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.
What is an international driving permit (IDP)?
An IDP is a document that allows you, having taken into account your valid UK driving license, to drive abroad. There are three types of it. They have different a expiry date 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 international driving permit in the UK?
Supposing you already know what type of an 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 or 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 an international driving permit, it will be valid for a different period of time:
- type 1926 and 1949 lasts 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.
Learn more:
- When and how do you replace a UK paper driving permit for a photocard licence?
- How to renew a driving licence of the elderly?
- Everything you need to know about the UK driving licence
- How many photos for a driving licence?
- How to replace UK driving licence if it is lost, damaged or stolen?
- Driving in the UK with a foreign driving licence : what should you know?
- How to Change your Name, Address or Photo on Your UK Photocard Driving Licence?
- A driving licence photo renewal
