Procedure for International Driving License

If someone is planning a trip abroad and wants to try driving there or he may feel it's more convenient for him if he has his own car to get around the place, he should first get hold of an international driving license.

In a word, this license allows you to drive in other countries as long as you have your original driver's license, issued from your home country. Your driver's license has to be valid in order for the international driving permit to take effect.

An IDP helps to make your lifetime journey easier and hassle free. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is proof that you possess a valid driver’s license in your home country, and it allows licensed drivers to drive in more than 150 countries without the need to complete further applications or testing. It can be used as an additional form of Identification.

When reprimanded while driving for any reason, the international driving license will give the authorities the information they need in order to see that you are legally driving in their country.

How to Obtain Your International Driving License? You may apply for an international driving license at accredited agencies. You may check with the driver's license issuing agency of your country for these accredited companies.

Keep in mind that only those issued by accredited agencies will be recognized by other countries. Unfortunately, there are a few bogus issuing agencies that offer this license for a fee only for you to find out later on that what you're holding is not a valid international driver's permit.

You will be asked to submit two recent ID photos, a photocopy of your valid driver's license and an application form, duly filled-out. You should also make sure that all necessary fees are paid in full in order for your application to be processed. When applying for this license, you should know that typically, this is not issued until about 6 months from the date that you will be using it. Its validity is usually up to three years, with one year of continuous use allowed within the country you are visiting.

Now you should also be careful if you are planning on extending your stay for more than one year, you should check with the country's local driver's license issuing agency to see what other requirements are need in order of you to be able to still drive in their country. International Driving Permits cannot be used in the territory where your original driver license has been issued.