International Driving Permit

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An International Driving Permit (IDP) allows an individual to drive their private motor vehicle in another nation only when accompanied by a valid license from their country. The document is approximately the size of a standard passport and is esssentially a multiple language translation of one's own existing driver's license, complete with photograph and vital statistics. It is not a license to operate a motor vehicle on its own. Within the European Union a licence of one member state is recognised in all other member states without the need for a IDP.

Contents 1 Driver Information 1.1 Convention 1968 1.2 Convention 1949 1.3 Convention 1926 1.4 Validation 1.5 Faux IDP 2 External links 3 References

[edit] Driver Information

[edit] Convention 1968

The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic was not ratified by all signatory parties, notable cases of countries that refused or delayed ratification include Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Holy See, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Venezuela.

[edit] Convention 1949

The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic is accepted in a majority of the nations; major non-signatory countries include Germany, which did not have a government yet at that time. Switzerland did sign, but not ratify the Convention.

[edit] Convention 1926

The Paris Convention on Motor Traffic is the more obscure IDP Convention; it is only required in the following nations: Iraq, Somalia and Brazil.

Both 1949 and 1926 Conventions are authorised for issue to people over the age of 18 holding valid UK driving licenses.

[edit] Validation

The IDP validation lasts for 12 months from the date of issue, and according to the IDP Vienna Convention remain valid for 3 years. The IDP cannot be used in a country where the holder takes up residence.

[edit] Faux IDP

The United States Department of State authorizes the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) as the only entities to issue IDPs. The AATA offers IDPs through the National Automobile Club (NAC). Other so-called IDPs are fraudulent and should be reported to proper authorities such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). (See International Driver's License.) [1]

[edit] External links

• AAA International and Inter-American Driving Permits Instructions
• NAC International Driving Permit Instructions
• Resources for International Driving Permits

[edit] References

• Text of the 1968 Treaty
• Text of the 1949 Treaty