How To Get International Driving License Permit In India
Driving around in the international boundaries of different countries has a thrill of its own. There are many people who love driving around in a rented vehicle when they visit foreign countries than rather booking public transports. However, your Indian driving license does not give you permission to drive outside the borders of the country. You need to obtain an international driving permit for driving across different countries. The international drivers permit (IDP) is a document that translates your license into different languages for the concerned foreign authorities to understand its content. Earlier the process of obtaining an international license in India was a tiresome one. But now, much to your convenience, getting an international license in India is not a cumbersome process anymore.
Let us have a brief look at the procedure for how to get an international driving license in India. There are three organizations that are eligible to issue an international driver license in India, namely:
- Regional Transport Office (RTO)
- Western India Automobile Association (WIAA)
- International Traffic Control Association, India (ITCA)
Thus, there are three different ways of applying for an international driving license in India depending on your convenience.
Procedure for applying for international drivers permit with the Regional Transport Office:
- You can apply for an IDP at the RTO that has issued your Indian driving license. If you want to apply the IDP through a different RTO then you must obtain a No Objection Certificate from the original RTO.
- Form 4A (application for IDP) has to be filled, signed and submitted at the RTO by the applicant.
- A medical certificate from a registered practitioner has to be attached with Form4A in Form1A declaring that the driver is physically and mentally eligible for driving.
- A fee of Rs. 1000 has to be paid while submitting the documents at the RTO.
Documents required to be submitted at the RTO
- Indian Driving License. The validity must remain for at least from the date of submission.
- Valid Indian Passport.
- Passport size Photographs
- Flight Tickets
- Copy of visa, if applicable
The applicant is advised to carry self-attested copies of the documents along with the originals for verification at the RTO office.
Take a look at the procedure on how to get an international drivers’ license through the Western Indian Automobile Association (WIAA):
- An International driving permit in India can be obtained through WIAA only at some selected cities namely, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Pune.
- It is mandatory for the applicant to become a member of WIAA for applying for an IDP. To become a member you can apply online through their official website.
- On becoming a member, you need to download the IDP from, fill it and submit at the WIAA office at Ahmedabad, Pune or Mumbai
- A fee of Rs. 1700 (including service charges) has to be paid along with the application.
List of documents required to be submitted along with the IDP application:
- Copy of Indian driving license
- Passport size photographs
- Passport size photographs
- WIAA membership card
The applicant must note that the address mentioned in the Indian Driving License and the Passport should be the same. Also, the driving license has to be the one issued by RTO as Mumbai, Pune or Ahmedabad only.
Procedure to obtain an International driving permit in India through International Traffic Control Association (ITCA), India:
Obtaining an IDP through ITCS is the fastest way to obtain an international driving permit. This process gets your application processed within a couple of hours and shipped on the same day. And that is why it the most expensive option.
To apply for an international driving license visit the official website of ITCS at www.e-itca.org. Fill out the application and upload the scanned copies of the following:
- Indian driving license
- Indian passport.
- Passport sized biometric photograph.
- Scanned signature
The fee for obtaining an IDP through ITCA will be around 60 Euros including shipping charges.
It takes around 7 days to obtain an IDP. Hence, the applicants are requested to plan ahead of their foreign trips. The validity of an International driver's License extends for a period of one year from the date of issue. On the expiry of the IDP, the same needs to be reapplied following any of the procedures mentioned above. There is no procedure for renewing an IDP. An IDP can be obtained in several languages depending on the applicant’s requirement. An is acceptable in around 200 countries worldwide.
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