Do You Need an International Driving Permit in 2026? (Countries, Cost & How to Get One)

Short answer: an International Driving Permit (IDP) is not a licence and it will not let you drive anywhere on its own — it is an official translation of the licence you already hold, and in a surprising number of countries you are technically breaking the law without one. If you plan to rent a car on your trip in 2026, here is exactly what an IDP is, who needs it, what it costs, and the one place it is almost useless: Nepal.

What an IDP actually is (and is not)

An IDP is a small grey booklet that restates the details of your national driving licence in a set of widely spoken languages, so a police officer or car-rental clerk in another country can read them. That is its whole job. It does not grant driving privileges, it does not replace your licence, and it does not extend what you are already allowed to drive at home. Because of that, you must carry both documents together — present an IDP without your physical licence and it means nothing.

Which version you need depends on the treaty your destination signed. The 1926 convention is nearly obsolete (Somalia is one of the few places still tied to it). The 1949 Geneva convention permit is valid for one year from the date of issue. The 1968 Vienna convention permit can run up to three years or until your home licence expires, whichever comes first. The US issues the 1949 type; the UK issues both, depending on where you are headed.

How US and UK travellers get one, and what it costs

United States. Apply through AAA — in person at a branch, by mail, or online. The permit fee is $20, plus roughly $10 for the two passport-style photos if you need them taken. You must hold a valid US driving licence, and the permit cannot be issued more than six months before the date you want it to start. Ignore any website promising an “instant international licence”; the State Department authorises only AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance, and a fake can leave you uninsured after a crash.

United Kingdom. UK licence holders buy an IDP over the counter at a Post Office (or PayPoint shop) for £5.50, with a valid GB or Northern Ireland licence and a passport photo. Since Brexit a UK photocard is enough for short visits to most of the EU and EEA, so you usually do not need an IDP there — but a handful of countries and longer stays still ask for one, so check before you fly.

Which countries require an IDP in 2026?

There is no single global rule, and “required by law” is often different from “required by the rental company.” Many car-hire firms and roadside police will ask for an IDP even where the local statute is vague, so the safe move for any driving holiday is to carry one.

The Nepal reality: why your IDP barely matters here

This is the part most “which countries need an IDP” articles get wrong. Nepal is not a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, and it does not appear among the recognised 1949 Geneva signatories either. That means a foreign IDP carries no automatic legal weight on Nepali roads. To drive here strictly legally, a foreigner is expected to obtain a temporary Nepali driving licence from the Department of Transport Management — not simply flash an IDP at a checkpoint.

In practice, very few of our trekkers ever get behind a wheel in Nepal, and I quietly advise against it. Nepali roads are steep, narrow, unlit at night and driven with local rhythm that takes years to read; the mountain highways to trailheads have long exposed drops. It is one of the rare things I will tell a fit, confident driver to skip. If you have driven a rented motorbike around Pokhara you will have seen why.

How you actually get around Nepal

Everyone reaches the mountains the same three ways: a domestic flight (the classic hop to Lukla for Everest, or Pokhara for Annapurna), a tourist bus, or a private jeep or car with a licensed driver. On our trips that transfer is arranged for you — a driver who knows the road, the checkpoints and the weather, included in the trip cost. It is safer, it is cheaper than you would guess once you split it across a group, and it means the only permits you need to think about are the trekking ones.

Speaking of paperwork: an IDP has nothing to do with entering Nepal. For entry rules, visa-on-arrival costs and how long you can stay, read our full Nepal visa guide — that, plus your trekking permits, is all the documentation a trek here requires. If you are choosing a route, our Everest and Annapurna treks all include airport and trailhead transport with a driver, so driving licences never enter the picture.

Source: GOV.UK — Driving abroad / International Driving Permit; AAA — International Driving Permit (official US issuer). Convention membership per the UN road-traffic conventions. Figures accurate as of 2026; fees and requirements can change, so confirm with the official issuer before you travel.

Cover photo: Hyundai Motor Group via Pexels (Pexels License).