Explainer
What is an International Driving Permit?
Short answer
An International Driving Permit is a translation of your national driving licence into multiple languages, in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention booklet format. It lets foreign officials and rental desks read your driving credentials. It is always carried alongside your original licence and grants no driving rights on its own.
When you are asked for one
| Rental counters | Hertz, Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, Sixt, Avis, Europcar and Localiza commonly ask visiting drivers for one. |
|---|---|
| Legal requirement | Some countries require foreign drivers to carry a permit by law. Your destination page states which. |
| Roadside checks | Where your licence is not printed in the local alphabet, a translation removes the ambiguity. |
Geneva 1949 or Vienna 1968
There are two formats, set by two United Nations road-traffic conventions. Which one a country accepts depends on the treaty it signed. Many recognise both. Your destination page states the format that applies, and your permit is prepared in it.
| 1949 Geneva | 1968 Vienna | |
|---|---|---|
| Governing article | Article 24 | Article 41 |
| Adopted | 1949 | 1968 |
| Typical validity | Up to 1 year | Up to 3 years, or until your licence expires |
| Countries | Around 100 | Around 90 |
| Vehicle categories | A, B, C, D, E | A, A1, B, B1, C, C1, D, D1 and combinations |
| Mainly used by | United States, Japan, Australia | Most of Europe, Latin America, parts of Asia |
What this document is, and is not
What we prepare is a multilingual translation of your national licence in the convention booklet format. It is not a driving licence and grants no privileges on its own; it works only alongside your original. We are an independent private company, not a government agency, and not affiliated with AAA, AATA or the United Nations. In the United States the official government permit is issued only by AAA and AATA, and where a country legally requires that document, this is not a substitute for it.
What we offer instead is speed. Official issuers generally require a mail-in or in-person application. We deliver a convention-format translation digitally, within 30 minutes or 5 with Express, as a printable booklet and a QR-verifiable card, with a 30-day refund.
| Booklet | 16 pages, convention format |
|---|---|
| Languages | 12 |
| Digital PDF | Carried on your phone or printed |
| Wallet card | QR-verifiable identity card |
| From | $65 |
Common questions
What will the rental desk actually ask me for?
Your national licence, a passport or ID, the card the booking was made on, and, where the country expects one, a permit translation carried with the licence. Desks are strictest about the translation when your licence is not printed in the Latin alphabet. Check the destination page before you fly; it lists what that country's desks ask for.
I'm at the airport without one. Am I stuck?
Not necessarily. Orders are emailed rather than posted, so one can be arranged from the terminal. Standard delivery lands within two hours; Express is quoted at eight minutes for $30 more. You see the exact delivery moment before you pay, not a vague window.
Can I use one permit in several countries on the same trip?
Yes. One destination is included and each additional country is $25 at checkout. Add every country you intend to drive in, including ones you are only passing through, because the requirement follows the road rather than the itinerary.
What happens if a rental desk refuses it?
Contact support with your order number and what you were told; the 30-day refund window covers it. Worth knowing in advance: a few destinations accept only a permit issued by an authority in the country that issued your licence. On those destination pages we say so and do not sell.
Do I have to send my licence anywhere?
No. You enter your licence details and upload a photo of yourself; the licence stays with you. Nothing is posted, and there is no exam, interview or appointment.
How far ahead of the trip should I order?
Any time, with one caveat: validity runs from the issue date, not from the day you land. Ordering three months early on a one-year permit spends three months of it. For a single trip, ordering in the week before you travel gets the most out of it.
Is this a driving licence?
No, and it never replaces one. It is a certified translation of the licence you already hold, presented alongside it. On its own it grants no right to drive: if you are stopped without your national licence, the translation does not help you.
Can I drive for Uber, Bolt or a delivery platform with it?
No. This covers driving on your existing private entitlement while visiting. Paid driving is licensed separately in every country and generally requires local registration and a local or converted licence. Check the platform's rules and the country's licensing authority directly.
I'm moving there rather than visiting. Does this cover me?
Only at the start. Most countries let a visitor drive on a foreign licence for a set period, commonly three to twelve months from entry. Once you are resident you are usually required to convert to a local licence, and a translation no longer covers you. Confirm the residency window with the destination's motor authority.
What exactly arrives in my inbox?
A printable booklet in the convention format the destination recognises, plus a wallet-sized card carrying a QR code that resolves to a live verification page so staff can check it on the spot. Print the booklet on ordinary paper; no special stock is needed.
Ready when you are
Pick your destinations, enter your licence details, and your permit is emailed at the moment quoted before you pay.