The permit
How much an International Driving Permit costs
The permit fee is the same at both authorized issuers. What changes the total is the photo, the delivery speed and, too often, the website you buy from.
What does an International Driving Permit cost?
AAA online, total
$30
| Permit fee | $20 |
| Photo | $10 |
| Shipping | $0 |
Fees published by AAA and AATA; AAA branches may add sales tax and charge for photos taken there.
An International Driving Permit costs a $20 permit fee at AAA and $20 at the American Automobile Touring Alliance, the two organizations authorized by the State Department, as their own pages showed on November 1, 2026. Around that fee come two variable costs. The photo: you can send two passport photos of your own, or pay for the issuer's service, $10 at AAA online and $9 at AATA. And the delivery: AATA lists shipping options from $16 to $165, depending on speed and destination, and AAA charges for shipping on online orders. A traveler who walks into an AAA branch with their own photos pays the permit fee and possibly sales tax. Any website that asks for $50, $100 or more is not selling a better permit: it is selling something that is not a permit at all, or adding a markup on a service that costs $20.
Is this online "international driver's license" genuine?
Warning signs found
3 of 4
| Sign 1: The seller is not AAA or AATA, the only two issuers the State Department authorizes. | |
| Sign 2: The price before shipping is above the $30 of AAA's permit and photo fees. | |
| Sign 3: An IDP is a printed booklet; AAA states that digital versions are not available. |
A document that is not issued by AAA or AATA is not a US International Driving Permit, whatever it is called.
Rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Total by method
| Method | Permit fee | Photo | Shipping | Total without shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA branch | $20 | your own, or the branch service | none | $20 and up |
| AAA by mail | $20 | your own two photos | postage | $20 |
| AAA online | $20 | $10 | option chosen | $30 |
| AATA online | $20 | $9 | $16 to $165 | $29 |
Where the money goes wrong
The cheapest permit is the one bought early. A traveler who applies by mail six weeks ahead pays the fee and a stamp. A traveler who discovers the requirement a week before the flight pays for express shipping, or drives to a branch. The application guide computes the last day for each method, so the express option becomes a choice rather than a necessity.
The expensive mistake is a different one: paying an unauthorized site. USAGov warns that other websites selling permits are often fraudulent. The mini-tool under the summary lists the warning signs and shows what you would pay above the official route.
What the permit can save
Against the $20, set the costs of driving without one where it is required. In Italy the fine is €408 to €1,634 under article 135 of the road code. In Spain the State Department says police may impound the rental car and fine on the spot. In Czechia and Greece, the same source warns that insurers may refuse to pay after an accident. A permit valid for a year can cover several trips in that time.
Prices change
The figures on this page come from the issuers' pages on the date shown. They have been stable for years, but a change would appear first on those pages, which are linked below. The total in the tool updates if you enter another shipping amount.