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International driving permits. From 1 April 2024 we’re no longer selling IDPs at Post Office. The last date to buy one in our branches is 31 March 2024. For more information please check our international driving permit support page

What is an IDP?

An International Driving Permit is a permit that allows you to drive in countries where a UK licence alone isn’t sufficient. These countries include the USA, Turkey, Brazil and Japan, among others.

Do I need one?

An IDP is required or recommended in over 140 countries. The IDP you need depends on what country you're visiting. Check the requirements of the country you’re planning on driving in. If you're travelling through more than one country, you might need more than one type of IDP.

How do I apply?

You need to have a valid Great Britain (GB) or Northern Ireland driving licence to get an IDP. You may also get an IDP if your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.

At a participating Post Office branch bring along your full valid photo-card licence, a passport standard photograph (see FAQs) and your valid passport as proof of identification if presenting an older paper version licence.

Which IDP do I need?

Country or territory Type of IDP More information
Albania 1968  
Algeria 1949  
Andorra 1949  
Argentina 1949  
Armenia 1968  
Australia 1949  
Austria None You don't need an IDP to drive here
Azerbaijan 1968  
Bahamas 1968 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Bahrain 1968 IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days. You must get your permit certified by local authorities when you arrive
Bangladesh 1949  
Barbados 1949  
Belarus 1968  
Belgium None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months. If you have a paper driving licence, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Belgian Embassy
Benin 1949  
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1968  
Botswana 1949 IDP needed for car hire
Brazil 1968  
Bulgaria None You don't need an IDP to drive here
Burkina Faso 1949  
Cambodia 1949  
Canada 1949  
Cape Verde 1968  
Central African Republic 1968  
Chile 1949  
Congo 1949  
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 1968  
Croatia None If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Croatian Embassy
Cuba 1968  
Cyprus None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for visits up to 30 days. For visits longer than 30 days you’ll need a 1949 IDP. If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need a 1949 IDP for any length of visit. Check with the High Commission of Cyprus
Czech Republic None If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from the Isle of Man, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Czech Republic Embassy
Democratic Republic of Congo 1968  
Denmark None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 90 days
Dominican Republic 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Ecuador 1949  
Egypt 1949  
Estonia None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you hold a paper driving licence you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Estonian Embassy
Eswatini (previously Swaziland) 1949 If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident
Fiji 1949  
Finland None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
France None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
French Polynesia 1968  
Georgia 1968 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Germany None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months. If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from the Isle of Man, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the German Embassy
Ghana 1949  
Greece None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
Guam 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 30 days. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident
Guatemala 1949  
Guyana 1968  
Haiti 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Hungary None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 12 months. If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from the Isle of Man, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Hungarian Embassy
Iceland None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 30 days
India 1949  
Iran 1968  
Iraq 1968  
Ireland None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 12 months
Israel 1968  
Italy None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
Jamaica 1949  
Japan 1949  
Jordan 1949  
Kazakhstan 1968  
Kenya 1968 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Kuwait 1968  
Kyrgyzstan 1968  
Laos 1949  
Latvia None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
Lebanon 1949  
Lesotho 1949  
Liberia 1968  
Libya 1949  
Liechtenstein None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
Lithuania None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months
Luxembourg None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months
Macao (Macau) 1949  
Madagascar 1949  
Malawi 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Malaysia (Sabah) 1949  
Mali 1949  
Malta None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 12 months. If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from Guernsey or the Isle of Man, you may need a 1949 IDP. Check with the Malta High Commission
Mexico 1926  
Moldova 1968  
Monaco 1968  
Mongolia 1968  
Montenegro 1968  
Morocco 1968  
Myanmar (previously Burma) 1968  
Namibia 1949 IDP needed for car hire. If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident
Nepal 1968  
Netherlands None You don’t need an IDP to drive here
New Zealand 1949  
Niger 1968  
Nigeria 1968  
North Macedonia 1968  
Norway None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 90 days. If you hold a paper driving licence you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Norwegian Embassy
Pakistan 1968  
Papua New Guinea 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 30 days
Paraguay 1949  
Peru 1968  
Philippines 1968 IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days
Poland None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months
Portugal None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months
Qatar 1968  
Romania None If you hold a paper driving licence or a driving licence from the Isle of Man, you may need a 1968 IDP. Check with the Romanian Embassy
Russian Federation 1968  
Rwanda 1949  
San Marino 1968  
Saudi Arabia 1968 IDP needed for car hire
Senegal 1968  
Serbia 1968  
Seychelles 1968  
Sierra Leone 1949  
Singapore 1949 IDP needed for car hire, and for stays longer than 30 days
Slovakia None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months. For visits longer than 6 months you’ll need a 1968 IDP
Slovenia None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 90 days
Somalia 1926  
South Africa 1968 If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident
South Korea 1949  
Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles) None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 6 months
Sri Lanka 1949 As well as the IDP, you must get a Sri Lankan recognition permit from the Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) in Colombo
St. Lucia 1949 Show your UK driving licence or IDP to the police to get a visitor’s licence
St. Vincent 1949 Show your UK driving licence or IDP to the police to get a visitor’s licence
Sweden None You don’t need an IDP to drive here for periods up to 12 months
Switzerland None You don't need an IDP to drive here
Syria 1949  
Tajikistan 1968  
Taiwan 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 30 days
Thailand 1968  
Togo 1949  
Trinidad & Tobago 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Tunisia 1968  
Turkey 1968  
Turkmenistan 1968  
Uganda 1949 IDP needed for stays longer than 90 days
Ukraine 1968  
United Arab Emirates 1968  
United States 1949 If you have an older, paper UK driving licence, you must take another form of photographic ID, such as your passport. You may need to show an IDP to your insurance company if you’re involved in an accident
Uruguay 1968  
Uzbekistan 1968  
Vatican City 1949  
Venezuela 1949  
Vietnam 1968  
Zimbabwe 1968  

What you need when applying

  • Full valid GB or Northern Ireland driving licence – photocard or an older paper licence

  • The £5.50 application fee (cash or debit/credit card)

  • A passport standard photograph - a recent true likeness of the applicant (see FAQs)

  • Original valid passport as proof of identification, if presenting an older paper version licence

Two women in a car, in foreground in a red top is the driver, in the distance is the passenger

Driving in Europe from 1 January 2021

The rules for driving in Europe have changed. Please visit the GOV.UK website for further information

Find your nearest Post Office branch

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      Common International Driving Permit questions

      • Not every country requires an IDP. Use our country checker tool to search for your destination country.

      • You can apply for an IDP if you hold a full, valid GB or Northern Ireland driving licence or if your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.

      • Yes they can, providing they have the correct supporting documents.

      • No. You need to carry your supporting valid GB or Northern Ireland driving licence wherever you drive.

      • The photograph must be:

        • A recent true likeness of the applicant and of the full face (face forward with nothing covering your face)
        • In colour, against a light grey or cream background
        • Clear, in sharp focus, free from red-eye and have no shadow in it
        • Free from any reflection or glare from glasses
        • In good condition, not damaged, creased, torn or marked
      • See more IDP FAQs
      • IDPs are valid for 1 to 3 years depending on the type of IDP required for your destination country. A 1968 IDP is valid for 3 years or until the expiry of your driving licence, whichever is sooner.

        Whilst your IDP is valid it can be used in as many countries as you wish providing you have the correct version. Some countries, like Japan, only allow you to drive for one year on an IDP, regardless of the length of its validity.

      • Yes. You can apply 3 months before you travel, however a permit cannot be backdated.

      • Yes, you can purchase as many permits as required. Please remember that you may need more than one permit if you’re travelling or driving through more than one country, you should check the requirements for each country.

      • Online: 
        Using our online contact form

        By post:
        FREEPOST
        POST OFFICE
        CUSTOMER CARE

        Alternatively, Textphone us on:
        0345 722 3355
        Need to contact us using Braille, audio or large print? No problem, we'll respond to you in the same format.

      Need some help?

      International Driving Permits help and support

      Find answers to common questions about International Driving Permits:

      Visit our International Driving Permits support page