A wide variety of countries have different rules for British travellers hoping to drive while on holiday
UK holidaymakers planning to drive while on holiday abroad may not be aware that some countries require tourists to be in possession of a international driving permit (IDP) to drive.
If you fail to apply for a permit, you could land yourself in trouble with local authorities.
A permit is not needed if you plan to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, or Liechtenstein – providing you have a full UK licence photocard.
You may need a permit if you only have a paper driving licence or if your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Jersey, the Isle of Man, or Guernsey.
It’s always worth double checking this before you set off.
If you do find out that where you’re travelling to does require an IDP, you must present a copy of a valid Great Britain (GB) or Northern Ireland driving licence when applying.
Unfortunately, there is not one singular international permit so it’s important to check which one you need before starting the process.
Overall, there are three types of IDP: 1926, 1949, and 1968.
If you’re visiting more than one country on your holiday and plan to drive in each of them, you may need to apply for more than one type of IDP.
Read below for a breakdown of countries that need an IDP, as well as the type needed.
If the country you’re visiting is not included, it’s advised that you double-check with the country itself.
Always double check what type of IDP you need with the embassy at the country you’re visiting or with a car hire company if you’re hiring a car.
- Albania – 1968
- Algeria – 1949
- Andorra – 1949
- Argentina – 1949
- Armenia – 1968
- Australia – 1949
- Austria – 1968
- Azerbaijan – 1968
- Bahamas – 1968
- Bahrain – 1968
- Bangladesh – 1949
- Barbados – 1949
- Belarus – 1968
- Belgium – 1968
- Benin – 1968
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1968
- Botswana – 1949
- Brazil – 1968
- Bulgaria – 1968
- Burkina Faso – 1949
- Cambodia – 1949
- Canada – 1949
- Cape Verde – 1968
- Central African Republic – 1968
- Chile – 1949
- Congo – 1949
- Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – 1968
- Croatia – 1968
- Cuba – 1968
- Cyprus – 1949
- Czech Republic – 1968
- Democratic Republic of Congo – 1968
- Denmark – 1968
- Dominican Republic – 1949
- Ecuador – 1949
- Egypt – 1949
- Estonia – 1968
- Eswatini (previously Swaziland) – 1949
- Fiji – 1949
- Finland – 1968
- France – 1968
- French Polynesia – 1968
- Georgia – 1968
- Germany – 1968
- Ghana – 1949
- Greece – 1968
- Guam – 1949
- Guatemala – 1949
- Guyana – 1968
- Haiti – 1949
- Hungary – 1968
- Iceland – 1949
- India – 1949
- Indonesia – 1968
- Iran – 1968
- Iraq – 1968
- Ireland – 1949
- Israel – 1968
- Italy – 1968
- Jamaica – 1949
- Japan – 1949
- Jordan – 1949
- Kazakhstan – 1968
- Kenya – 1968
- Kuwait – 1968
- Kyrgyzstan – 1968
- Laos – 1949
- Latvia – 1968
- Lebanon – 1949
- Lesotho – 1949
- Liberia – 1968
- Libya – 1949
- Liechtenstein – 1968
- Lithuania – 1968
- Luxembourg – 1968
- Macao (Macau) – 1949
- Madagascar – 1949
- Malawi – 1949
- Malaysia (Sabah) – 1949
- Mali – 1949
- Malta – 1949
- Mexico – 1926
- Moldova – 1968
- Monaco – 1968
- Mongolia – 1968
- Montenegro – 1968
- Morocco – 1968
- Myanmar (previously Burma) – 1968
- Namibia – 1949
- Nepal – 1968
- Netherlands – 1968
- New Zealand – 1949
- Niger – 1968
- Nigeria – 1968
- North Macedonia – 1968
- Norway – 1968
- Pakistan – 1968
- Papua New Guinea – 1949
- Paraguay – 1949
- Peru – 1968
- Philippines – 1968
- Poland – 1968
- Portugal – 1968
- Qatar – 1968
- Romania – 1968
- Russian Federation – 1968
- Rwanda – 1949
- San Marino – 1968
- Saudi Arabia – 1968
- Senegal – 1968
- Serbia – 1968
- Seychelles – 1968
- Sierra Leone – 1949
- Singapore – 1949
- Slovakia – 1968
- Slovenia – 1968
- Somalia – 1926
- South Africa – 1968
- South Korea – 1949
- Spain (including Balearic and Canary Isles) – 1949
- Sri Lanka – 1949
- St. Lucia – 1949
- St. Vincent – 1949
- Sweden – 1968
- Switzerland – 1968
- Syria – 1949
- Tajikistan – 1968
- Taiwan – 1949
- Thailand – 1968
- Togo – 1949
- Trinidad & Tobago – 1949
- Tunisia – 1968
- Turkey – 1968
- Turkmenistan – 1968
- Uganda – 1949
- Ukraine – 1968
- United Arab Emirates – 1968
- United States – 1949
- Uruguay – 1968
- Uzbekistan – 1968
- Vatican City – 1949
- Venezuela – 1949
- Vietnam – 1968
- Zimbabwe – 1968
