How to obtain an international driving permit in the UK?

A UK driving licence allows you to drive in the UK and some other countries. However, if you want to drive abroad, in some cases, you will need to obtain an international driving permit. Let’s focus today on how to obtain an international driving permit in the UK.

Table of Contents

1. What is an international driving permit (IDP)?

2. How to obtain international driving permit in the UK?
3. How long will an IDP be valid?

What is an international driving permit (IDP)?

An IDP is a document that allows you, having taken into account your valid UK driving licence, to drive abroad. There are three types of it. They have different expiry dates and they are required by different countries. They are as follows:

• 1926
• 1949
• 1968

If you want to check what type of IDP you will need, visit the official website.

How to obtain an international driving permit in the UK?

Supposing you already know what type of international driving permit you need, let’s see how to get it. According to the official information, you can get it over the counter at the Post Office. All you need to do is:

• pay £5.50 for issuing the document
• be older than 18 years old
• have a full UK driving licence
• live in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

How long will an IDP be valid?

Depending on the type of international driving permit, it will be valid for a different period:

• Types 1926 and 1949 last for 12 months
• Type 1968 allows you to drive for 3 years or until your UK driving licence expires.

It the latter, your document will be valid either for 3 years or until the expiry date of your UK document, whichever date comes first.

However, in some countries, you will have to exchange your driving licence and obtain a local one. In some cases, you will also need to retake a driving test. Anyway, we advise you to check with the local driving licence authorities if there is a need to exchange your current document.

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Learn more

• Everything You Need to Know About the UK Driving Licence
• Renew Your UK Driving Licence With Easy Steps (Cheaply)
• How to apply for your first provisional driving licence in the United Kingdom?
• How to replace a lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed driving licence in the UK?
• Getting a UK Full Driving Licence: Steps, Cost and Validity
• When do you need to exchange your UK paper driving licence for a photocard licence?
• A quick guide on driving licence categories and fees in the UK
• How to Change your Name, Address or Photo on Your UK Photocard Driving Licence?
• How long can you drive in the UK with foreign driving licence and how to exchange it?
• How to renew your UK driving licence if you’re 70 or over?
• How to renew a driving licence for the elderly?