International Drivers Permit (IDP)

DO I NEED AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT (IDP) ?

This question is the most asked when we go to any travel show. From all our personal experience we follow what most of the European Motoring associations recommend.

•  IDPs are officially sanctioned by the United Nations and accepted worldwide (in over 150 countries);
• Your IDP carries your identification details in nine languages (English, Spanish, Japanese, Greek, German, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and French), in case you need to communicate with foreign authorities.
• In some countries you may be asked to surrender your passport under certain circumstances. An IDP provides an extra photo ID in nine languages which you can always carry with you;
• IDPs are a special permit for tourists, authorised by a United Nations Treaty for the purpose of allowing motorists to drive internationally without further tests or applications provided their domestic drivers licence is valid.
• An IDP is proof that you hold a valid drivers licence in your home country at the date of issue of the IDP and should be carried with your domestic drivers licence.

IDPs can be purchased from your local motoring organisation (RACV, NRMA, etc) by presenting your current drivers’ licence and a passport-sized photo. An IDP costs just $42 (AUD). You'll need to be over 18, hold a valid Australian driver's licence, and provide a recent passport-sized photo – less than 3.5cm x 4.5cm.

IMPORTANT: The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is the only authority duly authorised to sell IDPs in Australia on behalf of the Australian Government. The Australian Government is party to the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. An IDP from the AAA must have the AAA Logo and official stamp. Any IDP that is not issued by the AAA in Australia is fraudulent.

Note: An IDP is only valid if you hold a current Australian Driver’s Licence. You may be asked to provide proof of travel and/or return dates to Australia, as an IDP is designed for touring purposes and anyone residing in another country for a lengthy period should apply for a licence in that country.

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