How to identify fake IDPs — the consequences are harsh!
There are unfortunately many, many scam websites selling International Driving Permits online. They will often capture customers in a rush and in a tough situation with phrases like “get it instantly”! We’re here to help you sort through the real and the fake services for IDPs.
We see most of our customers learning about International Driving Permits for the first time when they realize they need one. Therefore, many have fallen for traps online promising IDPs with 5- or 10-year validity or an immediate digital delivery. They don’t realize they bought a fake IDP until foreign authorities catch them with a fine, or until rental car personnel turn them away.
So you don’t have to, we have researched the real consequences of driving with a fake IDP in the following countries:
Italian authorities will issue an immediate citation for (~$500-$2,000) and impound the car
Japanese authorities view a fake IDP the same as driving without a license, which warrants an estimated fine of $3,500 and up to 3 years in jail
Emirati authorities treat this as document forgery, which means hefty fines of ~$1,500-$15,000 and more than 3 months in jail
Here are the main red flags that you are looking at a scammer IDP company
They claim instant, digital delivery. There is no such thing as a digital IDP. IDPs are physical booklets issued by AAA or AATA and are either obtained in-person or mailed. PriorityIDP partners with AAA to obtain physical IDPs on behalf of the customers.
They claim to issue IDPs. AAA and AATA are the only two issuers, granted by a treaty from the US State Department in 1949.
They claim IDP validity for more than a year. The limit based off the 1949 treaty states 1-year validity only. You’ll have to get a new one if you want to drive after that.
You are not asked for your current driver’s license or passport photos, which are key parts of the official IDP application.
If you need an International Driving Permits, there are a few ways to get one legitimately.
Through issuers directly. You can go in-person to your local AAA branch (check beforehand that they have them in stock or can issue them – not all locations do), and bring passport photos or take them there, and get an IDP the same day. The cost of the IDP from AAA is $20, and $15-20 for passport photos. You can also apply by mail or online, which take 5-7 weeks or a week respectively.
Through PriorityIDP. We are expert expediters of IDPs – the fastest and cheapest way to get one online. We will help you through an official AAA IDP application, take that to a AAA office to obtain a physical IDP, and then ship it to you immediately anywhere in the world! Many of our customers are folks already abroad or those who want the convenience of not making a AAA trip themselves. We can process same-day and ship your IDP to you by next business day for domestic or 2-5 days for international. If you live near our offices in MN, we may even be able to deliver it in person!
If you have more questions about our process, feel free to check out our website at priorityidp.com. You can also reach out to us anytime – we love talking to our customers and helping them travel safely abroad!