Do I need an International Driving Permit?

Whether you need an IDP comes down to four things: where you're driving, what language your licence is in, whether you'll rent a car, and how long you're staying. Here's how each one decides it — with the country lists to check against.

1. Where you are driving

Of the 154 countries we track, these 14 list an IDP as required for visiting drivers:

• Japan
• Italy
• Thailand
• Germany
• New Zealand
• Greece
• United Arab Emirates
• India
• Indonesia
• Vietnam
• Egypt
• Singapore
• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar

Another 139 recommend one — which in practice often means a rental desk will ask for it. And China recognises no IDP at all: visitors there need a temporary local driving permit, so an IDP alone won't let you drive.

22 countries — Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama among them — are party to neither road-traffic convention, so local law alone sets the rules. Check each on its country page.

2. What language your licence is in

If your licence isn't in the local language or the Latin alphabet, assume you need a translation even where the law is relaxed. An officer at a roadside check can't verify what they can't read. Licences in Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Japanese, Korean or Thai script usually need one abroad.

3. Whether you will rent a car

Rental companies set their own requirements, and many ask for an IDP or a translation at the counter regardless of the country's law. A refused rental on arrival is how many travellers discover they needed one. If you're renting, carry one.

4. How long you are staying

Visitor rules usually run for a limited period, after which you need a local licence whatever paperwork you carry. These countries' published rules set a specific limit:

Staying longer than that? You'll need to exchange your licence or take a local test — an IDP doesn't extend the period.

Inside the EU and EEA

A licence issued in an EU or EEA country is recognised throughout the EU and EEA, so you don't need an IDP to drive between them. Drivers with licences from outside the EU/EEA should check each country — Germany, Italy, Greece, for example, list an IDP as required.

Still unsure?

If the destination page says "recommended" and you'll rent a car, carry one. It's inexpensive next to a refused rental, a fine, or an insurance claim complicated by missing paperwork. Get yours online, or read how to get an IDP first.