You may need an international driving permit ( IDP ) to drive in some countries. The permit you may need depends on:

which country you’re visiting

how long you’re staying

You need to have a valid Great Britain ( GB ) or Northern Ireland driving licence to get an IDP .

Driving in Europe

You do not need an IDP to drive in any EU and EEA country, or Switzerland, for stays of up to 12 months.

Driving in Europe from 1 January 2021

The rules for driving, passports, EHIC cards, pet travel and more may change from 1 January 2021. Check if you need to act now to make sure you can travel as planned.

Check which IDP you need

Check the table to find out if you need an IDP for the country you want to visit.

If you’re travelling through more than one country, you might need more than one type of IDP .

If you’re hiring a car, check with your car hire company.

If the country you’re visiting is not included here, check with the embassy of the country you’re travelling to.

If you already have an IDP , make sure it’s still valid in the country you’re visiting.