How to Get a US International Driving Permit
Only two organisations are authorised by the U.S. Department of State to issue United States International Driving Permits: the American Automobile Association and the American Automobile Touring Alliance. These 6 guides cover how each works, what a permit actually costs once photographs and postage are counted, when same-day is genuinely possible, and what applies if your licence was issued outside the United States. Reviewed 2026-07-23.
AAA IDP Cost and Turnaround
A sourced summary of AAA IDP fees, online processing, branch processing, mail options and digital-IDP limitations.
AAA Office Locations for IDPs
How to verify whether a AAA branch provides International Driving Permit services without relying on stale location lists.
Can You Get an IDP the Same Day in the US? 2026 Answer
Same-day US International Driving Permits are possible in one way only: in person at a participating AAA branch. Here is what each route actually delivers, what to bring, and what to do if no branch is reachable.
How to Apply for an IDP in the US
How U.S. license holders can apply for a conventional International Driving Permit through official U.S. routes.
IDP for Non-US Licence Holders
What non-U.S. licence holders should know about conventional U.S. IDPs and private translation-support documents.
What Is AATA?
A sourced explanation of AATA, its U.S. IDP role, eligibility statements and application limits.
Looking for the other direction?
These guides are for people holding a US licence who need a permit before travelling abroad. If you hold a foreign licence and want to know what applies when driving inside the United States, that is a different question with a different answer — see driving in the United States on a foreign licence.
Before you apply for anything
Check whether your destination requires a permit at all. Across the destinations we have researched against official sources, a permit requirement is less common than the market implies — several operate a visitor time-limit rule instead. The country registry gives the sourced position per destination, and our research findings set out what the dataset shows overall.
Then check which convention your destination recognises, because a permit issued under the wrong one is not a substitute. The 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna explainers cover the distinction, and the glossary defines the terms.
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