International Driving Permit 1949 vs 1968: Japan, EU, US

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation booklet tied to your home licence. It is not a licence by itself. Two UN treaties define the booklet: the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention. The table below shows which treaty each destination has joined, which permit GOV.UK tells UK licence holders to carry, and the national rule where we could read it on an official page today.

What is the difference between a 1949 and a 1968 IDP?

The two booklets differ in format and in how long they last. GOV.UK says a 1926 or 1949 permit lasts 12 months, while a 1968 permit lasts three years or until your UK licence expires, whichever comes first. Japan's National Police Agency also says an IDP is valid for one year from issue for the 1949 permits it accepts, and Spain's DGT says its own permit lasts one year and cannot be extended.

What matters more is who has signed up to which treaty. The UN Treaty Collection, checked on 23 September 2026, lists 103 parties to the 1949 Convention and 91 parties to the 1968 Convention. Many countries are in both. Some are in only one: Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are 1949-only, while Germany, Oman and Saudi Arabia are 1968-only. Signing a treaty is not the same as joining it. Spain, South Korea, Chile, Mexico and Costa Rica signed the 1968 text but the UN list shows no ratification.

Which IDP does each country accept?

"UN status" comes from the two UN Treaty Collection pages above (party means ratified, acceded or succeeded). "GOV.UK IDP type" is the permit GOV.UK's country table tells holders of a UK licence to carry. Other licence countries may be treated differently. "Local rule" is filled in only where we read the destination's own official page today. Everywhere else, follow the linked country guide and the GOV.UK note.

Two patterns stand out. First, a 1949-only country such as Japan has no treaty duty to accept a 1968 booklet, and Japan's police say so outright. Second, a country that is in both treaties will normally take either booklet, but GOV.UK still tells UK drivers which one to carry, so follow that line when you apply.

Is an IDP a legal requirement or just a rental-company rule?

It can be either, and the difference matters when you are stopped by police or after a crash. Three situations cover most trips.

• The law requires it. Japan's rule is a legal condition to drive at all: a 1949 permit, or one of the listed licences with an approved translation. Driving without one means driving unlicensed. Korea's Road Traffic Act likewise limits visitors to an IDP or a mutually recognised licence.
• The law requires it only if your licence is not in the local language. NSW requires an English translation or an IDP when the licence is not in English. France requires a French-language licence, an IDP or an official translation for non-EU licences. An English-language licence in NSW needs neither.
• The rental desk requires it. GOV.UK flags Namibia, Botswana and Saudi Arabia as "IDP needed for car hire". For countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Greece it tells UK photocard holders they need no IDP but should check the car hire company. A rental counter can refuse the car even when police would accept your licence.

For the United States, rules are set state by state. GOV.UK tells UK drivers to check the individual state, adds that some hire companies want both licence and IDP, and says an insurer may ask to see an IDP after an accident.

How do you get the right IDP before you fly?

You apply at home, through the body your government names, and the permit must match your licence.

If your licence is from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan, Japan wants a translation, not an IDP. The NPA list (as of 1 April 2026) accepts translations from the licence authority or that country's embassy or consulate in Japan. It also recognises ADAC for German licences and the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association for Taiwanese licences. Translations by legally certified translators abroad are not accepted.

Worked examples: which booklet for which trip

Each example combines the UN treaty status, the destination's own rule and the issuing rule from the licence country.

The first row shows the most common mistake: someone who buys one 1968 booklet for a multi-country Asia trip ends up with no valid permit in Japan. The third and fourth rows show that for some licence holders the right document for Japan is a translation, not an IDP.