Travel overseas is very exciting, with no shortage of amazing
places to visit and see. However, even though your travel plans
might depend on renting a car upon arrival, the reality of overseas
driving is more complicated.
Your Canadian driver's license is usually not valid
overseas. In most countries, you need an International Driving
Permit (or IDP). An IDP is a document translating the information
on your driver's license into multiple languages – when
presented along with your driver's license, it serves the
function of a valid driver's license overseas. IDPs are
governed by the 1949 United Nations Convention on Road Traffic, and
any country that is a signatory of that convention will accept it.
It also has sufficient international recognition that most
countries that are not signatories of the 1949 convention, such as
Russia, will still honour it, although some countries, such as
Brazil, will limit how long you can drive with it while within
their borders.
