How to Get an International Driving Permit: AAA and AATA

To get an International Driving Permit, apply through AAA or AATA, the only two organizations authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue one. The fastest route is walking into a AAA branch with your valid U.S. driver’s license, two passport-sized photos, and $20; you’ll leave with the permit the same day.¹² You can also apply online or by mail if your trip is further out.

Who Can Apply

You need to be at least 18 years old and hold a valid U.S. driver’s license.³ AAA membership is not required. Your license must stay valid the entire time you plan to drive abroad, because the permit is tied to it: the IDP expires when your license expires or one year after issuance, whichever comes first.⁴

The permit itself is not a license. It’s a translation booklet that carries your name, photo, and license class in multiple languages, and it only works when presented alongside your actual U.S. license.

What You Need Before You Apply

Your valid U.S. driver’s license
Two passport-sized photos, 2″ × 2″, signed on the back (originals for in-person or mail; digital for online)
A completed application
$20 for the permit fee

For online applications, AAA charges a $10 passport photo fee in addition to the $20 permit fee, plus shipping.¹

Applying Through AAA

AAA offers three ways to apply. Pick based on how soon you need the permit in hand.

In Person at a AAA Branch

Bring your license, two signed passport photos, and $20 to any AAA branch. Fill out the short application at the counter and walk out with your permit the same day. This is the only option that works if you’re leaving within a week.¹

Online

AAA’s online application lets you take a digital passport photo with your phone, upload images of both sides of your driver’s license, and pay electronically. Processing takes about five business days, and then the booklet ships to you. There is no digital version of the permit; the physical booklet must be mailed.¹

By Mail

Mail the completed application, two original passport photos signed on the back, a photocopy of both sides of your license, and $20 to AAA’s processing center in Heathrow, Florida. Include extra funds if you want expedited return shipping through USPS or FedEx. If you’re already overseas, AAA warns to allow five to seven weeks for international return mail.¹

Applying Through AATA

The American Automobile Touring Alliance is the other authorized issuer in the United States.² AATA handles applications online. Their site walks you through three steps: preparing your digital passport photo, scanning your driver’s license, and completing the application form.⁵ As with AAA, the finished permit is a physical booklet that gets mailed to you.

If You’re Already Overseas

An IDP tied to a U.S. license can only be issued inside the United States. No foreign country can issue one for you. Your options are AAA’s online application, which takes about five business days to process plus international shipping, or having someone in the U.S. mail a completed application to AAA on your behalf. International mail delivery can take five to seven weeks.¹ Either way, plan for a wait, because there is no electronic permit to download.

How to Avoid IDP Scams

Dozens of websites sell documents they call “international driver’s licenses” or “international driving permits” at inflated prices. They are worthless. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that scammers create these sites to steal money and personal information, and a fake permit can lead to detention or legal trouble abroad.⁶ USAGov gives the same warning.²

Only AAA and AATA are authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue an IDP. Any other company claiming to sell one is a scam.⁶ Close the tab if a site charges much more than $20, promises a digital-only permit, or claims to be a third-party authorized agent. The real thing costs $20 through AAA (plus a small photo fee online), comes as a physical booklet, and arrives by mail unless you pick it up in person.¹

Where the Permit Works

The IDP is recognized in roughly 150 countries and is valid for one year from its effective date, or until your U.S. license expires, whichever comes first.¹⁴ You must carry your U.S. license with it at all times. You cannot use the IDP to drive in the United States.

Not every destination requires one. Your U.S. license works on its own in Canada and Mexico.² China is not party to the road traffic convention and does not accept the IDP at all; you’ll need a temporary Chinese license from local authorities to drive there. Japan accepts the IDP but requires that you obtain it before you arrive.⁷ For any other country, check the State Department’s country information page before you go, since requirements vary and change.

One last boundary worth knowing: the IDP is meant for travelers. If you take up residency or employment abroad, most countries require you to obtain a local license within a set period, and AAA’s guidance says residents must follow local licensing laws regardless of what U.S. documents they hold.¹

1
AAA. International Driving Permit
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USAGov. International Drivers License for U.S. Citizens
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AAA. International Driving Permit Application
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AAA. International Driving Permit
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AATA. IDP Steps
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Federal Trade Commission. Planning to Drive in Another Country? Heres How to Avoid International Drivers Permit Scams
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U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan. Driving in Japan