How to Get an International Driving Permit Without a Scam

A rental car is booked for a trip abroad, and a search for "international driver's license" turns up a page of sites offering one online. Most people assume any of them will do. The FTC warns that fake permits sell for far more than the real one, and that driving on one can get you detained abroad. The US State Department authorizes exactly two issuers, and the steps below only use those.

Check whether the country you are visiting asks for one

Open the USA.gov international driver's license page and follow its link to the State Department country pages. Find the country you are visiting and read the section on driving and road safety. If it says an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required or recommended, get one before you leave, while you can still reach a US issuer.

If you are going to Brazil for 180 days or more. AAA says Brazil needs a different permit, the Inter-American Driving Permit, for stays that long. Ask AAA for that one.

Confirm you qualify

You need a valid US driver's license that stays valid after the permit is issued, and you must be at least 18, according to AATA. You do not need to be a US citizen; a permanent resident with a US license qualifies. There is no written or driving test. The permit lasts one year from the date of issue and cannot be renewed, so do not apply much earlier than you need it.

Apply through AAA or AATA only

Pick one of the two authorized issuers:

• AAA. On the AAA International Driving Permit page, fill in the application and choose how to send it. At a AAA branch, bring the signed application, two original passport photos, your license and the fee, and you leave with the permit. Online, upload a phone passport photo and pictures of your license, and allow 5 business days plus shipping. By mail, send the application, two signed passport photos, a copy of your license and the fee, and allow 5 to 7 weeks. As of October 2026 the permit fee is $20, plus a $10 photo fee and shipping when you apply online.
• AATA. On the AATA site, choose Apply Now, fill in the online form, upload a passport photo and pay with your choice of shipping.

If the trip is within a week. AAA says to go to a branch in person rather than apply online or by mail.

Avoid the fake permit sites

Any other company offering an "international driver's license" online is not authorized, according to the FTC scam alert. A real IDP is a booklet that translates your US license. It does not replace that license. If you already paid a fake site, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and dispute the card charge.

Carry the permit with your license

Keep the IDP and your US license together whenever you drive abroad. The permit alone is not valid. Show both at the rental counter and at any police stop.

Sources. USA.gov, international driver's license for US citizens, FTC consumer alert on international driver's permit scams, AAA International Driving Permit, AATA International Driving Permit.