International driving permit (IDP): which one you need and how to get it

A. FruchardCo-founder & CEOLast updated: 29 October 2026
The answer

What is an international driving permit and do you need one?

An international driving permit (IDP) is a document you carry with your UK driving licence so you can drive in some countries outside the UK. It costs £5.50, you buy it in person at certain shops that have PayPoint, and you do not need one in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if you hold a UK photocard licence.

Whether you need one depends on two things only, according to GOV.UK: the country you are driving in and how long you are staying. A two-week road trip in the United States, a month in Japan or a self-drive holiday in Thailand each comes with its own answer, and the permit is never a replacement for your licence. You must always carry both.

This guide sets out the three types of permit, the countries GOV.UK lists for each, the European exceptions, where to get one and what to bring. It is part of our guide to driving abroad from the UK.

How we work

Every guide on hellosafe.co.uk is written from official sources: GOV.UK and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the embassies and immigration services of each destination. Each fact is checked on the date shown under its table, and the page is updated when a rule changes. No airline, tour operator or visa service pays for a place in our guides.

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IDP types

Which IDP do you need: 1926, 1949 or 1968?

There are three types of IDP, named after the international road traffic conventions they come from: 1926, 1949 and 1968. The one you need depends on the country you are visiting, and if your trip crosses several countries you may need more than one type, GOV.UK says.

GOV.UK gives one type per country, so the type is set by your destination, not by you. If you already hold an IDP from an earlier trip, check that it is still valid and that it is the right type for the next country.

  • 1926 permit
    The oldest convention
    How long it lasts
    12 months
    Some of the countries GOV.UK lists for it
    Mexico, Somalia
  • 1949 permit
    The most common type, PayPoint says
    How long it lasts
    12 months
    Some of the countries GOV.UK lists for it
    Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, India, South Korea, Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Jamaica, Barbados, Cambodia, Laos
  • 1968 permit
    Most of Europe and many other countries
    How long it lasts
    3 years, or until your UK driving licence expires, whichever comes first
    Some of the countries GOV.UK lists for it
    Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Israel, Qatar, Peru, Cuba
Validity from GOV.UK, Get an IDP. Country lists are extracts of the GOV.UK table, not the full list.Sources: GOV.UK, Driving abroad, IDP country table. Checked on 29 October 2026.

GOV.UK's table covers 144 countries and territories. If your destination is not in it, GOV.UK tells you to check with that country's embassy, and if you are hiring a car, with the car hire company. The full table is on the GOV.UK page on IDPs.

In Europe

Do you need an IDP in Europe with a UK photocard licence?

No: with a UK photocard licence you do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, GOV.UK says. The exceptions are a paper licence, a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, and a few countries that set a time limit on visitors driving on a UK licence.

France, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands need no IDP for a UK licence holder. For every European country GOV.UK adds the same advice: if you are hiring a car, check whether the hire company asks for one.

  • Belgium
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 6 months
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Germany
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 6 months (an Isle of Man licence needs an IDP)
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Portugal
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 185 days
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Denmark
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 90 days
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Estonia
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 90 days in any 180-day period (an Isle of Man licence needs an IDP)
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Cyprus
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    Up to 30 days
    Type if you need one
    1949
  • France, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    No IDP needed
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Spain (including the Balearic and Canary Isles), Ireland
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    No IDP needed
    Type if you need one
    1949
  • Italy, Hungary, Latvia
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    No IDP needed with a UK photocard (an Isle of Man licence needs one)
    Type if you need one
    1968
  • Malta
    Driving on a UK photocard licence without an IDP
    No IDP needed with a UK, Gibraltar or Jersey photocard
    Type if you need one
    1949
Time limits apply to the length of your stay. A paper licence: update it to a photocard licence or get an IDP.Sources: GOV.UK, Driving abroad, IDP country table. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Outside the EU but still in Europe, GOV.UK lists a permit for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey (all 1968), with no exemption note for UK photocard holders.

Outside Europe

Which countries outside Europe ask for an IDP only in some cases?

17 countries and territories outside Europe ask for an IDP only when you hire a car or stay beyond a set number of days, GOV.UK says. For the others in its table, the type shown is the permit you need. The conditional ones are below.

  • Singapore
    When you need an IDP
    For car hire, and for stays longer than 30 days
    Type
    1949
  • Philippines
    When you need an IDP
    For car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days
    Type
    1968
  • Bahrain
    When you need an IDP
    For car hire, and for stays longer than 90 days; the permit must be certified by local authorities when you arrive
    Type
    1968
  • Saudi Arabia
    When you need an IDP
    For car hire
    Type
    1968
  • Botswana, Namibia
    When you need an IDP
    For car hire
    Type
    1949
  • Taiwan, Guam, Papua New Guinea
    When you need an IDP
    For stays longer than 30 days
    Type
    1949
  • Bahamas, Georgia, Kenya
    When you need an IDP
    For stays longer than 90 days
    Type
    1968
  • Dominican Republic, Haiti, Malawi, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda
    When you need an IDP
    For stays longer than 90 days
    Type
    1949
Sources: GOV.UK, Driving abroad, IDP country table. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Countries with an extra step

  • United States (1949)
    GOV.UK says to check whether the individual state asks for an IDP, and that you may need both your licence and an IDP to hire a car.
  • Sri Lanka (1949)
    As well as the IDP, you must get a Sri Lankan recognition permit from the Automobile Association of Ceylon in Colombo.
  • St Lucia and St Vincent (1949)
    You show your UK licence or IDP to the police to get a visitor's licence.
  • Bahrain (1968)
    Your permit must be certified by the local authorities when you arrive.
Where to get it

Where to get an international driving permit

You get an IDP in person from certain shops that have PayPoint, the only place GOV.UK names today. GOV.UK gives no online or postal route: you walk in with your documents and leave with the permit.

PayPoint has issued the permits for the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) since 1 April 2024, when the service moved from the Post Office to PayPoint, according to PayPoint's announcement of 22 January 2024. A Post Office counter is therefore no longer where you buy one. Not every PayPoint shop sells it: use the store locator on PayPoint's IDP page, enter your postcode and filter by the service 'DVLA IDPs'.

  1. Check the type you need
    Look up every country on your route in the GOV.UK table, including countries you only drive through.
  2. Find a shop
    Use PayPoint's store locator and filter by 'DVLA IDPs' to see the shops that issue permits.
  3. Bring your documents
    Your full UK driving licence, one passport-standard photo per permit, and your passport if your licence is a paper one.
  4. Pay £5.50 per permit
    PayPoint takes cash or card.
  5. Carry it with your licence
    Abroad, you must always have your UK driving licence with you as well as your IDP.
Cost and documents

How much does an IDP cost and what do you need to bring?

An IDP costs £5.50, GOV.UK says, and PayPoint takes the fee in cash or by card. If your trip needs two types, for example a 1949 permit for the United States and a 1926 permit for Mexico, you pay for each one: PayPoint says you can apply for as many permits as you need.

  • Eligibility
    Who can apply
    Detail
    You live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, hold a full UK driving licence and are 18 or over
  • Driving licence
    Full and valid
    Detail
    A Great Britain or Northern Ireland licence, photocard or older paper licence
  • Passport
    Paper licence only
    Detail
    The original, valid passport as proof of identity if you present a paper licence
  • Photo
    One per permit
    Detail
    Passport-standard, recent, in colour, light background, sharp, no shadows or glare from glasses
  • Fee
    Detail
    £5.50 per permit, cash or card
  • When to apply
    Detail
    Up to 3 months before your date of travel; a permit cannot be backdated
Sources: GOV.UK, Driving abroad, get an IDP; PayPoint, IDP in-store service page. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Someone else can apply for you if they bring all of your correct documents, PayPoint says. Licences from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a foreign country and diplomatic licences cannot be used to apply at PayPoint.

Validity

How long is an IDP valid?

A 1926 or 1949 permit lasts 12 months, and a 1968 permit lasts 3 years or until your UK driving licence expires, whichever comes first, GOV.UK says. You can apply up to 3 months before you travel, so time the purchase for a 12-month permit to cover the whole trip.

Your licence matters as much as the permit. GOV.UK reminds drivers to check that their UK licence is still valid before leaving: a renewal applied for online should arrive within 5 days, longer by post.

Special cases

Paper licences, Crown dependency licences and moving abroad

A paper licence changes the answer in Europe: GOV.UK says you must either update it to a photocard licence or get an IDP. In Eswatini, Guam, Namibia, South Africa and the United States, a paper licence also means carrying another photo ID, such as your passport.

  • Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or Isle of Man licence
    Some EU countries and Norway may ask for an IDP; GOV.UK tells you to check with the embassy of the country you will drive in. PayPoint does not issue permits on these licences.
  • Moving abroad
    Do not apply for an IDP: GOV.UK says you will need to exchange your UK licence or apply for a new one in your new country.
  • Hiring a car
    The hire company may ask to see your licence information. You can share it with a DVLA check code, generated up to 21 days before your trip.
FAQ

International driving permit: your questions answered

  • No. Since 1 April 2024 the permits are issued at certain PayPoint shops, not at the Post Office, and GOV.UK names only PayPoint today. Use PayPoint’s store locator to find a shop that offers 'DVLA IDPs’.

  • £5.50 per permit, paid in cash or by card at the PayPoint shop. If you need two types for one trip, you pay for each.

  • No. GOV.UK says you get an IDP in person from certain shops that have PayPoint. Someone else can apply for you if they bring all your correct documents.

  • No. GOV.UK says you do not need an IDP in Spain or France with a UK photocard licence. If you hire a car, check whether the hire company asks for one.

  • GOV.UK lists the 1949 permit for the United States and says to check whether the individual state asks for one. You may need both your licence and an IDP to hire a car there.

  • The 1949 permit for all three, according to the GOV.UK table. It lasts 12 months.

  • The 1968 permit, according to the GOV.UK table. It lasts 3 years or until your UK licence expires, whichever comes first.

  • Up to 3 months before your date of travel, PayPoint says. The permit cannot be backdated.

  • Yes: one passport-standard colour photo for each permit, recent, on a light background, with no shadows or glare from glasses.

  • No. You must always carry your UK driving licence with your IDP. The permit does not replace the licence.

  • No. GOV.UK says you need a full UK driving licence, and you must be 18 or over and live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

  • GOV.UK tells you to check with the embassy of the country you are travelling to, and with your car hire company if you are hiring a car.