Driving & Car Rentals Abroad With
Canadian Driver's License
Contents
Check if you are allowed to apply an International Driver's Permit (IDP)
IDP requirements and car rental policies
How to get an International Driver's Permit (IDP)
Why should you get an IDP
Check if you are allowed to apply for an International Driver's Permit (IDP)
You may need an International Driver's Permit (IDP) to drive in some countries. Your eligibility for application depends on:
1. The country you’re visiting
2. Meeting the age requirement of the destination country (usually 18 years old)
3. Having a valid Canadian driver's license (learner's permit is not allowed)
4. The planned duration of your stay (usually 3-12 months)
IDP requirements and car rental policies
The countries or territories listed below are the ones most visited by Canadian citizens or Canadian driver's license holders.
Country / Territories | Convention Ratified | IDP Requirements | Car Rental Age Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
Ireland | 1949 | A Canadian driver'slicense alone is valid to drive in Ireland. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in Ireland. If you are under age 25, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Australia | 1949 | A Canadian driver'slicense alone is valid to drive in Australia. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the Australia.If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
U.S.A. | 1949 | A Canadian driver's license alone is valid to drive in the USA. No need to present an IDP (note exceptions for certain states). | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the USA. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
California | None ( State of the USA) | A Canadian driver's license alone is valid to drive in the state of California. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the state of California. If you are under age 25, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Hawaii | None ( State of the USA) | You need an IDP supplemented with your Canadian driver's license to be valid to drive in the state of Hawaii. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the state of Hawaii. If you are under age 25, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Kentucky | None ( State of the USA) | You need an IDP supplemented with your Canadian driver's license to be valid to drive in the state of Kentucky. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the state of Kentucky. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Texas | None ( State of the USA) | A Canadian driver's license alone is valid to drive in the state of Texas. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the state of Texas. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Wisconsin | None ( State of the USA) | A Canadian driver's license alone is valid to drive in the state of Wisconsin. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the state of Wisconsin. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Spain | 1949, 1968 | You need an IDP supplemented with your Canadian driver's license to be valid to drive in Spain. | You need to be at least 18 years old to drive a rental car in Spain. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Italy | 1949, 1968 | You need an IDP supplemented with your Canadian driver's license to be valid to drive in Italy. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in Italy. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(check T&Cs from individual car rental company during booking). |
U.K. | 1949, 1968 | A Canadian driver'slicensealone is valid to drive in UK. No need to present an IDP. | You need to be age 18 at least to get a rental car in the UK. If you are under age 25, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
France | 1949, 1968 | You need an IDP supplemented with your Canadian driver's license to be valid to drive in France. | You need to be at least 18 years old to drive a rental car in France. If you are under age 24, young driver fees are likely to be collected(subject to rental car groups). |
Although we take great efforts in trying to maintain the information on this page as up-to-date and accurate as possible, however, there are chances you may fail to find information relative to your destination country or territory. In a case like this, feel free to contact us by emailing to service@internatioanldrivinginstitution.com. We will do our best to find out for you by liaising with the pertaining bodies or companies.
How to get an IDP
Once you have confirmed that you are allowed to apply for an IDP, simply submit the materials online.
The online application process is as follows:
-
Fill out the application form with your driver's license information
-
Upload a recent passport size photo of yourself
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Upload a copy or a photo of your Canadian driver's license (full and valid)
Note that:
-
You must have a valid Canadian driver's license (learner's permit is not allowed)
-
Understand how long you plan to stay in the destination country
After submission and approval of necessary documents, you should be entitled to get your IDP. Depending on the number of demands, processing your application will take from 30 minutes to 2 days. We guarantee you the best price (check the IDP price here).
Why should you get an IDP
A Canadian driver's license can provide convenience in English or French-speaking countries (depending on the language of your driver's license). However, in some countries or even in some U.S. states, you may be required to carry an IDP.
To some extent, an IDP is a must-have for international travelers, no matter how extensively their domestic driver's licenses are recognized. After all, bringing an IDP is no mistake, but the absence of presenting one could sometimes be a problem. Notably, some car rental companies would still prefer seeing an IDP before giving you the keys.