Just a week ago, we were waiting to board a flight home and overheard the couple behind us recapping their trip. It hadn't started well. They'd landed, headed to the rental counter, and gotten turned away on the spot. No International Driver's Permit, no car. The first few hours of their vacation went to scrambling instead of relaxing.

The frustrating thing is how easy it is to avoid. An International Driver's Permit, or IDP, costs about $20, takes under an hour to pick up (if you apply in person), and is good for a year. The catch is that you have to get it in your home country before you leave. Once you've landed, it's too late.

So here's the rundown: what an IDP actually is, which countries want one, and exactly how to get yours if you're in the US or Canada.

What an IDP actually is

An IDP isn't a license. It's an official translation of the license you already have, printed in a stack of languages so a police officer or rental agent abroad can read it. You always carry it alongside your real license. On its own, it's just a booklet.

A couple of things worth knowing up front. It's only valid with your physical license, so both travel together. It's good for one year, and you can't renew it, you just apply again. And it has to come from the official issuer in your country. More on that below, because this is where people get burned by fake websites.

Countries where you'll most likely need one

Rules vary a lot, and "required by law" and "required by the rental company" are two different things that both end with you not getting a car. Here's where US and Canadian travelers run into it most.

• Italy. Required, and actually enforced. Fines start around 100 euros and climb if you're in an accident. One of the most common places travelers get caught out.

• Spain. Required. Worth noting Spain doesn't accept a digital version, so you need the printed booklet in hand.

• Austria. Required. Driving without one when it's mandated is treated as a real offense, not a technicality.

• Poland. Required, and the big rental brands like Enterprise, National, and Alamo now ask for it directly at the counter.

• Greece. Required to drive, and rental desks routinely ask for it. Enforcement is a bit more relaxed than Italy or Spain, but you don't want to bet your rental on it.

• Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and much of Eastern Europe. A mix of legally required and commonly requested at the counter. Hungary specifically wants a translation of your license, and an IDP is the simplest way to cover that. When in doubt in this region, just get one.

• Japan. Required, and they're strict about it. Japan only accepts an IDP issued by the official authority in your country. The cheap "international license" sites won't fly here, and using one of those documents is actually illegal.

• South Korea. Required alongside your license.

• Thailand and Indonesia. Required, and they only recognize the printed booklet, not a digital copy. Police checks on tourists are routine, especially for anyone renting a scooter or motorbike, so this is not one to skip.

• Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia. Required for foreign drivers.

• Australia and New Zealand. Often fine on your home license for short stays, but the rules shift by state and territory, and an IDP smooths over any confusion. Easy insurance.

Countries where an IDP won't help you

This is the part most people never hear, and it's exactly the kind of thing worth knowing before you book.

• China. Doesn't recognize the IDP at all. You can't drive on your home license or an IDP. You'd need an actual Chinese license, which is a whole process.

• Brazil and Uruguay. These two want a different document called the Inter-American Driving Permit, not the standard IDP. Same issuer, different permit, so ask for the right one.

• Vietnam. US and Canadian IDPs generally aren't valid here, which is why most visitors hire a driver instead of renting.

If one of these is on your itinerary, sort out the plan before you go, not at the counter.

A simple rule of thumb

If you're driving somewhere your license isn't already in the local language, get an IDP. It's cheap, it's quick, and worst case you never need to show it. Best case it saves your trip. Plenty of rental agencies also ask for one even where the law doesn't require it, so it's the safe call almost anywhere outside North America.

How to get one if you're American

In the US, there's exactly one legitimate issuer: AAA. They're authorized by the State Department, and you do not need to be a member.

Here's what you do:

1. Gather your stuff: your valid US driver's license, two passport-style photos, and the $20 fee. AAA can take the photos for you for a small extra charge if you don't have them.

2. Pick how to apply. Walk into a AAA branch and you'll usually leave with it the same day, often in under an hour. Apply online or by mail and you're looking at roughly one to two weeks once you factor in processing and shipping.

3. Do it before you fly. You can't get one after you've left the country.

Official AAA page: https://www.ace.aaa.com/travel/information/international-driving-permit.html

How to get one if you're Canadian

In Canada, the only authorized issuer is CAA. Same deal, you don't have to be a member.

1. Gather your stuff: your valid provincial or territorial driver's license, two passport-style photos, and the fee, which is $32 CAD as of late 2025. CAA can take the photos at the store. Note that you need a full license, not a learner's. In Ontario, for example, that means a G2 or full G, not a G1.

2. Pick how to apply. In store, your permit is usually processed within the hour. By mail it can take a few weeks, so don't leave it late.

3. Do it before you fly. Like the US version, you can't get one once you've left.

Official CAA page: https://www.caa.ca/services/travel/international-driving-permit/

A quick warning about fake sites

If you search "international driver's permit," you'll hit a wall of websites selling official-looking documents for inflated prices. They are not legitimate. In the US and Canada, only AAA and CAA can issue a real IDP, and a permit from anywhere else can get rejected at the counter or by police. Japan in particular will not accept them. Stick to the two official sources above and you're fine.

Driving with a license from outside the US or Canada?

If your license was issued somewhere other than the US or Canada, the process is similar in spirit but runs through your own country's authorized program. Most countries have a designated automobile association or government office that issues IDPs to their own license holders, and you have to apply there before you travel, since you generally can't get an IDP for a foreign license. The quickest way to find the right one is to search for your country's name plus "international driving permit issuing authority," or check with your local automobile club or licensing office. The basics tend to be the same everywhere: a valid license, a couple of passport photos, a small fee, and a short wait.

The bottom line

An IDP is a small, cheap, slightly boring piece of paper that quietly prevents a genuinely bad morning. If your trip involves getting behind the wheel abroad, check the requirements early and grab one before you go. Future you, standing at a rental counter in a new country, will be glad you did.

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Requirements and enforcement change over time, and rental companies set their own rules on top of local law. Treat this as a planning starting point, not legal advice, and confirm the current rule for your specific destination and rental company before you travel. Planning a trip that involves driving? We can help.