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What to do When Your International Driving Permit Expires?

An international driving permit is one of the most important documents to have with you while taking a trip abroad. The permit is necessary to drive or rent a car while in a foreign country and you can get a fine if you don’t have it with you or the permit has expired.

An outdated international driving permit won’t be valid and you aren’t allowed to drive with it, but replacing it for a new one is relatively straightforward and not that much more complicated than obtaining one in the first place.

When Does an International Driving Permit Expire?

An international drivers license is valid for a year and after that, it can be renewed quite easily. It’s issued based on the old one, but you’ll need to provide a new photograph. The fee is the same and the forms you’ll need to fill out are the same as when you obtain the license for the first time.

This can be done online and while you’re abroad. There’s a chance that you may need to wait a bit longer for the permit to be sent to you and that’s why it’s important not to wait until it expires before ordering a new one.

An Expired National License

An international permit is based on a national license and is only valid when both of the documents are up to date and when you carry them with you. This means that if the national license expires you won’t be able to use the international permit either.

The license is usually valid for five years and it’s not always allowed to issue one online. It depends on who has issued the license and it’s, therefore, best to make sure that the validity of the two documents overlaps.

Getting a Local License

If you’ve spent enough time abroad, you may be eligible to get a local license. Some countries will even require you to do so since they won’t allow the use of an international permit for more than a year. You’ll need to provide proof of residence in order to obtain the license.

Chances are that there are also tests and medical exams involved since that’s the process for obtaining the license for the locals as well. The rules vary widely from country to country and it’s best to find what it takes to get a local license before the international permit expires.

What Can Happen if you’re Caught with an Expired Permit?

If the local traffic authorities find you with an outdated permit, you’ll be treated as if you don’t have a permit at all. For the most part, you’ll need to pay a fine and you won’t be able to drive until the issue is resolved.

In rare cases, the penalties could be harsher but that’s mostly true if you’ve also made other traffic violations or if it’s not the first time you’re caught without the proper documents. It’s best not to test how far things could go while visiting a foreign country.

JL Staff

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