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General Validity Period of an International Driving Permit (IDP)
IDPs are valid for either one year or three years from the date of issue, depending on the country your driver’s license was issued and/or the country where you will be driving. The difference is based on whether your country and the country where you’re going is party to the 1949 and/or 1968 conventions, where the rules for issuing IDPs were laid out.
For people with a driver’s license from the United States, your IDP will always expire one year from the date of issue..
Two Types of IDPs: 1949 and 1968
There are two primary types of IDPs, which are based on two international agreements:
The 1949 United Nations Geneva Conference on Road and Motor Transport IDP
The 1968 United Nations Vienna Convention on Road Traffic IDP
These conventions set different validity rules and determine which type of IDP a country issues and recognizes.
The 1949 IDP (from the Geneva Conference)
The 1949 IDP is the most widely used type and is recognized by over 150 countries, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Poland and Spain. The key rules for this type of IDP are:
It is valid for one year from the date of issue.
It cannot be renewed. Once it expires, a new IDP must be issued.
It must be issued in the same country as the driver’s license.
This IDP format is still the most commonly used because there are many major countries that are not signatories to the 1968 Vienna Convention.
The 1968 IDP (from the Vienna Convention)
The 1968 IDP is recognized by countries that have ratified the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which includes fewer countries than those that have ratified the 1949 rules. Most countries that have ratified the 1968 rules also ratified the 1949 rules, and now issue both types of IDPs. An IDP from this convention differs from the 1949 version in a couple ways:
It is valid for three years from the date of issue.
It is not accepted in some countries that only recognize the 1949 IDP (Japan, most notably)
How to Determine Which IDP You Need
To determine which IDP you need:
Check the driving regulations of your destination country. Some countries accept both types, while others only recognize one.
Verify the issuing country's IDP type. If your country issues only one type, you may need to confirm whether your destination will accept it. Check which type of IDP your country issues using the table on this Wikipedia article.
Final Thoughts
Remember, if you get a 1949 IDP, it will be valid for one year, but if you get a 1968 IDP (only possible if your country signed that agreement), it will be valid for three years. If you're planning international travel, always check which IDP is required and plan accordingly to ensure you don’t have any issues driving abroad.
If you have questions or have a US-issued driver’s license and need an IDP, reach out to us or submit an application at www.FastIDP.com. Happy driving!
