International Driving Permit

International Driving Permit (IDP) is a document that allows individuals to drive a private motor vehicle in another nation when accompanied by a valid license from their home country. The permit is slightly larger than a standard passport and is essentially a multiple language translation of one's own existing driver's license, complete with photograph and vital statistics.

History

The concept of an International Driving Permit was first mooted in the Paris Convention of 1900, but it did not become a recognized international document until the Convention on Road Traffic in 1926. The permit was further standardized and its validity extended in the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

Issuance

The IDP is issued through the automobile associations of individual countries, such as the American Automobile Association in the United States and the Canadian Automobile Association in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club are the issuing entities.

Validity

An International Driving Permit is valid for one year from the date of issue, with a grace period of six months. However, many countries do not recognize the IDP and require foreign drivers to have their own country's driving license or an official translation of the same.

Limitations

The IDP is not a stand-alone document or a substitute for a valid driving license. It must be carried along with the driving license from the home country of the driver. Furthermore, it does not confer the right to drive in every country without exception. Some countries may have additional requirements for foreign drivers.

See also

• Driving license
• Vehicle registration