Frequently Asked Questions

If the country that you're in requires an IDP in order to rent a car, then you probably need one to be fully compliant with local law.

The following countries do not need an IDP:

• Canada
• Ireland (neither the Republic of Ireland nor Northern Ireland)
• Mexico
• South Africa
• United Kingdom

The following countries accept the IDP (but may not necessarily require it):
AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntiguaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosniaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkina Faso (was Volta)Cambodia (was Kampuchea)CameroonCanadaCayman IslandsCentral African Rep.ChadChileColombiaComorosCongo, Rep. of (Brazzaville)Congo, Dem. Rep. of (Kinshasa)Costa RicaCote d´Ivoire (Ivory Coast)CroatiaCubaCuracaoCyprusCzech Rep.DenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDomincan Rep.EcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEstoniaFijiFinlandFrance (Including French overseas territories)French PolynesiaGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuernseyGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHerzegovinaHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea (Rep.)KuwaitKyrgystanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaliMaltaMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMonacoMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNetherlandsAntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistanPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPerúPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSt. Kitts & NevisSt. LuciaSt. Vincent & the GrenadinesSan MarinoSao Tome & PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSloveniaSouth AfricaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVatican City (Holy See)VenezuelaVietnamWestern SamoaYemenZambiaZimbabweCape Verde IslandsSlovakiaNepalUnited States

* Please note, U.S. driver’s license and International Driving Permit recognized on presentation to local police and payment of Special Registration Fee

This is the Inter-American Driving Permit and used to be issued for South America and the Carribean but now the IDP is used instead. Refer to wikipedia.

Even in countries that require an IDP, you may be able to find a local car rental company that is less strict about needing to see one when they rent you a car. However, you will probably be paying more for the car rental itself, and should you be stopped by the police for any reason, may find yourself in some difficulties.

You may not be asked for an IDP even if one is required, or a digital copy may suffice. This varies by country and probably by police officer. Technically you are in violation of local driving laws and are not licensed to drive, therefore you could be fined (and be liable for fines levied against the rental car company too). If you were in the US without a license, the police would also tow the car and you'd be left stranded and that could happen with foreign police too.

Unfortunately not. AAA is the only authorized provider for IDPs and they only have offices in the US.

Yes absolutely, but you'll need to get them a completed and signed IDP application form, copies of your driver's license and two 2"x2" passport photos signed on the back (and $20). FedX those to your friend (cost varies but at least $80 for 2-day delivery). Any errors or mistakes may mean starting over, or additional trips to AAA. Then you'll need a FedX return package with your IDP. Or start here to have us do it quickly and accurately.

Also yes, and the information is in "Requirements" and at the bottom of the first page of the application. You'll need 5-7 weeks for AAA to process it and send it to you, and that's after they receive it. You'll also need to include a check or money order for $20 plus the USPS postage to return the IDP to you. Or start here to have us do it quickly and accurately.

If we receive your valid documentation before 2pm CST, we go to AAA the same day and send you the digital copy immediately. If you have chosen a FedX option, then we drop the package off at FedX on the same day too. We are then dependent on the FedX delivery schedule and your chosen delivery speed. For major cities and the fastest option, you can probably expect the package within 1 or 2 days (2 is more likely). If you are not near an airport, or choose one of the slower delivery options, it could take longer. We give you the tracking number so you can see how it's progressing.

IDPs have to be generated in your country of origin (or at least, where your driver's license is issued). The 2-hour sites are generating a document that has no legal standing and it is unlikely that any rental car company or police officer will accept it. Please don't waste your time and money.

We charge a flat $160 for validating your application, generating and printing the application with the signature, adjusting and printing the passport photos to the exact specifications (even if they are self-made or have a hotel room wall in the background), reprinting them for the signature on the back, hand-carrying the application to AAA, waiting for AAA to process, sending pictures of the IDP to you via email, packaging the IDP into a FedX package and sending it off to you. The FedX shipping is at cost...what they charge us is what we charge you. If we're sending the IDP to you by USPS, we'll even pay for the stamp and envelope.

These are the FedX options with (very approximate) pricing:

• FedEx® International Priority Express ($75)
• FedEx® International Priority ($50)
• FedEx International Economy® ($45)

• If you cancel before we got to AAA, we will refund the full amount minus the fees that Stripe charges us ($7-10 typically)
• If you cancel after we've been to AAA but before we've shipped, then we will refund the full shipping amount (including any Stripe fees)
• Please note, AAA and shipping are typically quite close together.
• If we have to re-do an IDP for any reason (lost in transit for instance) we will honor the original agreement but we will need to charge you for third party service fees ($20 for AAA, and whatever Fed Ex will charge). We will not charge for reprocessing, but also cannot guarantee same day processing.

We do a cursory check of the IDP once we receive it but we cannot take responsibility if they decide not to give you a stamp (possibly because your DL doesn't support that option).

If you select a vehicle option that is not supported by your license, AAA may well not approve that stamp. If we are already at AAA, then we cannot refund the AAA portion, but if a particular stamp is critical to you, please specify that in the note field and we can contact you before shipping the IDP to you.

Those are essentially scams. They aren't legitimate IDPs however nicely laminated they are. Unless the provider is going to AAA with your documents, you can be certain that the IDP provided will satisfy neither a car rental company, nor the proper authorities.