International Driving Permit and Inter-American Driving Permit

It's pretty normal for people to want to prepare for the unexpected events that inevitably come up in our future, especially for us westerners. In the case of moving abroad, that means it is important to have a plan for health insurance, bank accounts and money management, emergency contacts at home, and legality of driving.

What follows is a simple explanation of how to cover your butt so you don't have any troubles while driving abroad. For many people, a standard driver's license is likely accepted overseas, but don't expect it.


Depending on the country you are in, and the official that you deal with, you may find that a traffic stop can have a great variety of outcomes.

To ensure you are legal, do yourself a favor and get an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you depart. The IDP ensures that you may drive legally as a non-resident, according to the United Nations Convention on International Road Traffic.

An IDP is a lovely safety net when you are in a place where you might not speak the language because it has all of the particulars regarding your driving allowances in English, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, German, Spanish, Swedish and French.

Here is a sample that shows the Arabic and Russian pages:

Having an IDP allows you to legally drive a car or motorcycle for up to 6 months, even if your state license doesn't include motorcycle driving.

To get an IDP, you really only need four things:

• A complete IDP application
• $15 (I suggest USPS money order if submitting by mail)
• 2 recent passport style photos (signed on the back)
• A valid state DL (copy of front and back if submitting by mail)

That's it! No test, no hassle, no problem.

You can get you IDP by mail or in person, so it is really easy and totally convenient.

The Process

Check to see where the closest AAA branch is near you, because it is incredibly easy if you have the time to go to a branch. The branches accept all types of payments and will give you your IDP on the spot.

If you need to mail it in, it just requires a little bit more effort on your part (which you'll see listed below).

At a branch:

• fill out the application online and print it out
• be ready to pay $15 (cash, card, money order, or check)
• get 2 passport type photos (do not try to print off your own, they will likely get rejected)
• take your state DL with you

By mail:

• fill out the application online and print it out
• get a USPS money order, or write a check for $15
• get 2 passport type photos (do not try to print off your own, they will likely get rejected)
• copy both sides of your state DL
• self address an envelope with postage so that they can send you your IDP
• put everything in an envelope that won't fold any pages
• send it off with a smile (and plenty of time before you depart on your trip)

That's it. Really. Now, check out how many countries accept the IDP as legal driving qualification:

I think someone out there might have the question, "What about the Inter-American Driving Permit?"

Thank you for asking! I had the same question when I noticed that this option is for Central and South American countries, since my destination was Brazil. 

The IADP is the exact same application, price and process. The only difference is the box that you check on the application. In the end, you actually end up getting the same book as the IDP. Seriously!

If someone out there can offer some insight into why they go by different names, let me know! I am still curious.

Happy driving, travellers!

This post is based on my personal experience with the process in the US, and supplemental information that I found online. Links to that information are included.