International Driving Permit (IDP)

In car rental, an international driving permit (IDP) is an extra permit that is issued to those who already hold a national driving licence.

In essence, an IDP is a translation of the renter’s national driver licence. With IDP, the renter is allowed to drive outside the country where their national driving licence was issued.

In some cases, an IDP may be necessary to drive outside specific regions.

N.B. An IDP alone is not enough to rent a vehicle. The renter must also have their national driving licence with them.

Synonym(s):
  • International Driving Licence
Example sentence(s):
  • You are allowed to drive with the international driving permit for up to 6 months after the date of entry into the rental country.
  • International driving permits are accepted only if you have either a business or visit visa.