The permit
How long an International Driving Permit is valid
One year, says every official page. The details are in when that year starts and what can cut it short.
How long will your IDP be valid?
Valid until
December 19, 2027
| Validity | 1 year from the start date |
| Cut short by the license | no |
| Earliest day to have it issued | June 20, 2026 |
An IDP cannot be renewed: you apply for a new one. It is only valid with the US license, so it can never outlast it.
An International Driving Permit issued in the United States is valid for one year, USAGov states, and it cannot be renewed: when it expires, you apply for a new one from AAA or the American Automobile Touring Alliance. The year runs from the effective date printed in the booklet, which you choose on the application and which may be up to six months after the date you apply, so a permit ordered in spring for an autumn trip still covers the whole trip. Two things can shorten that year in practice. The first is your US license: the permit only translates it, so if the license expires, is suspended or is revoked, the permit stops being of any use, whatever date it shows. The second is the country: some limit how long a visitor may drive on foreign documents at all, such as 90 days in Iceland or Romania, whatever the permit says.
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
Three dates to compare
| Date | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the permit | the date you set on the application, up to six months ahead | AAA |
| End of the permit | one year after the start date; no renewal | USAGov |
| End of your US license | the expiry printed on it; the permit cannot outlast it | USAGov |
The calculator at the top takes the start date and your license expiry and returns the earlier of the two end dates. Our convention counts the year to the day before the anniversary; the date printed on the booklet is the one that counts.
Long stays and repeat trips
A permit dated for a summer trip still covers a winter trip a few months later, as long as both fall in its year. For a long stay, the permit's year matters less than the country's own limit on visitors and residents: Switzerland lets a US license be used for a year after arrival, Portugal for six months, Germany for six months after taking up residence. The limit calculator counts those periods.
Permits from other treaties
The booklet issued by AAA and AATA follows the 1949 model. The State Department mentions a separate Inter-American Driving Permit, for Brazil in particular, which AAA can also issue. Ask for it by name if a country's page points to it; its validity follows its own treaty.
Losing the permit abroad
A lost permit cannot be replaced by a consulate. You apply again to AAA or AATA, which mail the new one, and in the meantime the rules of the country apply as if you had none. A photo of the booklet is not a substitute for the original.