International Driving Permit: which countries Australians need one for
You can only get one before you leave Australia - and in some countries it won't help you at all.
By Jamie · 6 min read · Published 4 May 2026 · Updated 20 September 2026
An International Driving Permit is not a licence. It's an official translation of the licence you already hold, valid for 12 months, and it only works when carried alongside your Australian licence.
The critical detail: you can only get one in Australia, before you leave. There is no way to obtain an Australian IDP once you're overseas.
Where to get one
Only the state and territory motoring clubs affiliated with the Australian Automobile Association can issue one - NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT and AANT. It costs around $49, you don't need to be a member, and most can turn it around same-day in a branch or post it within a week.
Anything else selling "international driving permits" online is not issuing a recognised document.
The Convention problem
There are two international conventions governing driving permits: the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1968 Vienna Convention. They are different documents, and countries recognise one, the other, or both.
Australia is a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention only. That's the only IDP an Australian motoring club can issue.
For most destinations this is fine. But it creates a hard limit in a few places:
- Vietnam recognises the 1968 Vienna Convention permit. An Australian IDP is not valid there. Most Australians cannot legally drive or ride in Vietnam at all.
- China doesn't recognise International Driving Permits of any kind. You need a temporary Chinese driving permit, obtainable at some major airports.
In both countries, hire shops will happily rent you a scooter without checking anything. That doesn't make it legal, and it definitely doesn't make it insured.
Where Australians need one
IDP required: Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Italy, Greece, Spain, the UAE and most of Europe.
Australian licence alone is fine: New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Singapore, Fiji and the Philippines. In several of these an IDP is still a useful backup - some hire counters ask for one regardless of the law.
IDP won't help: Vietnam and China.
Italy and Japan are the two that surprise people most. Both genuinely enforce it: Italian police check, and Japanese hire companies will refuse to release the car without one.
The insurance consequence
This is the part worth reading twice.
Australian travel insurance policies almost universally exclude claims arising from driving or riding without a valid licence for that vehicle in that country. Two things follow:
If the country requires an IDP and you don't have one, you're driving unlicensed as far as your insurer is concerned. A crash means no cover - not for the vehicle, not for your medical costs, and not for anyone you injure.
A car licence doesn't cover a scooter. This is the single most expensive mistake Australians make overseas. Hiring a scooter in Bali, Thailand or the Greek islands requires a motorcycle class on your Australian licence plus the IDP. Without both, a scooter accident is entirely uninsured - and scooter accidents are the leading cause of serious injury claims for Australians in Southeast Asia.
Bali is where this bites hardest. Police roadblocks specifically check foreign riders for licence class, and medical evacuation to Darwin runs from $40,000.
Before you go
Apply at least two weeks before you fly. Check the driving rules for your destination for the specific requirement, and if you're planning to ride a scooter, check your licence class first and your travel insurance PDS second.
Frequently asked questions
Do Australians need an International Driving Permit?
It depends entirely on the country. Italy, Japan, South Korea and Thailand all require one alongside your Australian licence. New Zealand, the UK, the US and Singapore accept an Australian licence on its own for short visits. Each destination page on this site states the rule for that country.
Where do I get an International Driving Permit in Australia?
From your state auto club: NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT or AANT. It costs around $45, needs a passport photo and a current full Australian licence, and it is issued over the counter or by post.
Can I get an IDP once I am already overseas?
No. An Australian IDP can only be issued in Australia, and no embassy or consulate can produce one for you. If you land without it and the country requires one, you cannot legally hire or drive a car.
How long is an International Driving Permit valid?
Twelve months from the date of issue, and only for as long as your Australian licence is also valid. It is not renewable from overseas, so a long trip may need one issued close to departure.
Is an IDP a licence on its own?
No. It is a translation of your Australian licence and is only valid when carried with it. Presenting an IDP without your actual licence is the same as presenting nothing.
What happens if I drive without one where it is required?
Two things, and the second is worse. The local penalty is usually a fine. The bigger risk is that driving without the licence the country requires makes you an unlicensed driver, which most Australian travel insurance policies exclude - so a crash becomes uninsured, including any injury you cause to someone else.
