What do I do if I lose my International Driving Permit abroad?

Updated 21 Jun 2026

Direct answer

You cannot get a replacement official International Driving Permit while abroad — IDPs are only issued by your home country before travel. If yours is lost or stolen, you can still drive on your original national licence where it's accepted, and a certified translation of that licence is the fastest stand-in to keep rental desks and police able to read it.

At a glance

Replace an IDP abroad?: No — only your home country issues it
Still have your licence?: You can often keep driving where accepted
Fast stand-in: An instant certified translation of your licence
If stolen: File a police report for insurance/records
Carry: Your original national licence at all times

Trip decision path

Turn this guide into a clean travel plan

Use the guide as context, then confirm your exact license, destination, dates, and vehicle before buying anything.

2 authority sources

1 · Verify the rule

Choose your license country, destination, dates, and vehicle type.

2 · Use an authorized IDP route

If the checker says an IDP is required, get it from your license country's authorized issuer. We do not sell IDPs.

3 · Add a translation companion

Use the translation pack when rental desks, insurers, or checkpoints need to read your license. It is not a permit.

Why you can't just buy a new IDP on the spot

An International Driving Permit is only valid when issued by an authorised body in your own country, before you travel. No legitimate issuer provides a replacement IDP to someone already abroad — and any local website offering an 'instant IDP' is a private seller (often a scam) shipping a translation. So the practical question after a lost IDP is not 'where do I get another?' but 'how do I keep my licence readable until I'm home?'.

The fastest workaround

Your original national licence is the document that actually grants you the right to drive; the IDP only translated it. If you still have the licence, you can continue driving wherever it's accepted. To replace the comprehension the IDP gave you, order a certified translation of your licence — delivered digitally in minutes — so rental desks and police can still read your name, categories and validity. Where a country specifically requires the IDP booklet, you may need to limit driving until you can obtain a new IDP back home.

If it was stolen

Report a stolen IDP and licence to local police and keep the report — insurers and rental companies may ask for it, and it protects you if the documents are misused. Then sort out a certified translation as your interim readable document. Once home, apply for a fresh IDP (they can't be renewed, only re-issued) and, if your licence was taken too, replace that first since the IDP is worthless without it.

What to prepare

Keep (or replace) your original national licence — the IDP is void without it
Order a certified translation as an instant readable stand-in
File a police report if the documents were stolen
Limit driving where the country requires the IDP booklet specifically
Apply for a new IDP once back home (no renewals exist)

Check your exact route

License country × destination × vehicle — free, 1 minute.

Need your license translated?

Clearly-labeled translation companion — never a fake permit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a replacement IDP while travelling?

No. A valid IDP is only issued by an authorised body in your home country before travel. Abroad, a certified translation of your original licence is the practical stand-in where a translation is accepted.

Can I still drive if I lost my IDP but kept my licence?

Often yes — your national licence is what grants the right to drive, where it's accepted. A certified translation restores the legibility the IDP provided. A few countries require the IDP booklet specifically, so check the local rule.

Do I need to report a lost IDP?

If it was stolen, file a police report for insurance and to protect yourself. A simply misplaced IDP doesn't require reporting, but you'll still need a readable stand-in like a certified translation.

Government and authority sources

Also see our authorized issuer guidance for where to get a real IDP when your trip requires one.

Requirements vary by country. Carry your translation together with your original driving licence and passport; some countries require an official IDP issued by an authorised body in your country of licence. Information provided is general guidance. Always check local regulations for your destination.