International Driving Permit (IDP): All You Need To Know About

International Driving Permit (IDP) is a document cum permission that is required for a person to drive any category of a motor vehicle in the areas/territories of a country other than his/her. It is essentially a translation of a domestic driving license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognizes the document.

In India, RTOs are generally authorized to issue an IDP. However, it can only be issued to an applicant who holds a valid Indian Driving Licence and who is a resident of India. The application for an International Driving Permit (IDP) can be made online at www.parivahan.gov.in in Form 4A or in writing to the RTO within whose jurisdiction the applicant lives, specifying the countries to be visited and the duration of stay, etc. Some automobile associations permitted by the state government/union territory administration can also issue IDP to their own members.

Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has standardized the format of IDPs being issued across Indian states. Now, the International Driving Permit (IDP) can only be offered in the form of a booklet (A6 size: 148 x 105 mm) with a gray cover and white pages.

Documents Required For International Driving Permit (IDP)

• Application for issue of an IDP (Form 4A).
• Valid domestic driving licence (DL) with their copies.
• Valid medical certificate in Form 1A.
• Copies of Passport, Visa (where applicable), and air tickets for verification.
• Passport-size photographs.
• Fees as specified along with user charges. Currently, the fee to issue an IDP is Rs 1,000. However, an additional fee of Rs 2,000 shall be charged in the case the applicant has applied online through the Indian Mission/Post abroad from a foreign nation having expired IDP.

Things to note

• IDPs are only valid in the countries which are signatories of the Geneva Convention 1949 on Road Traffic or recognize the IDP as valid proof.
• Visa details are must to issue an International Driving Permit (IDP).
• If the details of your driving licence are not registered on the NR Portal, then you must consult the concerned State Transport Department.
• IDPs consist a category based on the weight criteria.
• The validity of an International Driving Permit (IDP) is one year from the date of issue, or till the validity of the domestic driving licence (whichever is earlier).
• One must need to carry his/her original driving licence along with the IDP.
• IDP in India can only be issued to Indian citizens, not to an NRI/foreigner.
• No NRI or foreigner can drive a vehicle in India on the basis of a driving licence issued in a foreign country. He/she needs to obtain an IDP from their own country and that country should be a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention.