Tools
Driving abroad: trip planner and checklist
A road trip across borders meets several rules at once. The planner puts them side by side, with the dates that matter.
Plan the documents for a driving trip
Italy, Switzerland, Austria, January 4, 2027 to January 18, 2027
Get an IDP before you go
| Italy | IDP or translation |
| Switzerland | US license OK |
| Austria | IDP or translation |
| Apply between | July 4, 2026 and December 21, 2026 |
| IDP valid until | January 3, 2028 |
| US license | valid for the whole trip |
Window: 5 business days of processing plus 5 business days of delivery. Issuers do not issue a permit more than six months before its start date.
A trip that crosses borders has to satisfy the strictest country on the route. If one of them requires an International Driving Permit, as Spain, Greece or Austria do for a US license, the permit is needed for the whole trip, and since it can only be issued in the United States, by AAA or the American Automobile Touring Alliance, the decision has to be made before departure. The planner above takes up to three countries, your departure and return dates, the expiry date of your US license and the way you plan to apply. It returns what each country asks of a US license holder, the window in which to apply, opening six months before the permit starts and closing when processing and delivery would no longer arrive in time, and whether the permit and your license both last until your return. It also flags a stay that runs past a country's limit on foreign licenses.
When should you apply for your IDP?
Apply no later than
December 1, 2026
| Not before | June 15, 2026 |
| Days from today | 26 |
| Basis: 5 business days of processing plus 5 business days of delivery | |
Rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The checklist
- Check each country in the planner or the country checker.
- If any country requires a permit, or a permit or translation, apply to AAA or AATA within the window the planner shows.
- Check that your US license is valid until your return; renew it first if not. The permit cannot outlast it.
- Read the rental terms for age, documents and the countries the car may enter. The rental guide lists the questions to ask.
- Check insurance: liability cover included, excess, and any condition tied to the permit.
- Note the road rules that differ from home: left-hand traffic in United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Australia, South Africa and India, alcohol limits, toll stickers in Austria, Switzerland and Hungary.
- Carry the license, the permit and the passport together when driving.
Common routes
| Route | Strictest rule on the route |
|---|---|
| Italy, Switzerland, Austria | permit or translation in Italy and Austria |
| Spain, Portugal | permit required in Spain |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | US license alone for visitors in both |
| Germany, Czechia, Poland | permit required in Czechia and Poland |
| Canada, Mexico | no permit; Mexican insurance in Mexico |
Your entries stay with you
The planner runs in your browser. The countries and dates you enter are not sent anywhere; reloading the page returns to the example route of Italy, Switzerland and Austria.