Thursday, November 7

What do I need to do to apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) in the United States?


Los permisos de conducir internacionales son necesarios para que los estadounidenses puedan conducir legalmente en el extranjero.
International driving licenses are required for Americans to legally drive abroad.

Photo: Welton Souza / Pexels

International Driving Permits (IDP) should not be confused with international licenses . These are certified translations of the credential issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when granting driving privileges and must be accompanied by it to be valid in the destination country. In that sense, there is no way to process this type of permit abroad as an American. The same happens with people who visit the United States and want to drive in the territory, the laws require an international driving permit processed before leaving the borders of their country of origin.

In accordance with the traffic laws in the country, to process a permit for International driving (IDP) in case of travel is necessary :

1. Be 18 years or more.

two. Have a valid and current US driver’s license that allows this type of addition.

3. Process the document at the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) .

4. Fill in the corresponding application.

5. Submit two photographs.

6. Pay the corresponding fee.

Although it is normal to process it in person, it is likely that allow people to mail your application accompanied by the necessary requirements . The law recommends disregarding any promises for an international driver’s license that are not from AAA or AATA. In the United States, the latter are the only organizations authorized to grant these documents. Therefore, any that comes from another source should be considered as a fake document.

Once you obtain an international driving license in the United States, it is best to learn the traffic laws of the country of destination to avoid any infringement. They can be very different, so it will be important to master them very well through full knowledge.

IDPs issued in the United States are valid for one year from the date of date they were processed . As these are not international licenses but certified translations, IDPs cannot be renewed. In this sense, any driver who needs it must complete the procedure again, despite having had one in the past.

If they are not accompanied by a US driver’s license, these permits are not valid anywhere in the world.

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