Do I Need an International Driving Permit in the United Arab Emirates?

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.

The page for each country shows which convention it has joined.