Apr 20, 2026
How to Get an International Driving Permit in California
By Jamie Patrick
California is one of the easiest states in the country to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) in person. More than a hundred AAA branches across the state issue IDPs as a walk-in service. You'll pay $20, hand over a passport-style photo, and walk out with the booklet the same day.
Below are the four ways to get an official IDP if you have a US driver's license.
1. In person at AAA
California has the densest AAA coverage of any state. The branches below all carry International Driving Permits, as a walk-in, same-day service:
Alameda: 2650 5Th Str Blg-F Ste H.
Alhambra (Alhambra/San Gabriel): 401 E Main St Ste 101.
Anaheim Hills: 5500 E Santa Ana Cyn Rd.
Antioch: 5799 Lone Tree Way.
Apple Valley: 19201 Bear Valley Rd #C.
Arcadia: 420 E Huntington Dr.
Artesia: 18642 S Gridley Rd.
Auburn: 2480 Grass Valley Hwy.
Bakersfield: 1500 Commercial Way.
Berkeley: 1775 University Ave.
Burbank: 1111 W Alameda Ave.
Camarillo: 2570 Las Posas Rd Ste B.
Capitola (Capitola/Santa Cruz): 4400 Capitola Rd Ste 100.
Chatsworth: 10210 Mason Ave.
Chino: 5402 Philadelphia St #A.
Chula Vista: 569 Telegraph Canyon Rd.
Citrus Heights: 6109 Sunrise Blvd.
Clovis (Shaw): 1595 Shaw Ave.
Clovis (Herndon): 900 Herndon.
Concord: 2095 Diamond Blvd B-135.
Corona: 1170 El Camino Ave.
Costa Mesa: 3350 Harbor Blvd.
Culver City: 4512 Sepulveda Blvd.
Daly City: 455 Hickey Blvd 3rd Fl.
Del Mar: 2666 Del Mar Heights Rd.
Diamond Bar: 2843 Diamond Bar Blvd.
Downey: 8223 Firestone Blvd.
Dublin: 4460 Tassajara Rd Ste B.
Eastvale: 12423 Limonite Ave #580.
El Cajon (Rancho San Diego): 2987 Jamacha Rd Ste A.
El Monte (Longo Toyota): 3534 N Peck Rd.
Elk Grove: 8225 Laguna Blvd Ste 120.
Encinitas: 499 N El Camino Real A100.
Encino: 17472 Ventura Blvd.
Escondido: 800 La Terraza Blvd.
Eureka: 1470 Broadway St.
Fairfield: 1495 Gateway Blvd.
Fresno (Fig Garden Village): 632 West Shaw Ave Ste 60.
Fresno (West Herndon): 6717 N Riverside Dr # 102.
Fresno (Park Crossing): 8380 N Fresno St Ste 101.
Fullerton: 1450 N Harbor Blvd.
Gilroy: 7210 Camino Arroyo # 103.
Glendale: 1233 E Broadway.
Glendora: 1301 S Grand Ave.
Hanford: 780 N Irwin St.
Hayward: 1580 Chabot Ct.
Hemet: 450 W Stetson Ave.
Highland: 27889 Base Line St.
Hollister: 351 Tres Pinos Rd Ste D.
Huntington Beach: 16160 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach (Surf City): 19810 Beach Blvd.
Inglewood (Inglewood-Ladera): 1234 Centinela Ave.
Irvine: 3851 Alton Pkwy Ste C.
Jackson: 11992 St Hwy 88 Ste 2048.
La Mesa: 8765 Fletcher Pkwy.
La Quinta: 46-050 Washington St.
Laguna Hills: 25181 Paseo De Alicia.
Lakeport: 1464 Parallel Dr.
Lancaster: 1234 Commerce Center Dr.
Lodi: 2715 W Kettleman Ln #201.
Lompoc: 525 W Central Ave.
Los Alamitos: 3480 Katella Ave.
Los Angeles (Figueroa): 2601 S Figueroa St.
Los Angeles (Crenshaw): 3739 S Crenshaw Blvd #E.
Los Angeles (Wilshire): 5126 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Banos: 1451 W Pacheco Blvd #H.
Los Gatos: 15450 Los Gatos Blvd #300.
Madera: 221 N G St.
Manhattan Beach: 700 S Aviation Blvd.
Manteca: 190 Commerce Ave #101.
Menlo Park: 65 El Camino Real.
Merced: 3065 M St.
Milpitas: 607 E Calaveras Blvd #607.
Mission Viejo (South): 27525 Puerta Real Ste 800.
Mission Viejo: 27805 Santa Margarita Pky.
Modesto: 3525 Coffee Rd.
Montebello: 1405 N Montebello Blvd.
Monterey: 53 Soledad Dr.
Montrose: 2112 Montrose Ave.
Mountain View: 900 Miramonte Ave.
Murrieta: 25125 Madison Ave #101A.
Newark: 39600 Balentine Dr.
Newport Beach: 3880 Birch St.
Northridge: 9440 Reseda Blvd.
Oakland (Rockridge): 1982 Pleasant Valley Av#A.
Oceanside: 3330 Vista Way.
Palm Springs: 300 S Farrell Dr.
Pasadena: 801 E Union St.
Petaluma: 111 Lynch Creek Way.
Pinole (Vista Crossing): 1202 Fitzgerald Dr.
Placerville: 3979 Missouri Flat Rd#120.
Pleasant Hill: 2390 Monument Blvd Ste A.
Rancho Cucamonga: 10540 Foothill Blvd #100.
Rancho Palos Verde: 28901 S Western Ave #137.
Redding: 943 Mission De Oro Dr.
Redlands: 1330 Industrial Park Ave.
Redwood City: 510 Veterans Blvd Ste A.
Riverside: 3700 Central Ave.
Roseville (Galleria): 1161 Galleria Blvd.
Roseville (South): 1850 Douglas Blvd Ste 406.
Sacramento (Greenhaven): 1056 Florin Rd.
Sacramento (University Village): 2216 Fair Oaks Blvd.
Sacramento (Capitol Mall): 621 Capitol Mall, Ste 118.
Salinas: 1019 Post Dr.
San Clemente: 638 Camino de los Mares.
San Diego (Poway/Sabre Springs): 12630 Sabre Spgs Pkwy 301.
San Diego (Hotel Circle): 2440 Hotel Cir N.
San Diego (Clairemont): 4973 Clairemont Dr #C.
San Francisco (Potrero Center): 2300 16th St Ste 280.
San Francisco (Richmond District): 599 Clement St.
San Jose (Brokaw Commons): 1035 E Brokaw Rd Ste 10.
San Jose (Capitol Expressway): 1779 East Capitol Exy D0A.
San Jose (Almaden Expressway): 5026 Almaden Expwy #10.
San Jose (Stevens Creek): 5120 Stevens Creek Blvd.
San Luis Obispo: 1445 Calle Joaquin.
San Marcos: 137 S Las Posas Rd #P 5&6.
San Rafael: 99 Smith Ranch Rd.
San Ramon: 2435 San Ramon Vly Blvd#5.
Santa Barbara: 3712 State St.
Santa Clarita: 23770 Valencia Blvd.
Santa Maria: 2033 S Broadway.
Santa Monica: 2730 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Rosa (Farmers Lane): 1501 Farmers Ln.
Santa Rosa (Mendocino): 2180 Mendocino Ave.
Simi Valley: 2853 E Cochran St.
Sonoma: 650 2nd St W.
Sonora: 1071 Sanguinetti Rd.
Temecula: 26403 Ynez Rd.
Thousand Oaks: 100 E Wilbur Rd.
Torrance: 23001 Hawthorne Blvd.
Tracy: 2102 W Grant Line Rd.
Turlock: 3180 Hotel Dr.
Tustin: 13331 Jamboree Rd.
Upland: 1021 E Foothill Blvd.
Vacaville: 1633 E Monte Vista Ave.
Vallejo: 1183 Admiral Callaghan Ln.
Ventura: 1501 S Victoria Ave.
Visalia: 4228 S Mooney Blvd.
Walnut Creek: 2971 Ygnacio Valley Rd.
Watsonville: 1195 S Green Valley Rd.
West Covina: 405 N Azusa Ave Ste 405.
Whittier: 16041 E Whittier Blvd.
Woodland: 95 W Lincoln Ave.
Woodland Hills: 22708 Victory Blvd.
Yuba City: 1290 Stabler Ln Ste 800.
Getting an IDP at a AAA branch in person is the least expensive method to get an IDP. You can typically get an IDP for $30-50 and within 30-60 minutes when you visit a AAA office. AAA branches sometimes run out of IDP booklets, so it's often a good idea to call ahead to check that they have IDPs in stock before you make the trip. Steps to obtain an IDP in person:
Gather your driver's license, payment method, and recent passport photos (optional).
Visit the nearest AAA location that issues IDPs (check the branch's services offered from that link) during operating hours.
Fill out AAA's IDP application form, either ahead of time or while you wait.
If you didn't bring passport photos, AAA can take them for you for an additional fee ($10-30, depending on the branch).
Pay an additional $20 plus tax (sometimes assessed) for processing the IDP. Cash, check, and credit/debit cards are generally accepted.
Be prepared to wait for the process to be completed, but after that you'll be able to walk out with your IDP.
2. Online with AAA
AAA now offers an online application option through their partner govWorks, which is linked on the AAA website. Be aware: govWorks has terrible customer reviews, and customers frequently express that their IDPs are never delivered and that Customer Service is difficult to reach.
Steps to get an IDP online from AAA:
Visit the AAA website and complete their online IDP application
Upload a digital passport photo and your driver's license information
Pay the application fee (currently $20 for the IDP booklet, plus $10 for photo processing, and $15-220+ for shipping)
Wait for your IDP to be processed (5 days) and mailed to your address (an additional 3-10 days)
Processing times vary, taking at least a week, so this option works best if you're planning ahead and have a reliable mailing address.
3. Online with AATA
AATA (the American Automobile Touring Alliance) is the other organization authorized by the US government to issue IDPs to American drivers. Like AAA, AATA offers an online application process, though its website is only online 8am-5pm Friday through Tuesday. Its application page is not available all other times of the week.
Steps to get an IDP online from AATA:
Visit the AATA website and complete their online IDP application
Upload a digital passport photo and your driver's license information
Submit payment for the application fee (currently $20 for the IDP booklet, plus $7 for photo processing, and $14-165 for shipping)
Similar to AAA, AATA's processing and delivery times require advance planning, typically taking 2-4 days for processing, plus shipping time (2-10 days).
4. Online with Fast IDP (that's us, a faster option for AAA-issued IDPs)
If your timeline is too short for AAA or AATA's online processing times, using Fast IDP to expedite your IDP allows you to get an IDP as soon as the next day with the peace of mind that comes with our 5.0/5.0 average customer reviews.
Steps to obtain an IDP using Fast IDP:
Fill out the Apply page on our website. This includes taking photos of the front and back of your driver's license and uploading them on Fast IDP's secure portal, as well as taking passport-style photos of yourself (a decent selfie works).
Submit your application and payment, which starts at $73 (all-in, including all fees and taxes), and goes up with faster processing and shipping.
The Fast IDP team will review your documents for completeness and reach out to you if they see anything you need to adjust in your application.
A Fast IDP team member will go to AAA on your behalf to submit your documents and then will mail your IDP to you via express courier. You'll get an email the evening your IDP is sent with your tracking information and a picture of your IDP.
Even if we can't get an IDP for you, we're always happy to help answer questions for you about IDPs.
Don't get scammed
Whatever you do, don't get scammed by a website claiming to offer an IDP instantly online. Though a company like Fast IDP can legally expedite International Driving Permits from AAA, the only organizations authorized to issue IDPs to US drivers are AAA and AATA. There is no "instant" or "digital" version of a legitimate IDP; your documents must be handled by AAA or AATA for them to issue an IDP, which is always a physical booklet.
Whether you opt for the traditional in-person method, another online option, or working with us, we wish you an easy process getting an IDP and safe driving!