How to Renew an International Driving Permit, Step by Step

If your permit is about to run out, you are probably wondering how to renew an international driving permit. The short answer: an IDP can’t be extended or topped up. When it expires, you get a new one with new dates. This guide explains how that works, what you need, and the quickest way to do it.

Can you renew an international driving permit?

Not in the sense of extending the one you have. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is issued with a fixed validity period, and once that date has passed the document is no longer valid. Renewing an IDP always means getting a new permit with new dates.

How long the new permit lasts depends on the convention it is issued under and on your driving licence:

• 1949 Geneva Convention permits are valid for up to one year from the date of issue.
• 1968 Vienna Convention permits can be valid for up to three years.
• Either way, an IDP is never valid beyond the expiry date of your national driving licence.

For more detail, see our guide on how long an international driving permit is valid.

What you need before you renew

• A valid national driving licence. An IDP is a translation of your licence, so the licence must still be valid. If it has expired, renew it with your licensing authority first.
• Your old or expired IDP. It helps confirm your details. With our IDP Renewal service, you upload a photo or a PDF of it.
• A recent photo of your face, passport style, against a plain background.
• Your signature, which you can draw with your finger on your phone.
• Your licence details: licence number, issuing country, vehicle categories and expiry date.

Enter your name exactly as it appears on your driving licence. A name that doesn’t match will hold up a renewal, so double-check the spelling and the order of your names.

How to renew an international driving permit online

You don’t need to visit an office. With our IDP Renewal service, the whole process happens on your phone or computer:

• 1. Fill in your details. Your name, date of birth, licence details and email address. It takes a couple of minutes.
• 2. Upload your documents. Your expired IDP, the front of your licence (and the back if it has details on it), a photo and your signature.
• 3. Pay securely with Stripe or PayPal.
• 4. A person reviews it. Our team checks your documents before anything is issued, then emails you your new IDP.

Your new permit is valid for one year from the day it is approved, and you can add extra years as long as they fit before your licence expires. If we can’t approve your renewal, you get a full refund.

Renewing in person or online?

In some countries, a national motoring club or the authority that issued your licence also issues IDPs. In the United States, for example, AAA and AATA are the two organisations authorised by the State Department to issue them. Going through them usually means a new application, passport photos and a fee, and the permit is sent to you by post.

That route suits you if you’re at home and have time to wait. An online renewal suits you better if you’re short on time or already abroad, because your new IDP arrives by email as a PDF that you can keep on your phone and print.

International DL is a private company, not a government agency. The IDP we issue is a certified translation of your driving licence. Acceptance depends on each country’s rules and on your rental company, so check before you travel.

When should you renew?

• Before you book a rental car. A rental company that asks for an IDP will expect it to be in date when you collect the car.
• A few weeks before you travel, so there is time to fix anything that doesn’t match your licence.
• As soon as you notice it has expired. An expired IDP is no longer valid, so treat it as if you had no permit at all.

Check the dates printed on your permit now, before your next trip.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Letting your driving licence lapse. No IDP can be issued from an expired licence.
• Using an old photo. Use a recent photo that looks like you today.
• Leaving your licence at home. An IDP translates your licence; it doesn’t replace it. Always carry both.
• Assuming an old IDP still counts. Once its end date has passed, it doesn’t.

Ready for your new permit? Start your IDP renewal. If you don’t have your old permit to hand, apply for a new International Driving Permit instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I renew my IDP online?

Yes. You can’t extend an existing permit, but you can get a new one online. With our IDP Renewal service you upload your expired IDP and documents, our team reviews them, and your new IDP is emailed to you.

Can I renew my IDP if my driving licence has expired?

No. An IDP is only valid together with a valid national driving licence, so renew your licence first and then get your new IDP.

My old IDP was issued by another provider. Can I still renew with you?

Yes. We accept expired permits from any issuer. You receive a new IDP from International DL.

How long is the new IDP valid?

One year from the day we approve it, with optional extra years, and never beyond the expiry date of your driving licence.

What happens if my renewal can’t be approved?

We email you to explain why and refund you in full.