of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Road Traffic – Vienna, 8 November 1968
• FTC vs William Scott Dion, et al. Legal action against PT Resource Center for selling bogus IDP's and related identification documents
• Full HTML version -"Convention of Road Traffic signed at Geneva September 19, 1949" (EN, SP, FR)
• Washington Post story about a person without an IDP in Spain