International Driving Permit: What is International Driving Licence & Apply online in India

An International Driving Licence is an official document issued by the RTO in India to allow a person to drive a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler in a foreign country. Getting an International Driving Licence will not take more than 4-5 days if you already have a valid driving licence. An IDP is a legal document without which you cannot drive on roads outside India. The document is translated into multiple languages so that the authorities abroad can easily understand it. A candidate applying for IDP should at least be 18 years old and should have a valid driving licence. Learn more about International Driving Permit and how to apply for it in India.

What is an International Driving Permit?

The International Driving Permit is an official licence given to those who want to drive a vehicle in a foreign country. The permit basically states that you have legal permission to drive outside India. You need to have an International Driving Permit if you want to rent a car and drive on foreign roads. Besides this, you can also use this document as a valid identification proof while travelling outside the country. If you have an International Driving Permit, you would not be asked to give a driving test abroad. Also, in case of an unfortunate event like an accident in some other country, an IDP would be a crucial document if you want to claim the insurance.

How to get an international driving licence or permit in India?

The International Driving Licence or Permit is issued by the RTOs in India. The procedure to get it is pretty much simple and straightforward. Those who want to drive on foreign roads can apply for an International Driving Licence by following the below-mentioned steps:

Step 1: Get the Form 4 or ‘Form for the Issue of International Driving Permit’ from the nearest RTO or download it online
Step 2: Fill in the required details such as the address, driver’s license number, details of the country you are travelling, etc
Step 3: Submit the necessary documents with the application form to the RTO and pay the fee
Step 4: Give the driving test (in case the driving licence is issued within 3 months of application to IDP)
Step 5: Once everything is verified, the IDP is issued to the applicant

Documents required for international driving licence in India

One of the key steps involved in the application process of International Driving Permit or Licence is the submission of relevant documents at the local RTO. In case you do not know what documents are supposed to be submitted at the RTO, then here’s the complete list of documents:

• Copy of passport
• Copy of respective visa
• Copy of flight tickets
• A medical certificate (Form CMV 1 & 1A)
• Application form (CMV-4
• Age proof
• Address proof
• Passport size photographs
• Valid proof of Indian Citizenship

Fees for international driving licence

The fee to get an International Driving Licence is Rs 1000 in most of the states in India. Besides this, some states also charge an extra Rs 200 as processing fee. An applicant has to submit the fee at the time of submission of application form and documents.

How to check international driving permit status online?

If you want to check the International Driving Permit status, you can log on to the Parivahan Sewa portal and get hold of all the information. To check your International driving licence status online, follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Log in to https://parivahan.gov.in/parivahan/
Step 2: From the menu bar at the top, select Online Services
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, select Driving Licence Related Services
Step 4: Select the state from where the service is to be taken
Step 5: Select the icon Application Status
Step 6: Enter your application number, date of birth and a captcha code
Step 7: Click on Submit
Step 8: You will then be redirected to a new page where you can see the status of your application

How to renew an international driving licence in India?

As per the Indian laws, an International Driving Licence issued from India cannot be renewed. The licence is valid for a time period of one year after which it gets expired. However, recently, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made an amendment in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to provide the facility of renewal of International Driving Permit (IDP) to Indian citizens.

A citizen of India can apply for renewal through the Indian Embassies/Missions abroad, after which the application will move to the VAHAN portal in India. It will then be processed by the respective Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and once everything is verified, the IDP will be couriered to the applicant by the RTO. The applicant should, however, have all the required documents such as valid driving licence, passport size photograph, identity proof, etc.

List of countries accepting International Driving Permit (IDP)

If you have an International Driving Permit or Licence from India, then you are allowed to drive on roads in the following countries: