How to Apply for an International Driving Permit In United Kingdom

Apply for an International Driving Permit In United Kingdom By Online

  • Application sent by post: It will take about 10 days for your application to be processed from the date of receipt.

You can apply for an IDP by post to the AA.

  1. Print and complete and application form. Download an application form
  2. Before you post your application, make sure that you have signed and completed the application form in full, attached the supporting documentary evidence and enclosed the correct payment. Note: Incomplete applications will be returned to you.
  3. Send your application to the AA address shown on the form, including your payment and the relevant documents.
  4. To check the status of your application you may contact AA – 0870 600 0371 for more information. (Choose option 5, and then option 2)

Note: Send full photocopy not the originals of the documents plus your passport photo.

Apply at AA Folkestone (Eurotunnel)

To those travelling via Eurotunnel you may apply for an IDP at AA Folkestone (Eurotunnel Passenger Terminal).

  1. Complete an application form. You may obtain application forms over the counter at the shops. Alternatively you can download an application form, complete it and take it (the original not a copy) with you apply for an IDP.
  2. You will need to present your original driving licence (or UK pass certificate and provisional licence) together with your passport.
  3. You will also need to submit a passport-size photograph.

Apply at a Post Office

Personal applications for an IDP can be made at selected Post Office branches.

  1. To apply for an IDP at a Post Office, you must do this in person (no third-party applications).
  2. You must complete an application form available from the Post Office and provide the following: your driving licence, passport photograph, proof of identity and your payment.

Post Office

  • Statutory charge for a permit is 5.50.

Payment to the Post Office can only be made by cash or debit card.

Post Office branches that can issue an IDP
Aberdeen 489 Union Street, AB11 6AZ
Aberystwyth 8 Great Darkgate Street, SY23 1DE

Banbury :57/58 High Street, OX16 5LB
Bangor WH Smith Retail, 264 High Street, LL57 1PB
Barnstaple 39/40 Boutport Street, EX31 1SB
Basildon Pitsea Tesco Stores Ltd, SS13 3JU
Basingstoke 5/7 London Street, RG21 7AB
Belfast 12/16 Bridge Street, BT1 1LT
Bexleyheath WH Smith Retail, 89 Broadway, DA6 7JN
Birmingham 1 Pinfold Street, B2 4AA
Boston WH Smith Retail, 27 Strait Bargate, PE21 6EG
Brighton WH Smith Retail, 2/3 Churchill Square, BN1 2TA
Bristol The Galleries, Castle Gallery, BS1 3XX

Cambridge 57/58 St Andrew Street, CB2 3BZ
Canterbury 19 St George Street, CT1 2LB
Cardiff 45-46 Queens Arcade, Queen St, CF10 2BY
Carlisle WH Smith Retail, 51-53 English Street, CA3 8JY
Chelmsford WH Smith Retail, 73-75 High Street, CM1 1EJ
Cheltenham WH Smith Retail, 192/194 High Street, GL50 1EP
Chester 2 St John’s Street, CH1 1AA
Christchurch 3 Church Street, BH23 1BW
Coventry WH Smith Retail, 3-5 West Orchard Shopping Centre, CV1 1QX
Croydon 10 High Street, CR9 1HT

Dorchester Trinity Street, Dorset, DT1 1DH
Dundee 4 Meadowside, DD1 1AA

Eastbourne 143/145 Terminus Road, BN21 3NS
Edinburgh 8/10 St James Centre, EH1 3SR
Evesham 87 High Street, WR11 4HR
Exeter 28 Bedford Street, EX1 1GJ

Glasgow 47 St Vincent Street, G2 5QX
Grantham 18/20 St. Peters Hill, NG31 6AA
Guildford 171/173 High Street, GU1 3AJ

Halifax Commercial Street, HX1 1AD
Haverfordwest 14a Bridge Street, SA61 2AD

Hemel Hempstead WH Smith Retail, 181-183 Marlowes, HP1 1BD
High Wycombe 3 Castle Street, HP13 6RZ

Horsham 15 Carfax Street, RH12 1ER
Hounslow 201-205 High Street, TW3 1BL
Hull 10-20 Prospect Centre, HU2 8PN

Inverness 14/16 Queensgate, IV1 1AX
Ipswich 29 Tower Ramparts Centre, Tavern Street, IP1 3DN
Isle of Wight 42 Regent Street, Shanklin, PO37 7AA

Lancaster 85 Market Street, LA1 1AA
Leeds 116 Albion Street, LS2 8LP
Leicester WH Smith Retail, 39 Gallowtree Gate, LE1 5GD
Liverpool WH Smith Retail, 1-3 South John Street, L1 8BN
London Eastcheap 12 Eastcheap, EC3M 1AJ
London Camden 112/114 Camden High Street, NW1 0RR
London Lewisham WH Smith Retail, 59 Riverdale, Lewisham Centre, SE13 7EP
London Broadway 1 Broadway, SW1H 0AX
London Battersea 202 Lavender Hill, SW11 1AB
London Hammersmith WH Smith Retail, 16 Kings Mall, King Street, W6 0PZ
London Trafalgar Sq. 24/28 William IV Street, WC2N 4DL
London Heathrow Airport – Departures (landside) Terminal 3, TW6 1QG
London Wimbledon 56 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA
Londonderry 3 Custom House Street, BT48 6AA
Luton The Arndale Centre, 42/44 Smith Lane Mall, LU1 2LP
Lymington 54 High Street, SO41 9YA

Maidstone 89 Bank Street, ME14 1SD
Manchester 26 Spring Gardens, M2 1BB
Middlesbrough WH Smith Retail, 17-19 Centre Mall, Cleveland Centre, TS1 2NR
Monmouth Morgam News, 27 Monnow Street, NP25 3EF

Newcastle-upon-Tyne WH Smith Retail, 36 Northumberland Street, NE1 7DE
Northampton Primeco, 20 St Giles Street, NN1 1AF
Norwich 84/85 Castle Meadow Walk, Castle Mall, NR1 3DD
Nottingham Queen Street, NG1 2BN

Oxford 102/104 St Aldates, OX1 1ZZ

Penzance 113 Market Jew Street, TR18 2LB
Peterborough 28-30 Cowgate, PE1 1NA
Plymouth 5 St Andrews Cross, PL1 1AB
Portsmouth Slindon Street, PO1 1AB
Preston Unit 1, Urban Exchange, Theatre Street, PR1 8BQ

Reading 21/22 Market Place, RG1 2DQ
Redhill 5 The Belfry Shopping Centre, Station Road, RH1 1SA

Scarborough 11/15 Aberdeen Walk, YO11 1AB
Sheffield c/o Wilkinsons Store 1st Floor, S1 2AX
Shrewsbury WH Smith Retail, Darwin Centre, Shropshire, SY1 1BN
Slough WH Smith Retail, 176 High Street, SL1 1JN
Southampton WH Smith Retail, 32-34 Above Bar Street, SO14 7LE
Stockport 36/40 Great Underbank, SK1 1QF
Stoke-On-Trent WH Smith Retail, 213 The Potteries Centre, Hanley, ST1 1PS
Stratford-upon-Avon 2/3 Henley Street, CV37 6PU
Sunderland 45/47 Fawcett Street, SR1 1RR
Swansea WH Smith Retail, 37 Quadrant Shopping Centre, SA1 3QW
Swindon 10-12 Regent Street, SN1 1JQ

Trowbridge 1a Roundstone Street, BA14 8DA
Tunbridge Wells Fiveways, 18 Grosvenor Road, TN1 2AD

Watford WH Smith Retail, 165 The Harlequin, WD17 2WH

RAC

  1. Complete an application form.
  2. Include the following:
    1. The correct fee – 8 for one application or 16 for two (5.50 plus 2.50 processing fee per application)
    2. 1 x Recent passport-size photo(s) signed on the back
    3. A photocopy (not original) of your complete UK driving licence, including photocard if applying by post
    4. A photocopy of the page from your passport with your photo and identification details
  3. Send you application to:
    RAC Motoring Service
    Travel Administration
    PO Box 1500
    Great Park Road
    Bristol
    BS32 4QN

RAC will send your IDP first class

Eligibility

  • Holds a full UK driving licence (not provisional) covering the type of vehicle you’re planning to drive abroad – be a permanent resident of the UK
  • Be 18 or over

Notes:

  • You may not apply for an IDP with a foreign driving licence unless it’s an EU driving licence and you’re a resident in Great Britain.
  • You can only get an IDP 3 months in advance of needing it.

Instructions

Most countries require a 1949 Convention IDP, but there are countries where a 1926 Convention IDP is necessary.

  • The AA is authorised to issue both the 1926 and 1949 Convention IDPs to applicants 18 years and over who hold a valid UK driving licence, or can obtain such a licence on the basis of a valid pass certificate.
  • IDPs cannot be issued to a holder of a UK provisional driving licence without the test pass certificate and provisional driving licence.

An International Driving Permit is not the same as an International Driving Licence.

An International Driving Licence is not a legally recognised document and will not enable its holders to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP).

Before you apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) you must first check the IDP requirements of your destination country.

Notes:

  1. You may not submit applications more than three months in advance from the date of travel. An International Driving Permit can not be backdated under any circumstances.
  2. Persons going to a country to take up residence or employment, or for any reason other than tourism, should make enquiries about their personal position before relying on a permit.
  3. Do not forget to check the accuracy of the personal information printed on your driving licence. If there are any errors or you have a change of name or address, you should immediately notify the DVLA/DVLNI.
  4. When hiring a car overseas remember that driving licence requirements worldwide do vary. Therefore, if you are making an advanced reservation in the UK, ask the company concerned to confirm driving licence requirements of the country to be visited. In the absence of such information consider an IDP as a precautionary measure, especially if travelling outside Europe.

Required Information

  • Applicant’s name
  • Date of birth
  • Address: (as shown on driving licence and to which the permit may be sent)
  • Postcode
  • Contact tel no (inc STD code)
  • Countries you are visiting
  • Date of Travel
  • UK driving licence driver no

Source

Link

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