If you're planning to drive abroad, you've probably come across the term International Driving Permit (IDP) — and noticed that AAA is one of the places that issues them in the United States. That naturally raises the question: do you need to be a AAA member to get one?
The short answer is no — but the full picture is worth understanding before you show up at a AAA office or start looking for alternatives.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not a standalone license. It's a translation document — a standardized booklet printed in multiple languages that accompanies your valid domestic driver's license. When you drive in a foreign country, local authorities and rental car companies can use the IDP to read your license information without needing to understand English.
The IDP is governed by the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention, both international treaties that established the permit's format and recognized uses. The U.S. Department of State authorizes only two organizations to issue IDPs to American license holders: AAA (American Automobile Association) and AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance).
No government agency issues IDPs in the United States. Your state DMV does not issue them. Third-party websites that claim to sell "official" IDPs are not authorized to do so. 🌍
No. AAA does not require you to be a member to apply for an International Driving Permit. Both members and non-members can walk into a AAA branch office and apply for one.
What AAA does require:
Members and non-members pay the same IDP fee. There is no membership discount specifically tied to IDP issuance, though AAA membership comes with unrelated travel benefits that some people bundle together.
AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance) is the second U.S.-authorized IDP issuer. AATA issues IDPs primarily through its affiliated clubs and may have different application processes. If you don't have a AAA branch convenient to you, AATA is the other legitimate option.
The core requirements are similar: a valid U.S. license, photos, and payment. But the specifics of how AATA processes applications — whether in person, by mail, or through affiliated clubs — can vary.
Applying for an IDP through AAA is generally straightforward:
| Step | What's Involved |
|---|---|
| Locate a branch | IDPs are issued in person at AAA offices, not online |
| Bring your license | Must be a valid, unexpired U.S. driver's license |
| Bring two photos | Passport-style, meeting standard photo requirements |
| Complete the form | AAA provides the application at the branch |
| Pay the fee | Non-refundable; payable at time of application |
| Receive the IDP | Typically issued same day at the branch |
The in-person requirement is important: AAA does not issue IDPs by mail or online. If you need one, plan to visit a branch in person.
IDPs issued in the United States are valid for one year from the date of issue. They cannot be renewed — you apply for a new one when the current one expires.
Your IDP is only valid alongside your domestic driver's license. If your home country license is expired or suspended, the IDP carries no legal weight regardless of what it says on the document.
Most countries that are signatories to the Geneva or Vienna conventions recognize the IDP — but not all countries require it, and some countries have their own bilateral agreements with the U.S. that affect what documentation is needed. 🗺️
Whether a specific country requires or recommends an IDP for U.S. visitors is something worth verifying through the U.S. Department of State's country-specific travel information or the destination country's consular resources. The IDP is also commonly required — or strongly preferred — by international car rental agencies, even in countries where local law doesn't strictly mandate it.
Your state DMV's role here is limited but foundational: your IDP is only as valid as the domestic license it accompanies. If your license is suspended, revoked, or expired under your state's rules, no IDP issued on top of it will authorize you to drive legally abroad.
States have different rules about license validity periods, renewal cycles, and what triggers a suspension — all of which affect whether your underlying license is in good standing at the time you apply for or use an IDP.
The IDP process itself is relatively uniform across the country — two authorized issuers, consistent documentation requirements, one-year validity. What varies is everything underneath it: whether your home state license is current and valid, whether the country you're visiting has specific documentation requirements beyond the IDP, and whether the rental company or foreign authority you encounter accepts it the way you expect.
The IDP is the same document regardless of your state. What your state determines is whether your underlying license — the document the IDP translates — is legally valid to begin with.