You apply through AAA or AATA, bring a license copy and two passport photos, pay $20. In person it takes about ten minutes. By mail it takes one to two weeks. The DMV doesn't issue these.
Done in seconds. No sign-up required.
By US State Department designation, only AAA and AATA can issue an International Driving Permit to a US driver. Every other website or office is unauthorized, regardless of how official it looks.
American Automobile Association. The dominant issuer. Applications accepted at any AAA branch nationwide, online, or by mail. Same-day issue if you walk in with the paperwork.
American Automobile Touring Alliance. Smaller, mail-only. Useful if you live far from a AAA branch or want a backup channel. Same $20 fee.
A signed application form (AAA or AATA), two passport-style photos signed on the back, and a photocopy of both sides of your current US driver's license. You must be 18 or older.
Walk into any AAA branch with the packet and $20, or mail it to AAA or AATA. AAA also offers an online application — you upload everything digitally and they mail you the printed booklet.
In person: about ten minutes, you walk out with it. Online or mail: 5 business days of AAA processing plus return shipping, so 10–15 calendar days total.
The timing varies by channel, and this is where most travelers underestimate the lead time they need.
AAA's own recommendation is to apply 4 to 6 weeks before your international trip. That's not a marketing number — it accounts for the photo retakes, postal delays, and the time you'd lose if the application is returned for a correction.
These come up enough that AAA branch staff mention them unprompted:
Expedited shipping, rush services, and last-minute AAA branch visits all happen because people remember the IDP too late. With six weeks of lead time, the cheapest path — mailing the application and waiting — is also the easiest one.
Once you have the new IDP in hand, set another reminder for one month before its expiration date. See the main International Driving Permit page for how the timing works on BoldRemind, or the renewal page for what to do when this one runs out.
Apply through AAA (American Automobile Association) or AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance). Both are authorized by the US State Department. Submit a completed application, two passport-style photos signed on the back, a photocopy of both sides of your US license, and the $20 fee. You do not need to be a AAA member.
In person at any AAA branch. If you bring all the documents, AAA can usually issue the IDP while you wait — often in about 10 minutes. AAA membership is not required.
AAA quotes 5 business days for processing plus return shipping, so plan on 10 to 15 calendar days from mailing to receiving. AAA recommends applying at least four to six weeks before international travel to leave room for delays.
The IDP itself costs $20 USD. AAA charges an additional $10 if you need passport photos taken at the branch, plus shipping fees for mail applications. The total is typically $25 to $40.
No. State DMVs do not issue IDPs. AAA and AATA are the only two organizations in the United States authorized by the State Department to issue them.
AAA offers an online application that you start on the AAA IDP website. You complete the form digitally, upload a photo and a copy of your license, pay online, and AAA mails the printed booklet to you. There is no digital-only IDP — every IDP is a physical paper booklet.
No. AAA issues IDPs to non-members at the same $20 fee. Membership does not change the price or speed.
Free, no account. You'll get an email in time to mail the application and pay standard shipping, instead of a rush fee on the day.
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