Independent guide by India Customer Care · Not the Parivahan government website · We never ask for your licence number, vehicle number, Aadhaar or OTP. Official services: parivahan.gov.in
International Driving Permit in India: How to Apply and Renew
An International Driving Permit (IDP) lets you drive abroad with your Indian driving licence in countries that recognise it. Apply online on Sarathi through the state that issued your licence, using Form 4A, and pay ₹1,000 plus state charges. You need a valid driving licence, a passport and photographs. The permit is valid for up to one year, and never beyond your licence's expiry. If it expires while you are abroad, you can get a new one through an Indian embassy or consulate.
- Form
- 4A, online
- Fee
- ₹1,000 + state charges
- Valid for
- Up to 1 year
- Convention
- Geneva, 1949
- From abroad
- Via Indian mission
On this page
Who can get an International Driving Permit?
Any Indian citizen with a valid Indian driving licence and a passport. The permit shows the same vehicle classes as your licence, so you can't get an IDP for a car if your licence covers only a motorcycle. Check the licence classes on yours first. A learner licence is not enough.
How do I apply for an IDP?
Applying from India
YouRTODecision
- On Sarathi, choose the state that issued your licence
- Enter your licence number and date of birth, then fill in Form 4A
- Upload documents and pay ₹1,000 plus state charges
- Does your state ask for a visit?No: wait for the IDP to be issued
- Book a slot and take your originals for checking
- The IDP is issued
- Open Sarathi and choose the state that holds your licence record.
- Choose Apply for International Driving Permit (IDP), or Services on DL (Renewal/Duplicate/AEDL/IDP/Others).
- Enter your licence number and date of birth, and choose Issue International Driving Permit (IDP).
- Fill in your place of birth, passport number and its validity, and the vehicle classes you want on the permit. Some states also ask for visa details.
- Upload the documents and pay the fee.
- If your state asks, book a slot and visit for verification. Odisha, for example, verifies at the Government Driving Training School in Bhubaneswar; Delhi issues IDPs from its zonal offices.
- Later, use Display IDP Details or IDP Print Licence on Sarathi to check it.
If your IDP expired while you are abroad
Since 15 February 2021 you can get a new IDP without travelling to India.
- Go to the Indian embassy or consulate with your passport, your Indian driving licence and the expired IDP. Some missions also ask for your local residence card.
- Pay the mission's fee. The mission checks your documents and gives you a receipt.
- Apply for a fresh IDP on the Parivahan portal, upload the receipt and documents, and pay the Indian fee online.
- The licensing authority in India sends the IDP to your address abroad by courier.
Mission fees and timings differ. For example, the Embassy of India in Dublin lists a fee of €20 plus €2 and about 5 working days for the receipt; the Embassy in Sweden lists SEK 105. Check your mission's website.
What documents and fee do I need?
The central fee is ₹1,000 for issuing an IDP (rule 32), plus state service charges. Form 4A asks you to enclose:
- a copy of your valid Indian driving licence;
- three recent passport-size photographs;
- proof of your place and date of birth.
State transport pages also ask for your passport.
The January 2021 amendment removed the medical certificate (Form 1A) and visa conditions. Some state pages, such as Delhi's and Odisha's, still list them, and Delhi asks for four photographs. If the portal asks for an upload, follow it so your application isn't stuck.
How long is an IDP valid, and where can I use it?
- It is valid for up to one year, or until your Indian licence expires, whichever is earlier. If your licence expires within the year, renew it first.
- It stops being valid in a country once you make your normal residence there. If you are moving abroad for good, get a local licence.
- The IDP is issued under the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, 1949. Whether a country accepts it, and for how long, is up to that country. We found no official Indian list, so check the rules of the country you are visiting.
- Always carry it with your Indian driving licence and passport.
Since a 2022 amendment (G.S.R. 660(E), 26 August 2022), every state issues the IDP in the same format: a grey A6-size booklet. The Ministry of Road Transport says it also provides for a QR code linking the IDP to your driving licence, and a table comparing vehicle categories.
Which vehicle categories appear on the IDP?
A 2021 notification (S.O. 2159(E)) maps Indian licence classes to the international categories. In outline:
| Category | Vehicles (Geneva 1949) |
|---|---|
| A | Motorcycles |
| B | Cars with up to 8 seats besides the driver, and goods vehicles up to 3,500 kg |
| C | Goods vehicles over 3,500 kg |
| D | Passenger vehicles with more than 8 seats besides the driver |
| E | Combinations with a trailer other than a light trailer |
Motorcycle classes (MCWOG and MCWG) come under A and an LMV under B. Transport classes come under C, D or E depending on the vehicle.
What if something goes wrong?
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The portal asks for Form 1A or a visa | The 2021 rule dropped them, but upload them if the portal insists, or ask your RTO and mention the January 2021 amendment to rule 14. |
| My licence expires in a few months | The IDP can't outlast your licence. Renew the licence first, then apply. |
| My IDP expired while I'm abroad | Use the embassy or consulate route above. |
| A website offers an "international driving licence" online | Only your state transport department issues the Indian IDP, through Sarathi. Private documents are not an IDP. |
| I can't find the IDP option | Make sure you chose the state that issued your licence. The option is under the driving licence services. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the fee for an International Driving Permit?
₹1,000 under rule 32, plus state service charges.
How long is the IDP valid?
Up to one year, and never beyond your Indian licence's expiry date.
Do I need a visa or medical certificate?
Not under the 2021 amendment, but some state pages still list them, so be ready to upload them if asked.
Can I renew my IDP from abroad?
Yes. Get a receipt from the Indian embassy or consulate, then apply on the Parivahan portal. The IDP is couriered to you.
Can I drive abroad with only the IDP?
No. Carry it with your Indian licence and passport.
Which countries accept the Indian IDP?
We found no official Indian list. Check with the embassy or transport authority of the country you are visiting.
Sources
- Transport Department, Delhi – International Driving Permit (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Odisha Transport – Issue of International Driving Permit (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Central Motor Vehicles Rules, rule 32 – fees, Government of Himachal Pradesh copy (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of India, Manila – re-issue of the IDP (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of India, Dublin – re-issue of the IDP (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of India, Sweden – IDP re-issue (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Form 6A (earlier format), Government of Nagaland copy: validity and residence conditions (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- MoRTH S.O. 2159(E), 28 May 2021 – classes and international categories, Embassy of India, Warsaw copy (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- PIB – MoRTH notifies rules for renewal of the International Driving Permit from abroad, 10 Jan 2021 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Embassy of India, Brussels – IDP re-issue notice: applications from 15 Feb 2021 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Parivahan – Form 4A (rule 14(2)) (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Central Motor Vehicles (Fourteenth Amendment) Rules, 2022 – G.S.R. 660(E), 26 Aug 2022, gazette copy on PIB (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- PIB – notification for a uniform International Driving Permit, 29 Aug 2022 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
Page history: 25 Oct 2026: first published. 25 Oct 2026: sources limited to government websites.