Which European countries require an international driving license?

What is an international driving license

You have already received a Russian driver's license, purchased a car after checking its history in advance, and now you want to acquire an international license. What is the document? This is an A6 booklet approved by international law in Russian and English with a photograph, indicating the driver’s data, as well as the categories of vehicles that he can drive.

Validity

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation (namely, Article 25, Part 8), the standard validity period of international rights is calculated at 3 years. However, in accordance with Decree No. 33 on “Road Traffic”, the time period of this crust may expire earlier if, before its end, the national VU loses its legal force.

Moreover, in such cases, it will no longer be possible to exchange an expired certificate for free, and the repeated procedure for obtaining a foreign certificate will be the same as the initial execution of the document. Therefore, it is advisable to apply for an IDP after you have obtained your new civil rights. Then their validity period will not be shortened in advance.

Why do you need an international driving license?

An international license will come in handy if you are going to drive a car abroad or rent it there. In addition, with an international ID it is easy to book a hotel room and buy air tickets. This is the same document as a passport.

Also, you won’t have to argue with the foreign police once again about who is right and who is wrong. Since national rights do not apply everywhere in practice, it is easier to have international ones.

Also read: What does an international driving license look like?

Registration of an international university

Most often, citizens apply for international car licenses to the local traffic police department, since during a personal visit to the government agency you can find out all the nuances of this process. But if the procedure for obtaining a foreign driving license is not carried out for the first time, then to save time the driver can use the help of the MFC, or create the appropriate application independently, through the State Services website.

traffic police

In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, registration of an international certificate is allowed to be carried out at any traffic police department, regardless of the citizen’s registration. To do this, he just needs to show up at a government agency and get in line with the responsible specialist.

Having provided him with all the necessary documents for verification, the motorist finds out the date of issue of his foreign driving license and appears for him on the appointed day. Compared to other options for obtaining an international certificate, contacting the traffic police is considered the most costly in terms of finances. But in terms of saving time, it has a significant advantage.

Public services

You can also obtain a European format driver's license online, without leaving your home. To do this, you should register on the official website of government services and upload all the necessary documents to your account. Within 5-7 days, the papers provided by the applicant will be reviewed, and if there are no additional questions, the citizen will only have to come to the specified traffic police department to get the completed paper.

MFC

A multifunctional center is also involved in obtaining international driving licenses in Russia, where drivers who do not want to stand in lines usually turn. The principle of operation of this option is very similar to government services, with the exception that you will need to submit all certificates for consideration in person. But MFC employees, as a rule, spend much less time checking information. Therefore, this method of obtaining a foreign crust can be considered the most profitable.

Which countries require international law?

First, let’s figure out what document and when the sample of international rights was approved.

Back in 1949, 96 countries signed the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. The paper was created for the purpose of ease of movement within the territories of countries that signed the convention. The document approved a unified form of the card, the minimum age of the driver - 18 years, categories of vehicles, as well as the validity period of the international license.

Today international law is recognized in:

Dominican Republic;
Egypt;
India;
Cambodia;
China;
Cyprus;
the Netherlands;
USA;
Tunisia;
Turkey, etc.

A complete list of countries can be found on the United Nations website.

Also read: How to get an international driving license

At the same time, if you decide to drive with an international license, take Russian ones as well. Without them, an international certificate is considered invalid.

19 years after the signing of the convention in Geneva, 75 states have signed the new Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. This document was intended to make life even easier for motorists, as it allowed the use of national rights in the territory of the countries that signed the document.

For example, the Convention allowed Russians to drive a car in a number of countries with a Russian license. The list of those who signed includes countries of the former Soviet Union, for example: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, as well as countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. For a complete list of states, also see the UN website.

IMPORTANT! Countries that have not signed any conventions, by default, accept only documents approved by their own laws and regulations. But, fortunately, there are few such states.

Also read: Is it possible to get a license in another city?

How to get international driving license in Russia

Let's look at the key stages of obtaining an international driver's license.

Documentation

To obtain a license for traveling abroad, you will need:

Statement.

Sample application for an international driving license
Passport.
Russian rights.
Photograph 35*45 mm, made on matte paper.

Will I have to retake the exams?

No, you won't have to. International licenses can only be obtained by citizens who have a national driver's license. This document is issued only after passing theory and driving practice. There is no need to retake the exams.

Receipt procedure

There are four different ways to obtain an international driving license. These include the following options:

Contact the territorial division of the traffic police. Here it is necessary to clarify that not all structural divisions of this department are involved in issuing driver’s licenses. Therefore, you can find the nearest branch that can help in resolving this issue through the traffic police website.rf.
PUBLIC SERVICES. This is a single information portal where you can draw up almost any document. This rule also applies to international driving licenses. The advantage of this method is that when receiving the service remotely, the citizen is offered a 30 percent discount on state fees.
MFC. This is a one-stop service center for working with the public. When contacting this structure, you can obtain international rights in just 3 days.
Intermediaries. This refers to legal firms that represent the interests of their client on the basis of a written power of attorney. Here it is necessary to clarify that intermediaries charge a certain fee for their services. But they do all the paperwork, relieving the client of paperwork.

Regardless of the method chosen, you will have to obtain your license in person. The document will not be issued to another person, even if a notarized power of attorney is issued.

State duty

The cost of an international driver's license depends on the method of obtaining it. In particular, if the application is submitted directly to the traffic police, you will have to pay 1,600 rubles. If you use the STATE SERVICES website, taking into account a 30% discount, the state fee will be 1,120 rubles.

When choosing intermediary organizations, you need to remember that in addition to the duty, you will have to pay for the service provided. On average, obtaining an IDP in this way will cost 2,200-2,500 rubles.

For how long is an international driving license issued?

If you follow the norms of current legislation, then IDPs are valid for 3 years after receipt.
However, there is a small clarification here: the validity of the document cannot exceed the period of validity of the national driver's license. It follows that if a Russian license is valid for 5 years, you can obtain an IDP for 3 years. In situations where Russian rights expire, for example, 12 months remain, an IDP is issued for a similar period.

Read also: Emigration to the Czech Republic from Russia

International laws and popular holiday destinations

International laws apply in Thailand. Popular transport there is scooters or scooters. Many tourists say that it is easier to get a Thai license by spending a couple of days and 555 baht (including state duty, medical certificate and resident certificate) for category A/A1 - a little more than a thousand rubles. Although even at such prices, some people drive without a license at all...

You can drive on Turkish roads for six months with a national license, although the traffic police will ask for an international or local license. Moreover, rental offices may not ask for identification at all, considering all possible outcomes to be problems of the insurance company. Please note that after 6 months without the necessary rights, you will not receive an insurance payment.

International laws do not apply in China. But you can travel with Russians for 1-2 months. If you stay there longer, you will have to get a local driver's license.

On Indian soil, on the contrary, only international and local rights are recognized. You can't travel with Russians at all. Some manage to negotiate with traffic police for a few hundred rupees or even make their licenses in Photoshop... But we do not recommend going this route. This is illegal and unsafe.

On the roads of Eastern European countries, you will also be asked for international licenses. Moreover, in Belarus, for example, you can travel with a Russian ID for 3 months after receiving a Belarusian passport or residence permit. In Poland - six months. And in Bulgaria, national rights are valid for a year from the moment of entry into the country. After these deadlines, you need to take exams and obtain a local license.

Also read: How to get a motorcycle license

Where does the IDP operate?

The list of countries where you can use an international driver's license is approved by the provisions of the Vienna and Geneva conventions. Currently, the document is valid in the territory of the following states:

Austria;
Azerbaijan;
Armenia;
Bahamas;
Bahrain;
The Republic of Belarus;
Belgium;
Bulgaria;
Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Brazil;
Vatican;
Great Britain;
Hungary;
Venezuela;
Vietnam;
Guyana;
Ghana;
Germany;
Greece;
Georgia;
Denmark;
Zimbabwe;
Israel;
Indonesia;
Iraq;
Iran;
Spain;
Italy;
Congo;
Cape Verde;
Kazakhstan;
Qatar;
Kenya;
Kyrgyzstan;
Costa Rica;
Ivory Coast;
Korea;
Cubes;
Kuwait;
Latvia;
Lithuania;
Liberia;
Luxembourg;
Macedonia;
Morocco;
Mexico;
Moldova;
Monaco;
Mongolia;
the Netherlands;
Niger;
Nigeria;
Norway;
United Arab Emirates;
Pakistan;
Peru;
Poland;
Portugal;
Russia;
Romania;
San Marino;
Saudi Arabia;
Seychelles;
Senegal;
Serbia;
Slovakia;
Slovenia;
Tajikistan;
Thailand;
Taiwan;
Tunisia;
Turkey;
Turkmenistan;
Uzbekistan;
Ukraine;
Uruguay;
Philippines;
Finland;
France;
Croatia;
Central African Republic;
Montenegro;
Czech Republic;
Chile;
Switzerland;
Sweden;
Ecuador;
South Africa.

Citizens over the age of 18 can obtain an international driver's license. Let us add that along with the IDP it is necessary to present national rights.

When considering the issue of driving abroad, it is important to take into account the fact that not all countries have joined international agreements. Therefore, in the territory of countries that have not signed the Vienna and Geneva Conventions, the IDP has no legal force. Here tourists will have to take an exam and receive a driver’s license approved in the country. Otherwise, you cannot drive the car.

What you might encounter in practice

If you have an old Russian license issued before 2011, foreign inspectors will not accept it. In 2006, an addition to the Vienna Convention was issued, according to which rights must be indicated in numbers, and there must be a barcode on the card itself. The old ID does not have this. It can, of course, “take a ride,” but it’s better not to risk it.

Even if you have a new Russian driver's license, they may require international licenses abroad. They are often asked when you need a rental car or when it comes to paying out insurance.

It often happens that in states where only international certificates must be accepted, they agree to check national ones and, vice versa. For example, a traffic policeman from the USA will ask for your Russian license, although the States have signed the Geneva Convention, which allows only international ones.

An interesting situation in Italy. The country has signed both conventions, which means any rights are accepted there. But rental shops ask for international ones. Therefore, you need to be ready to defend your case or simply have an international ID.

Also read: Documents for obtaining a driver's license

Let's sum it up

International rights are applied only in conjunction with national ones: they cannot replace a Russian car license on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Get yourself an international driving license if you often travel abroad. Even if you have a new Russian car license, having an IDP will save you from unnecessary questions when renting a car and communicating with the traffic police. And you will certainly praise yourself for your forethought in the event of an insured event.
Check the driving license requirements for the country you are traveling to. If the country you choose does not comply with the rules of either the Vienna or Geneva Conventions, in order to legally drive a car you will have to take exams and obtain a driver’s license directly in that country.

You can watch the video briefly about obtaining and applying international rights in the video:

Adviсe

Experts and experienced drivers suggest doing 3 things before driving abroad:

Search the forums and find out where problems with rights arose and how the matter ended.
Apply for an international driver's card if your Russian license is an old model.
If the country you are visiting has not signed the Vienna Convention, this does not mean that it has signed the Geneva Convention. You need to check both lists of countries on the UN website.

The main thing is to try not to take risks. It’s easier to make the necessary document and not worry than to wait for it to work out.

Required documents

Regardless of where the international certificate will be issued, to obtain it the driver will need a mandatory package of documents, which includes:

Foreign passport (in a Russian citizen’s civil ID, the initials are written in Cyrillic, and in foreign forms all data is indicated in Latin. Therefore, in order for a traffic police officer to correctly translate the driver’s first and last name, it is necessary to provide a foreign passport);
Russian-style VU (plastic or paper);
Certificate of registration (usually indicated in the passport. But for short-term residence in a certain locality, the citizen is issued a temporary certificate);
Photo of a car enthusiast, size 35x45 mm;
Application for issuance of an IDP;
Receipt for payment of a single duty.

The same package of documents is required to replace the ID if it is lost. You can collect all the above papers in just 1-2 hours.

How and where to apply for an international certificate

To register your rights, you need only five documents:

Russian passport;
international passport;
Russian driver's license;
receipt of payment of duty - 1600 rubles;
photo.

Take the papers to the central department of the road inspection or find out which departments can issue licenses, or contact the MFC. Another way to obtain a certificate is through the State Services portal.

It is important to remember that international rights, according to the terms of the Convention, are valid only for 3 years. If you drive a car abroad often, during the 10 years of validity of your Russian license, change your international license 3-4 times.

Also read: How to sign up for a license through State Services

What documents do you need to collect to obtain an IDP?

The attached documents for obtaining an international driver's license include the following official papers:

national driver's license valid at the time of submission of documentation;
foreign and Russian passport with proof of registration on its fifth page. A foreign passport is required to verify the transliteration. The document can be replaced with a military ID. The presence of temporary registration must be confirmed by an original document;
one color or black and white photograph with a matte surface measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm, the photo should not have a white corner;
a receipt confirming the fact of payment of the state fee for an international driver's license.

Resolution No. 65 dated 02/04/2016 amended paragraph 34 of the rules for issuing a temporary residence permit of an international standard. Currently, subparagraph “c” (about the need to provide a medical certificate) is not in the rules.
A medical certificate for an international driver's license is also not required when replacing an IDP due to its damage, when restoring a stolen (lost) document, or when changing the driver's personal data - changing the last name or changing the region of registration.

Submitted documents are checked by road safety inspectors for the accuracy of data, validity periods, and the presence of errors. If counterfeit papers, an expired ID or passport, or a driver’s license lost by someone are detected, a package of documents is returned to the applicant for correction. The transfer of documentation is carried out by the same person who draws up international rights.

By submitting the documents for an international driver's license to the inspector in 2020, the applicant will be able to simply wait for his turn to receive an international license. Passing exams is not provided for by law (Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1097, as amended on February 4, 2016, section III, paragraph 33).

Possible consequences of driving a car abroad without an international license

After March 2011, some countries party to the Vienna Convention (for example, Austria) began to require an international driving license to obtain a visa when entering the country in your own car.

Many well-known rental companies have included the requirement for such rights as a condition for obtaining a car rental. And, for example, in Italy, the fine for their absence ranges from 300 euros, despite the fact that the country is a party to the Vienna Convention.

If in different countries the approach to the recognition of national rights under normal conditions may be different, the situation becomes sharply aggravated when an accident occurs and subsequent relationships with insurance companies. No insurance company will accept a Green Card policy if the foreign driver does not have an international driving license.

This is why experts strongly recommend obtaining an international license when traveling abroad in your own car or using a rental car.

Receipt procedure

In order to get a new foreign cover for a car, or change an old one due to wear or loss, a motorist needs to go through 7 simple steps:

Collect a list of required documents;
Find a suitable traffic police department;
Take a turn to see a specialist;
Pay the state fee;
Check the provided papers and certificates;
Wait until the appointed date for receiving the driver's license;
Receive the certificate and put the appropriate signature on the form.

Having gone through all of the above stages, a person will be able to exchange his old license or receive a new license with which he will be allowed to drive on the roads of other countries.

We looked at why an international driver's license is needed and how to apply for it through government agencies. In conclusion, it should be added that before applying for an IDP, it is better to make sure in advance that your national rights will remain valid for 3 years. Otherwise, the term of the international document will also be shortened, and you will have to go through all the mentioned stages again.