The NRMA in NSW issues international licenses for travel overseas
The following is extracts from the NRMA website
With the number of Australians heading overseas on the increase again, NRMA Motoring & Services is encouraging travellers to arrange an International Drivers Permit even if they are not considering driving. An International Drivers Permit (IDP) is a low cost United Nations sanctioned document allowing motorists to drive internationally without further tests or applications provided their domestic drivers licence is valid. Currently an IDP is required by tourists to drive in over 22 countries and is recognised as an official document by over 150 countries throughout the world. It is intended to overcome the difficulties drivers may have while travelling in other countries that may have widely varying license requirements and is particularly useful if drivers are involved in a traffic incident. NRMA Motoring & Services regularly receives calls from travellers who are in difficulty as a result of being involved in an accident. Often a traveller must prove they have a valid IDP to avoid hefty fines or even gaol terms. It can also be a useful form of photo ID in the case of a lost or stolen passport. Outside passports, IDP are globally one the most recognised forms of identification. The IDP is issued with your photograph and personal details in nine languages including French, German, Arabic and Chinese. We are recommending travellers take an IDP when they go overseas because it is an added form of security, said Lyndel Killick, NRMA Overseas Motoring Manager. You can never be too prepared. NRMA Motoring & Services and other Australian motoring associations are authorised to issue IDPs. Requirements for an IDP include a current Australian Drivers Licence and a clear, recent passport-style photograph. The International Driving Permit can be issued over the counter at an NRMA Branch while you wait and is valid for one year. Alternatively applications forms can be downloaded at www.mynrma.com.au and posted to the NRMA. A handbook of international road rules and regulations is included with the permit. Members: $25.00 Non Members: $50.00 NRMA Motoring & Services also warns consumers that non motoring association websites promoting the sale of IDPs are illegal and the documents issued are invalid.
