International Driving Permit for Vietnam: The 1968 Rule & Country List (2026)

Here is the sentence that surprises more Ha Giang travellers than any other: your International Driving Permit might be worthless in Vietnam — even if it is genuine, paid for, and shiny new. Not because of a scam, but because there are two different IDP treaties in the world, and Vietnam only recognises one of them. Whether you can legally ride the Ha Giang Loop comes down to which international driving permit your country issues — and that is decided by a treaty signed in Vienna back in 1968.

This guide explains the 1968 rule in plain language, lists the countries whose permits work in Vietnam (and the big ones that do not), and gives you a fully legal plan B if your passport is on the wrong list.

Table of Contents

What Is an International Driving Permit?

An international driving permit is not a licence in itself — it is an official multilingual translation of your home driving licence, issued by your national automobile association (AA, AAA, ADAC and so on) before you travel. It only ever works together with your original licence, and it can only “translate” categories you actually hold. That last part matters enormously on the loop, as you will see below.

The 1968 Rule: Which International Driving Permit Vietnam Accepts

Two treaties govern IDPs worldwide:

The 1949 Geneva Convention — the older treaty, used by the USA, Australia, Canada, Japan and others
The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic — the newer treaty, with 86 contracting parties, including Vietnam (the authoritative member registry is kept by the UN at treaties.un.org)

Vietnam joined the 1968 convention and recognises only the 1968-format international driving permit. A 1949 IDP — however official it looks — has no legal force here. Police at a checkpoint will treat you as unlicensed, and your travel insurance can refuse a claim after an accident for exactly the same reason.

International driving permit for Vietnam - Honda Winner X 150 rental bike — The bikes are ready — the question is whether your paperwork is.

Country List: Whose International Driving Permit Works in Vietnam

Here is the full member list — every country whose international driving permit Vietnam accepts under the 1968 convention (86 contracting parties; the always-current registry lives at the UN link above). Membership occasionally changes, so if your departure is months away, a 30-second check before you fly never hurts.

✅ The 1968 club — full list, your IDP is valid in Vietnam

Europe: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom (joined in 2018 — ask the Post Office specifically for the “1968 Convention” IDP)
Asia–Pacific: Vietnam itself, Thailand (a recent member — older guides may say otherwise), the Philippines, Myanmar, Mongolia, Pakistan
Caucasus & Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
Middle East: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey
Africa: Benin, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Americas & Caribbean: Bahamas, Brazil, Cuba, Guyana, Honduras, Peru, Uruguay

❌ Signed but never ratified — the trap list, IDP still NOT valid

These countries put a signature on the 1968 convention decades ago but never completed ratification, so they still issue only 1949-format permits:

Spain and Mexico — the two that surprise the most travellers. Spanish riders: the EU flag on your licence does not save you here
South Korea, Indonesia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Venezuela — same situation: signed, never ratified

❌ Never joined — 1949-only or no IDP treaty at all

USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand — the big four of 1949-convention IDPs
Japan, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Iceland, Malta, Cyprus — 1949 only
China — party to neither treaty (no IDP of any kind is recognised)
Most of the rest of Latin America also sits outside the 1968 system — if your country is not in the ✅ list above, assume no and verify at the UN registry

The Second Catch: The Motorcycle Category

A valid 1968 international driving permit is only half the equation. Because an IDP merely translates your home licence, you also need a motorcycle category (A or A1) on the licence itself. A car-only licence plus a perfect IDP still does not let you ride a 150cc bike through the mountains — and the rental bikes on the loop are 110–150cc, above the 50cc threshold where licences become mandatory. French travellers know this pain well: a permis B alone is not enough, however valid the IDP.

International driving permit for Vietnam - motorbike category required for 150cc bikes — Loop bikes run 110–150cc — firmly in licence-required territory.

What Happens If You Ride Without the Right Papers

Enforcement in Ha Giang has tightened noticeably in 2026, alongside the border-permit checks at Bac Sum, Yen Minh and the Dong Van gateway (details in our border permit guide). Riding unlicensed risks a fine of millions of dong, the bike being held — and the quiet catastrophe: a voided insurance policy at the exact moment you need it most. We have seen the paperwork question ruin more trips than the rain ever has. More on staying out of trouble in our guide to riding the loop safely.

No Valid International Driving Permit? Your Legal Options

Ride pillion with an Easy Rider — the clean solution. Passengers need no licence at all: a local driver takes the bike, you take the views, and your insurance stays intact. This is exactly why the Easy Rider format exists — and honestly, most passengers end the loop glad they chose it.
Take the loop by car or jeep with a licensed local driver — same road, four wheels, zero paperwork.
Do not rely on “the shop rented it to me anyway” — rental shops check nothing; checkpoints and insurers check everything.

If your international driving permit IS valid (and your licence has the A category), self-riding is a joy — see our motorbike rental guide for choosing the right bike.

International driving permit for Vietnam - Honda Winner X ready for the loop — Papers in order — or a local rider up front. Either way, the loop is yours.

FAQ: International Driving Permit for Vietnam

Can I use a 1949 international driving permit in Vietnam if police rarely check?

Legally, no — and 2026 is the wrong year to gamble: checks are up, and insurance validity does not depend on whether you got caught, only on whether you were licensed.

Where do I get a 1968 IDP?

From your national automobile association before you leave home (post offices in the UK). It cannot be issued after you arrive in Vietnam, and online “instant IDPs” are not legal documents.

Do I need an international driving permit for an Easy Rider tour?

No. Passengers need nothing but a helmet — provided — and a camera. That applies to every seat on our 2–5 day tours.

My country is in the 1968 club but my licence has no motorbike category — can I ride?

Not legally on the loop’s 110–150cc bikes. Join an Easy Rider or the car option instead.

The Bottom Line

Check three things before you book anything: your country is a 1968 party, your international driving permit says “1968”, and your home licence carries the A/A1 category. Three yes → rent and ride. Any no → ride with us instead: small groups (max 10), local Easy Riders, 2–5 day routes from $123, free cancellation up to 24 hours — and not a single form for you to worry about.

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