How to get an International Driving Permit in time for December – and how much it costs

If you are travelling overseas this coming holiday period and you’re planning to drive on foreign roads, you might want to invest in an International Driving Permit (IDP).

While there are many countries in which you can use your South African driver’s licence legally, an IDP serves as an extra layer of identification and protection against unfamiliar laws in over 150 nations around the globe.

In regions where English is not an official language, an IDP provides a translation of details such as your name and driver’s licence into several languages including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, among others. 

Additionally, it acts as a validation of your domestic licence and an alternative proof of identification. It is also essential if you must rent a car or get insurance in another country.

It’s important to note, however, that an IDP is neither a stand-alone document nor a substitute for a valid driving licence. You must always carry your domestic driving licence with your IDP at all times.

It also does not diminish your obligations to conform to the laws and regulations of the countries you visit.

How to get an IDP

South African licence holders can buy an IDP from the Automobile Association (AA) either online or by visiting physical AA-accredited sales agents.

Effective 1 June 2024, the price of an IDP is pegged at R365.

Regardless of where you apply, you’ll need the following particulars:

• Valid South African driving licence.
• ID document or valid passport.
• One passport-size photograph per IDP type

When applying online, you’ll have to submit copies of your licence and ID/passport and select the AA outlet from which you want to collect the IDP.

As you go to pick up the document, you’ll need to take along the passport-size picture to complete the process.

If you’re applying in-store you must bring duplicates of all the above documents along with you, and it should then take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes before you’ll have an IDP in hand, said the AA.

The AA highlights that an IDP can only be obtained from the country in which you received your driving licence.

“AA South Africa cannot issue an IDP to citizens of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland who are in the possession of a valid driving licence issued in that country, but can issue an IDP to citizens of Namibia who are in the possession of a valid Namibian driving licence,” it said.

Motorists must also keep in mind that IDPs have certain expiration dates, dependent on the classification.

The 1949 model is valid for a maximum of one year, while the 1968 model is valid for up to three years.

However, the validity of the IDP can never exceed the validity of your domestic driving licence, hence, if your licence has expired, so, too, has the IDP.