Do I Need an International Driving Permit in Australia?Rule for all foreign drivers
Visitors can drive on a valid overseas licence written in English. If it is not in English, carry an IDP or an official English translation. Each state and territory sets its own details.
- Licence alone is enough if: written in English
- Otherwise you need: An IDP or an official translation
Source: SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules (secondary source), checked 10 November 2026. Based on SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules. Confirm with the official authority before you travel.
Rule for all foreign drivers
Visitors can drive on a valid overseas licence written in English. If it is not in English, carry an IDP or an official English translation. Each state and territory sets its own details.
- Licence alone is enough if: written in English
- Otherwise you need: An IDP or an official translation
Source: SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules (secondary source), checked 10 November 2026. Based on SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules. Confirm with the official authority before you travel.
Rules for all foreign drivers in Australia
Visitors can drive on a valid overseas licence written in English. If it is not in English, carry an IDP or an official English translation. Each state and territory sets its own details.
- Licence alone is enough if: written in English
- Otherwise you need: An IDP or an official translation
- IDP format accepted: 1949
- How long a visitor can drive: Varies by state
Source: SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules (secondary source), checked 10 November 2026.
Based on SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules. Confirm with the official authority before you travel.
Which IDP version Australia accepts
Australia is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention, not the 1968 Vienna Convention, so it recognises the 1949 IDP.
| Convention | Status |
|---|---|
| 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic | Party (acceded 7 December 1954) |
| 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic | Not a party |
Source: United Nations Treaty Collection.
Getting the right IDP for Australia
Ask for the 1949 IDP. In the UK: PayPoint stores (choose the 1949 IDP). In the US: AAA. In Canada: CAA. Elsewhere: your national automobile club or licensing authority.
What the UK, US and Canadian governments tell their citizens
No IDP needed with a UK licence. An IDP is recommended for Canadian licence holders. The US advice does not say.
UK licence holdersUK licence accepted, no IDP needed. Version mentioned: 1949 IDP.While you are a temporary overseas visitor.Source: UK FCDO, updated 19 March 2026
US licence holdersNot stated in the advice, check the source.Source: US Department of State, updated 17 August 2026
Canadian licence holdersIDP recommended.The names on your licence must match your passport.Source: Government of Canada, updated 2 November 2026
What the governments say
Short quotes from each government's travel advice for its own citizens. The wording is theirs.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Australia if you remain a temporary overseas visitor. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence or get the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well. … Hire car companies often have stricter requirements for their customers, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP.
Source: UK FCDO travel advice for Australia, updated 19 March 2026. Quoted as published.
Government of Canada
You should carry an international driving permit.
Source: Government of Canada travel advice for Australia, updated 2 November 2026. Quoted as published.
Questions
Can I drive in Australia with a foreign licence?
Visitors can drive on a valid overseas licence written in English. If it is not in English, carry an IDP or an official English translation. Each state and territory sets its own details. Based on SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules. Confirm with the official authority before you travel.
Do I need an IDP in Australia if my licence is in English?
Not if your licence meets this condition: written in English. Otherwise you need: An IDP or an official translation. Based on SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules. Confirm with the official authority before you travel.
How long can a visitor drive in Australia?
Varies by state. Source: SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules.
Can I drive in Australia with a 1968 IDP?
No. Australia is not a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention, so a 1968 IDP is not valid here. Australia recognises the 1949 IDP.
Can I drive in Australia with a 1949 IDP?
Yes. Australia is a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention (acceded 7 December 1954), so a 1949 IDP is recognised. Carry it together with your national driving licence.
Do UK licence holders need an IDP in Australia?
No. A UK driving licence is accepted in Australia. While you are a temporary overseas visitor. Source: UK FCDO, updated 19 March 2026.
Do US licence holders need an IDP in Australia?
The US Department of State advice does not say. Source: US Department of State, updated 17 August 2026.
Do Canadian licence holders need an IDP in Australia?
Recommended, not strictly required. The names on your licence must match your passport. Source: Government of Canada, updated 2 November 2026.
About International Driving Permits
What is an International Driving Permit?
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is an official translation of your national driving licence, set out in a standard format agreed under United Nations road traffic conventions.
An IDP is not a licence on its own. It is valid only when carried together with your valid national driving licence. During a traffic stop, you must show both documents.
An IDP helps because it allows police, car rental companies and insurers abroad to read and understand your licence details, even where the language differs from their own.
You can only obtain an IDP from the country that issued your driving licence, and you must do this before you travel. It cannot be obtained or renewed once you are abroad.
Whether you need an IDP depends on your destination, where your licence was issued and sometimes how long you plan to stay. The answer for this country is at the top of this page.
1949 or 1968 IDP: which one do you need?
There are two main IDP formats, based on two UN road traffic conventions: the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1968 Vienna Convention. An older format, based on the 1926 Paris Convention, is still required in a few countries.
The 1949 IDP is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. The 1968 IDP is valid for up to 3 years, or until your national licence expires, whichever comes first.
Your destination decides which format it accepts, based on the convention or conventions it has joined. Some countries are party to both the 1949 and 1968 conventions.
If you are visiting several countries on one trip, you may need more than one IDP, depending on which conventions each country has joined.
| Format | Based on | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 IDP | 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic | 1 year from date of issue |
| 1968 IDP | 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic | Up to 3 years, or until your national licence expires, whichever comes first |
| 1926 IDP | 1926 Paris Convention | Required in a few countries only |
The page for each country shows which convention it has joined.
Related
- International Driving Permit: all countries
- Do I need an IDP in New Zealand?
- Do I need an IDP in Indonesia?
- Do I need an IDP in Papua New Guinea?
- How to get citizenship of Australia
Sources and methodology
- SBS (Australian public broadcaster) summary of state rules: rules for foreign drivers in Australia (secondary source), checked 10 November 2026.
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Australia. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US Department of State: travel advice for Australia. US Department of State: public domain (US Government work).
- Government of Canada: travel advice for Australia. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
- United Nations Treaty Collection: status of the 1949 and 1968 road traffic conventions.
The licence statuses above were checked by hand against the government text on 9 November 2026. Government advice changes often: confirm the current rules with the official source before you travel.
Last checked 9 November 2026.