International Driver's Permit (or International Driver's License) is a document that allows you to travel anywhere in the world easily and confidently. However, it is supplementary and should not be used instead of your valid country's driving permit since this is only a translation.
An international driving permit (IDP), often (incorrectly) referred to as an international driving licence (IDL), is translation of a domestic driver license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognises the document. International Driving Permits are in most countries issued by automobile associations, such as American Automobile Association[1] in the USA, Norwegian Automobile Federation[2] in Norway and Motormännens riksförbund[3] in Sweden.
The term International Driving Permit was first mentioned in the document prescribed in the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic that was signed at Paris in 1926. In addition to the 1926 Paris Convention, International Driving Permits are also governed by the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. When a state is contracting to more than one convention, the newest one terminate and replace previous ones.
The IDP, whose A6 size (148 × 105 mm) is slightly larger than a passport, has a grey cover and white inside pages. The outside and inside of the front cover shall be printed in (at least one of) the national language(s) of the issuing State. The last two inside pages shall be printed in French, and pages preceding those two pages shall repeat the first of them in several languages, which must include English, Russian and Spanish.
To be valid, the IDP must be accompanied by a valid driving licence issued in the applicant's country of residence. An IDP is not required if the driver's domestic licence meets the requirements of the 1949 or 1968 convention; the domestic licence can be used directly in a foreign jurisdiction that is a party to that convention.[4] In addition, other arrangements eliminates the need of an IDP in some countries, such as the European driving license valid within the European Economic Area or holders of an Inter-American Driving Permit driving in participating American countries.
- 1Driver information
Driver information[edit]
Malaysia International Driving License Can Drive In China
1968 convention (as amended in 2011)[edit]
The main regulations about driving licences are in Annex 6 (domestic driving permit) and Annex 7 (International Driving Permit). The currently active version of those is in force in each contracting party since no later than 29 March 2011 (Article 43). According to the 1968 Vienna Convention, an IDP must have an expiration date of no more than three years from its issue date or until the expiration date of national driving permit, whichever is earlier, and it is valid for a period of one year upon the arrival in the foreign country.
Article 41 of the convention describes requirements for driving licences. Key of those are:
- every driver of a motor vehicle must hold a driving licence;
- driving licences can be issued only after passing theoretical and practical exams, which are regulated by each country or jurisdiction;
- Contracting parties shall recognize as valid for driving in their territories:
- domestic driving licence conforms to the provisions of annex 6 to the convention;
- International Driving Permit conforms to the provisions of annex 7 to the convention, on condition that it is presented with the corresponding domestic driving licence;
- driving licences issued by a contracting party shall be recognised in the territory of another contracting party until this territory becomes the place of normal residence of their holder;
- all of the above does not apply to learner-driver licences;
- the period of validity of an international driving permit shall be either no more than three years after the date of issue or until the date of expiry of the domestic driving licence, whichever is earlier;
- Contracting parties may refuse to recognise the validity of driving licences for persons under eighteen or, for categories C, D, CE and DE, under twenty-one;
- an international driving permit shall only be issued by the contracting party in whose territory the holder has their normal residence and that issued the domestic driving licence or that recognised the driving licence issued by another contracting party; it shall not be valid for use in that territory.
| Category | Description | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Motorcycles | A1 | Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 125 cm³ and a power not exceeding 11 kW (light motorcycles) |
| B | Motor vehicles, other than those in category A, having a permissible maximum mass not exceeding 3,500 kg and not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 3,500 kg | B1 | Motor tricycles and quadricycles |
| C | Motor vehicles, other than those in category D, having a permissible maximum mass exceeding 3,500 kg; or motor vehicles of category С coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg | C1 | Motor vehicles, with the exception of those in category D, the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 3,500 kg but does not exceed 7,500 kg; or motor vehicles of subcategory C1 coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg |
| D | Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of category D coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg | D1 | Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than 8 seats in addition to the driver's seat but not more than 16 seats in addition to the driver's seat; or motor vehicles of subcategory D1 coupled to a trailer, the permissible maximum mass of which does not exceed 750 kg |
| BE | Motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750kg and exceeds the unladen mass of the motor vehicle; or motor vehicles of category В coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled exceeds 3,500 kg | ||
| CE | Motor vehicles of category С coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg | C1E | Motor vehicles of subcategory C1 coupled to a trailer the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 12,000 kg |
| DE | Motor vehicles of category D coupled to a trailer whose permissible maximum mass exceeds 750 kg | D1E | Motor vehicles of subcategory D1 coupled to a trailer, not used for the carriage of persons, the permissible maximum mass of which exceeds 750 kg but does not exceed the unladen mass of the motor vehicle, where the combined permissible maximum mass of the vehicles so coupled does not exceed 12,000 kg |
1968 convention (original)[edit]
The Convention on Road Traffic has been ratified by 72 countries/jurisdiction. Examples of countries/jurisdictions that have not ratified the Convention include Chile, Taiwan (Republic of China), Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Holy See, Indonesia, Ireland, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Venezuela.
The Convention had amendments on 3 September 1993 and 28 March 2006. There is a European Agreement supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic (1968), which was concluded in Geneva, on 1 May 1971.
Note that before 29 March 2011 the convention demanded contracting parties to recognise as valid for driving in their territories:
- any domestic driver's licence drawn up in their national language or in one of their national languages, or, if not drawn up in such a language, accompanied by a certified translation;
- any domestic driver's licence conforming to the provisions of annex 6 to the convention; and
- any international driver permit conforming to the provisions of annex 7 to the convention.
Prior to 29 March 2011, annex 6 and annex 7 defined forms of driver's licences that are different from those defined after that date. Driving licences issued before 29 March 2011 that match older edition of the annexes are valid until their expiration dates (article 43).
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Motor cycles |
| B | Motor vehicles, other than those in category A, having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg and not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat. |
| C | Motor vehicles used for the carriage of goods and whose permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg. |
| D | Motor vehicles used for the carriage of passengers and having more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat. |
| E | Combinations of vehicles of which the drawing vehicles is in a category or categories for which the driver is licensed (B and/or C and/or D), but that are themselves in that category or categories. |
1949 convention[edit]
The 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic has been ratified by 96 states.[6] The 1949 Convention's description of a driving permit and international driving permit are located in Annexes 9 and 10. Switzerland signed but did not ratify the Convention. The 1949 Geneva Convention states that an IDP remains valid for one year from the date of issue, with a grace period of six months.
There is a European Agreement supplementing the 1949 Convention on Road Traffic, in addition to the 1949 Protocol on Road Signs and Signals, concluded in Geneva on 16 September 1950.
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Motor cycles, with or without a side-car, invalid carriages and three-wheeled motor vehicles with an unladen weight not exceeding 400 kg (900 lbs). |
| B | Motor vehicles used for the transport of passengers and comprising, in addition to the driver's seat, at most eight seats, or those used for the transport of goods and having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer. |
| C | Motor vehicles used for the transport of goods and of which the permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer. |
| D | Motor vehicles used for the transport of passengers and comprising, in addition to the driver's seat, more than eight seats. Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer. |
| E | Motor vehicles of category B, C, or D, as authorized above, with other than light trailer. |
- 'Permissible maximum weight' of a vehicle means the weight of the vehicle and its maximum load when the vehicle is ready for road.
- 'Maximum load' means the weight of the load declared permissible by the competent authority of the country(or jurisdiction) of registration of the vehicle.
- 'Light trailers' shall be those of permissible maximum weight not exceeding 750 kg (1,650 lbs).
1926 convention[edit]
The 1926 International Convention relative to Motor Traffic is the older IDP Convention. It is only required in Iraq, Somalia[8] and Brazil.[9] International Driving Permits according to the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic are also valid in Liechtenstein and Mexico[10] which also didn't ratify any of the above-mentioned later conventions.[11][12] Mexico also recognizes[13] the Inter-American Driving Permit according to the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943.[14] This convention also contains regulations about driving licences and an international driving licence in its Articles VI and XIII and its Annex B[15] and thus gives an alternative opportunity for a valid driving permit based on a convention between several sovereign states. Article XIII paragraph 2 says 'the international driving licence issued in accordance with the international Convention of 1926 shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this Article' (which defines the requirements of the international driving licence according to the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943).
For states that have ratified the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic[16] but did not ratify the Convention on Road Traffic (1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic) (e.g. Germany) or the Convention on Road Traffic (1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic) (Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Spain, India, Ireland, Iceland, Lebanese Republic, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand and the Vatican City State [eventually via the Holy See as contract party]) the number of states in which the International Driving Permit according to the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic is valid, is higher.
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Motor vehicles of which the laden weight does not exceed 3,500 kg. |
| B | Motor vehicles of which the laden weight exceeds 3,500 kg. |
| C | Motor-cycles, with or without side-car. |
Validity[edit]
According to the 1968 Vienna Convention, an IDP must have an expiration date of no more than three years from its issue date or until the expiration date of national driving permit, whichever is earlier, and it is valid for a period of one year upon the arrival in the foreign country. The previous convention (1949 Geneva Convention) stated that an IDP remains valid for one year from the date of issue, with a grace period of six months.
The IDP is not valid for driving in the country or jurisdiction where it was issued, it can only be used in foreign countries, and it must be shown with the carrier's original driver's license.
Countries and jurisdictions that recognize IDP[edit]
| Participant | Party to 1968 Vienna Convention[18]3-years IDP | Party to 1949 Geneva Convention[19]1-year IDP | Party to 1926 Paris Convention[20] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Yes | Yes | |
| Algeria | Yes | ||
| Argentina | Yes | ||
| Armenia | Yes | ||
| Australia | Yes | ||
| Austria | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Azerbaijan | Yes | ||
| Bahamas | Yes | ||
| Bahrain | Yes | ||
| Bangladesh | Yes | ||
| Barbados | Yes | ||
| Belarus | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Yes | Yes | |
| Benin | Yes | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Yes | ||
| Brazil | Yes | ||
| Bulgaria | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Burkina Faso | Yes | ||
| Cabo Verde | Yes | ||
| Cambodia** | Yes | ||
| Canada | Yes | ||
| Central African Republic | Yes | Yes | |
| Chile | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Congo | Yes | ||
| Costa Rica | Yes} | ||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Yes | Yes | |
| Croatia | Yes | ||
| Cuba | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cyprus | Yes | ||
| Czech Republic | Yes | Yes | |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | Yes | |
| Denmark | Yes | Yes | |
| Dominican Republic | Yes | ||
| Ecuador | Yes | Yes | |
| Egypt | Yes | Yes | |
| Estonia | Yes | ||
| Fiji | Yes | ||
| Finland | Yes | Yes | |
| France | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | |
| Germany | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Yes | Yes | |
| Greece | Yes | Yes | |
| Guatemala | Yes | Yes | |
| Guyana | Yes | ||
| Haiti | Yes | ||
| Holy See | Yes | Yes | |
| Hungary | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Iceland | Yes | ||
| India | Yes | ||
| Indonesia | Yes | ||
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | Yes | ||
| Iraq | Yes | ||
| Ireland | Yes | ||
| Israel | Yes | Yes | |
| Italy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jamaica | Yes | ||
| Japan | Yes | ||
| Jordan | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Yes | ||
| Kazakhstan | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Yes | ||
| Kuwait | Yes | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | Yes | ||
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | Yes | ||
| Latvia | Yes | ||
| Liberia | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Yes | ||
| Lesotho | Yes | ||
| Lithuania | Yes | Yes | |
| Luxembourg | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Madagascar | Yes | ||
| Malawi | Yes | ||
| Malaysia | Yes | ||
| Mali | Yes | ||
| Malta | Yes | ||
| Mexico | Yes | Yes | |
| Monaco | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mongolia | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Yes | Yes | |
| Morocco | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Myanmar | Yes | ||
| Namibia | Yes | ||
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes | |
| New Zealand | Yes | ||
| Niger | Yes | Yes | |
| Nigeria | Yes | Yes | |
| North Macedonia | Yes | ||
| Norway | Yes | Yes | |
| Pakistan | Yes | ||
| Papa New Guinea | Yes | ||
| Paraguay | Yes | ||
| Peru | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Philippines | Yes | Yes | |
| Poland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Portugal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Qatar | Yes | ||
| Republic of Korea | Yes | Yes | |
| Republic of Moldova | Yes | ||
| Romania | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Russian Federation | Yes | Yes | |
| Rwanda | Yes | ||
| San Marino | Yes | Yes | |
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | ||
| Senegal | Yes | Yes | |
| Serbia | Yes | Yes | |
| Seychelles | Yes | ||
| Sierra Leone | Yes | ||
| Singapore | Yes | ||
| Slovakia | Yes | Yes | |
| Slovenia | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa | Yes | Yes | |
| Spain | Yes} | Yes | |
| Sri Lanka | Yes | ||
| Sweden | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Syrian Arab Republic | Yes | ||
| Tajikistan | Yes | ||
| Thailand | Yes | Yes | |
| Togo | Yes | ||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Yes | ||
| Tunisia | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Turkey | Yes | Yes | |
| Turkmenistan | Yes | ||
| Uganda | Yes | ||
| Ukraine | Yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | Yes | |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Yes | Yes | |
| United States of America | Yes | ||
| Uruguay | Yes | Yes | |
| Uzbekistan | Yes | ||
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | Yes | Yes | |
| Viet Nam | Yes | Yes | |
| Zimbabwe | Yes | Yes |
* Requires presentation to local police and payment of special registration upon arrival
** IDP must be exchanged for a local driving licence.
- In relations between the Contracting States, the 1949 Geneva Convention terminated and replaced the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic and the International Convention relative to Road Traffic signed at Paris on 24 April 1926, and the Convention on the Regulation of Inter- American Automotive Traffic opened for signature at Washington on 15 December 1943.
- In relations between the Contracting States, the 1968 Vienna Convention terminated and replaced the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic and the International Convention relative to Road Traffic, signed at Paris on 24 April 1926, the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic, opened for signature at Washington on 15 December 1943, and the Convention on Road Traffic, opened for signature at Geneva on 19 September 1949.
References[edit]
- ^'AAA IDP International Driving Permit'. www.aaa.com. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^'Internasjonalt førerkort'. NAF (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^'Beställ ditt internationella körkort av M Sverige!'. msverige.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^'Driving with driving licences issued in non-EU/EEA countries'. Statens vegvesen. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ^ ab'1968 Convention on Road Traffic (2006 consolidated version) in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic'(PDF). unece.org.
- ^'United Nations Treaty Collection'. un.org.
- ^Convention on Road Traffic of 1949
- ^'International Driving Permits'. AutoDriverClub. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
- ^'IDP Country List | AA'. www.theaa.com. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
- ^List of contract-party-states in the current version of the german International Driving Permit according to the 1926 Convention on Motor Traffic. (In german language.) Bundesministerium der Justiz und für Verbraucherschutz (Federal Ministry for Justice and Consumer protection of the Federal Republic of Germany). Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Status of the 1 . Convention on Road Traffic Geneva, 19 September 1949. United Nations Treaty Collection. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Status of the 19 . Convention on Road Traffic Vienna, 8 November 1968. United Nations Treaty Collection. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Countries Recognizing an Inter-American Driving Permit according to the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943. AutoDriverClub. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943. AutoDriverClub. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Annex B of the Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic 1943. AutoDriverClub. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^French original text of the 1926 Convention internationale relative à la circulation automobile containig a list of states that form the area of application of the convention (Champ d'application de la convention). Les autorités fédérales de la Confédération suisse (The federal authorities of the Swiss Confederation). Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^Anlage 8b zu § 25b Absatz 2 der Verordnung über die Zulassung von Personen zum Straßenverkehr [Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung - FeV] vom 13. Dezember 2010 [BGBl. I S. 1980], die durch Artikel 2 der Verordnung vom 5. November 2013 [BGBl. I S. 3920] geändert worden ist: Muster eines Internationalen Führerscheins nach dem Internationalen Abkommen über Kraftfahrzeugverkehr vom 24. April 1926. (Appendix 8b to Section 25b Paragraph 2 of the Driving Licence Ordinance [of the Federal Republic of Germany]: Sample of an International Driving Permit according to the International Convention of the 24. April 1926.) (In german language.) Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ^'United Nations Treaty Collection'. treaties.un.org. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ^'United Nations Treaty Collection'. treaties.un.org. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- ^http://www.nyszone.com. 'Brief Overview of International Driving Permits'. www.adcidl.com. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
External links[edit]
| Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to International Driving Permits. |
- IDP Requirements by Country — shows 1926 or 1949 IDP status and special requirements to use an IDP in each country
- 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (Consolidated version).
- Contracting Parties to the Convention on Road Traffic – Vienna, 8 November 1968 (list of countries)
- FTC vs William Scott Dion, et al. Legal action against PT Resource Center for selling bogus IDP's and related identification documents
An international driving permit allows tourists to drive freely in a foreign country. More than 150 countries accept international drivers licenses so that visitors can explore the land on their own terms and on their own time. Even though traffic is not any better in foreign countries and road rules differ from American rules, driving through another country can be an exhilarating experience.
Not all countries permit the use of international drivers licenses, however. One of those countries is China. China has strict rules on who is legally permitted to drive in the country and most tourists are not. However, while China does not accept an IDP in the mainland, tourists are permitted to drive in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau with an international driving permit.
This article will equip you with the knowledge of obtaining an international driving permit for use in approved Chinese regions as well as the procedures to follow if you want to drive in mainland China.
What is a Chinese International Driving Permit?
An international driving permit in China allows you to operate vehicle as a foreign visitor in Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macau. Travelers often ask, 'What is IDP and how does it allow me to drive in foreign country?'
Ultimately, an international drivers license is a translation of your state-issued U.S. drivers license. It does not grant you driving privileges but rather transfers the driving privileges you already earned in the US to another language (if necessary). It verifies your US driving license as valid and up to date.
As mentioned above, China is not one of the international driving permit countries, at least not in its entirety. Your IDP is only valid in:
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
- Macau
If you wish to drive in mainland China, you will have to go through the process of acquiring a provisional driving license once you arrive in China.
When is an international drivers license necessary in China?
If you are planning to visit Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau for less than 12 months and prefer to drive yourself around, you will need to apply for an international drivers license. A full or provisional Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau license is only necessary for travelers who decide to or must stay in those areas for longer than 12 months.
If you are traveling to mainland China and wondering 'do I need to get an international driver's license?' the answer is no. Neither an international driving permit nor a U.S. drivers license will permit you to operate a vehicle in China. You will need to apply for a provisional drivers license at the airport or nearest police station.
You may also begin the process of obtaining a full Chinese driving license if you anticipate your stay to be longer than 12 months. Travelers seeking temporary Chinese licensure must first be approved for a visa of at least 180 days. This license cannot be renewed or extended under the same visa.
Driving in the USA with a foreign license is similar to China's policy in that the United States prefers for its drivers to have valid US licenses. However, in the U.S., foreigners may drive with an international permit for three months before facing legal penalties.
How do I get a Chinese international driving permit?
A Chinese international driving permit can be easily obtained at an AAA office location. To get the AAA international drivers license, travelers must submit the application along with two 2×2 inch passport-acceptable photos and a form of payment that is not cash.
Another method of applying for the AAA international driving permit is by mail. With this method, you must send in the international drivers license application, photocopies of both sides your drivers license, two identical 2×2 inch photos and a check or money order.
How long do international driving permits last in China?
When travelers obtain international driving permits, they have a limited time to use them before they expire. These permits are valid for 12 months.
If a foreign traveler continues using his or her IDP in China after that 12 months, he or she will have to undergo the process of earning a driving license there. However, the processes may differ in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau as each location has different procedures.
Where can I get a Chinese international driving permit?
Currently, you can only acquire a Chinese international driving permit in person or by mail. Applicants are not permitted to submit an international drivers license online.
International Driving Licence In China
After submitting the appropriate documents, application and fees, however, applicants will receive their permit in the mail in no more than 10 business days after processing. These permits are not available at regular driving license office such as the DMV.
You might already be abroad in China and wondering where to get an international drivers license. In this case, you can mail your application, documents and payment to an AAA office in America. You can also expedite the process by paying extra fees.
Tips for Avoiding International Drivers License Fraud
There are many dishonest people and businesses offering fraudulent international drivers licenses. Travelers looking for information on how to get an international driver's license should not seek answers from ads or any private companies.
The only two authorized private companies permitted to issue an international drivers license in the USA are the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. Anyone offering an international permit outside of these companies will only supply you with false information and fake documents.
These companies also ask you to pay a fee that is higher than the real AAA international drivers license fee. If you are caught by law enforcement with a fake international driving permit, you might face serious repercussions especially if you are using it as a drivers license or ID card.
Driving Rules in China
The driving rules in mainland China differ from those of the US and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. In the mainland and in Taiwan, cars drive on the right-hand side but in Macau and Hong Kong cars are on the left-hand side.
Travelers with international drivers licenses must maintain constant vigilance when driving in foreign countries, especially China. Traffic in China is less organized and structured than in the U.S.: vehicles often drive through red lights without consequences, on opposite sides of the road into oncoming traffic, on sidewalks and in the middle of the road.
International Driving License Dubai
