International Driving Permit Philippines: How Long a Foreign Licence Works, Who Can Get an IDP, and When to Convert

How long you can drive in the Philippines on a foreign licence: the LTO says 90 days

A bona fide tourist with a valid foreign driver's licence may drive in the Philippines for up to 90 days. If you will drive for longer or are settling here, convert to a Philippine licence. The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Filipino Driver's Manual, Volume 1 (2nd edition, 2021) states under its table on converting foreign licences: "Bona fide tourist with valid FDL is allowed to operate motor vehicles for no more than ninety (90) days of their stay in the Philippines." The Philippine Embassy in Bern puts it the same way: a foreign driver's licence can be used for 90 days from the date of arrival, and travellers who plan to stay and drive longer must get a Philippine licence from the LTO.

Three words in that rule matter:

• "Valid." Your home licence must be current. An international driving permit cannot stand in for an expired home licence; see section 4.
• "Tourist." The rule is written for short-term visitors. If you hold a long-term visa and live here, do not treat 90 days as a quota you can keep resetting. Whether leaving and re-entering restarts the count is not spelled out in the official documents, so the LTO and enforcers have the last word.
• "From the date of arrival." The clock starts with your latest entry, and the arrival stamp in your passport is the evidence at a checkpoint, so carry your passport or something that proves your entry date.

Carry four things when you drive: your original licence, your passport with the arrival stamp, an international driving permit or an English translation of your licence if you have one, and the rental agreement and vehicle registration papers if the car is rented. The LTO manual does not say which translation a non-English licence needs on the road, but a traffic enforcer or rental desk that cannot read your licence will ask questions, and an English version saves time. For checkpoints and the local rules of the road, see traffic rules in the Philippines.

Ninety days is what the LTO allows. It does not oblige a rental company to rent to you, or an insurer to pay out. Rental companies set their own licence, permit and experience requirements in the contract, and insurance cover depends on the policy wording, so check both before you sign; see car rental documents and insurance. If you would rather not drive in Manila at all, a car with a driver is a sensible alternative; see hiring a car with a driver vs self-drive.

Just landed and would rather not drive in Manila yourself? → Book a car with a driver

What an international driving permit is: a multilingual companion to your licence, not a licence on its own

An international driving permit (IDP) is a multilingual document issued under the international road traffic conventions. It is used together with your home licence, and you get it from the country or territory that issued that licence.

IDPs rest on two UN treaties: the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. According to the UN Treaty Collection, the Philippines is a party to both, having ratified the 1949 Convention on 15 September 1952 and the 1968 Convention on 27 December 1973. An IDP issued by another contracting party under either convention therefore has a treaty basis in the Philippines.

Hong Kong's Transport Department explains the document well in its driving licence information, and it is a useful model:

• its IDP is issued under the Geneva Convention of 19 September 1949 and should be valid in all contracting states for the vehicle classes shown on the permit;
• the permit is valid for one year from the date of issue;
• contracting countries may have particular conditions, for example requiring the IDP to be used together with the physical Hong Kong full driving licence;
• applicants should check the driving requirements of the destination with its consulate or office before applying or driving.

Three practical conclusions follow:

1. Where to get one: from the authority that issued your home licence, before you travel. You cannot obtain an IDP for a foreign licence once you are in the Philippines.
2. Validity: an IDP has its own validity, one year in Hong Kong's case. When it expires you apply again; there is no renewal as such.
3. How to use it: carry it with your original licence. An IDP on its own is not a licence.

Some countries also have bilateral recognition or exchange arrangements outside the conventions; whether they apply, and for how long, is for the authorities on both sides to say. On the Philippine side, the general rule for foreign licences is the 90 days above. An IDP makes your licence readable; it does not extend that period.

One more point: the vehicle classes on an IDP mirror those on your home licence. If your licence does not cover a vehicle type, neither does the permit, so choose a rental car according to your home licence categories.

Why mainland Chinese licence holders cannot get an IDP, and how they can still drive here

Mainland China is not a party to either road traffic convention, so mainland residents cannot obtain a convention IDP. The "international licences" sold to them are translations.

The People's Republic of China does not appear among the parties to the 1968 Convention in the UN Treaty Collection. A note to the 1949 Convention records that, on resuming sovereignty, China notified the UN that the convention would apply to the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, which is why those two can issue IDPs. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, replying to a CPPCC proposal on 17 August 2018, said the convention's licence categories, vehicle types, vehicle safety standards, traffic rules and road markings differ from China's current rules, and that joining would require revising its road traffic laws and standards; it also noted mutual licence recognition with Belgium and the UAE and an agreement signed with France. When we checked in September 2026, China was still not listed as a party to the 1968 Convention; any change will be announced by China's Ministry of Public Security.

A consumer notice on a Beijing district government website is blunter: mainland residents cannot obtain an "international driving licence," and what agencies sell under that name is only a translation document with no legal effect. A report republished by Beijing's traffic police bureau likewise notes that "international licences" cannot be used directly in China.

So how can a mainland licence holder drive in the Philippines legally?

1. Short visits: under section 1, drive on your valid mainland licence for up to 90 days from arrival, carrying your passport and an English translation for checkpoints and rental desks.
2. Living here: convert to a Philippine licence; see section 6.
3. Do not buy an "international licence": it does not replace your licence and is not a convention IDP. Be equally wary of anyone who says they can turn a mainland licence into a Philippine one without you appearing in person; see the risks of LTO fixers.

Rental companies treat mainland licences differently: some want an IDP, some accept a translation, some will only rent a car with a driver. Go by the contract. If a company insists on an IDP, choose a car with a driver rather than presenting a translation as something it is not.

Holding a mainland licence and unsure how to drive here legally? → Help with Philippine licence conversion and exams

Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan licences: get the permit before you leave, and know each place's rules

Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan licence holders should obtain an IDP from their home authority before travelling. In the Philippines they must still hold a valid home licence and stay within the 90-day period.

• Hong Kong: the Transport Department says holders of a valid Hong Kong identity card and a full Hong Kong driving licence that is still valid, or has not been expired for more than three years, may apply. The IDP is issued under the 1949 Convention and is valid for one year from issue, and the reference list attached to its TD51 application form includes the Philippines. Applications can be made online or over the counter, in person or through an agent.
• Macao: the Macao government service page says the Transport Bureau (DSAT) issues international driving licences to holders of a Macao driving licence, that the permit's validity follows the Macao licence but does not exceed one year, and that online applicants whose Macao licence has less than 30 days left must apply in person.
• Taiwan: the Highway Bureau has a dedicated page on applying for international driving permits, handled at motor vehicle offices. Eligibility, documents and validity are as that page currently states.

What if your home licence has expired? Two separate questions. Whether you can still get an IDP depends on the issuing place: Hong Kong accepts full licences expired for no more than three years, while Macao ties the permit's validity to the licence. Whether you can drive on it in the Philippines depends on Philippine rules, and the LTO manual speaks of tourists with a valid foreign licence. Do not rely on an IDP to drive here once your home licence has lapsed. The Hong Kong Transport Department also warns that some places require the IDP to be used with the physical licence.

Renewing an IDP. There is no way to renew one in the Philippines. When it expires, apply again to the issuing authority; both Hong Kong and Macao offer online applications. If you live here and keep driving, converting to a Philippine licence is usually simpler than re-applying every year.

Drivers from left-hand traffic places, take note. Hong Kong and Macao drive on the left; the Philippines drives on the right. The LTO's 2025 Citizen's Charter for driver's licences requires applicants from countries operating right-hand drive vehicles to pass a practical driving test when converting. Even for a short trip, give yourself time to adjust to left turns, U-turn slots and right of way at junctions.

For the reverse direction, using or converting a Philippine licence in Taiwan or Hong Kong, see converting a Philippine licence in Taiwan, Hong Kong or mainland China.

Driving abroad on a Philippine licence: whether you need an IDP depends on the destination

Whether you need an IDP depends on what your destination accepts. Because the Philippines is party to both road traffic conventions, an IDP issued in the Philippines has a treaty basis in other contracting states.

In the Philippines, IDPs are issued by an authorised body rather than through an ordinary LTO licence transaction; Who is currently authorised, what to bring and how much validity your Philippine licence needs are for the LTO and the issuing body to confirm. We do not repeat the conditions and fees that circulate online.

Common destinations differ a great deal:

• Mainland China: it is not party to the conventions and IDPs cannot be used there directly (section 3). To drive in mainland China on the strength of a Philippine licence, follow the local vehicle administration rules for a Chinese licence or temporary permit; see converting a Philippine licence in mainland China, Taiwan or Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong: the Philippines is on the convention reference list attached to the Transport Department's TD51 form. How long visitors may drive there, and how to convert a Philippine licence, are covered in the same guide.
• Taiwan: Taiwan has its own rules for foreign licences and IDPs; whether and for how long they apply to Philippine licences is for Taiwan's highway authority to say.
• Elsewhere: check with the destination's embassy in Manila or its transport authority. Many places require the IDP together with the original licence, and some accept only a locally issued licence.

Before you go, confirm two things:

1. Your Philippine licence will not expire during the trip. For renewal, online courses and medicals, see the guide to driver's licences for foreigners.
2. You have no unsettled violations. The LTO charter lists "no unsettled traffic violation" among the qualifications for converting a foreign licence, and unpaid tickets can hold up other transactions too; for checking and paying tickets, see how to deal with traffic tickets.

If you plan to rent a car at the destination, check the rental company's own rules as well. Many ask for the original licence, the IDP and your passport together, and deposit methods, minimum driving experience and age limits vary by company and contract. Having all three documents ready is easier than solving the problem at the counter.

When to convert to a Philippine licence: beyond 90 days, when living here, or for bigger vehicles

Convert if you will drive for more than 90 days, settle here on a long-term visa, or need to drive heavier vehicles. One condition is a visa valid for at least 120 days from your date of arrival.

The LTO's 2025 Citizen's Charter for driver's licences lists six qualifications for converting a foreign licence: physically and mentally fit to drive; able to read and write English, Filipino or a major dialect; holding a valid foreign licence (if it has expired, you must pass the theoretical and practical tests); no unsettled traffic violations; a practical test for applicants from countries operating right-hand drive vehicles; and a valid visa for at least 120 days upon the date of arrival.

Prepare these documents early:

• Your valid foreign licence, original and photocopy. A licence not in English needs an original official English translation, and the charter names the local embassy of the issuing country as the source. For Chinese licences, where the translation should come from and whether it needs notarisation or an apostille is for the LTO office and the Chinese embassy or consulates to confirm.
• Your passport, original and photocopy, showing the first page, the visa page and your latest Philippine arrival stamp.
• An electronically transmitted medical certificate from an LTO-accredited clinic, the completed Application for Permits and Licenses (APL) form, and your TIN if you are employed.

The Chinese Consulate General in Davao has advised Chinese citizens who plan to convert a licence here to have it notarised, including an English translation, and authenticated in China before leaving, and says relatives or lawyers in China can handle this on their behalf. That notice describes consular authentication; China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Apostille Convention took effect for China on 7 November 2023, so public documents for use in other contracting states, the Philippines included, now generally carry an apostille instead. See the apostille guide.

The LTO manual adds two limits: a valid foreign licence can be converted only to codes A, A1, B, B1 and B2, and foreigners may drive BE, C, CE or D vehicles only after submitting a DOLE Alien Employment Permit and meeting experience and training requirements. For when extra tests apply and what they cover, see the LTO written exam guide; for the full conversion and renewal process, see the driver's licence guide for foreigners.

Mind the 120-day condition. Read literally, a visitor admitted for a 14-day visa-free stay will struggle to meet it. If you want to live and drive here, sort out your visa first; see the Philippines business visa guide. And if you would rather not drive straight from the airport, see what legitimate airport meet-and-greet help covers.

Yixing is a private consultancy registered in the Philippines and is not affiliated with the LTO or any other government agency. We can help you decide whether to drive on your foreign licence, convert or sit the tests, check your visa validity and translation, book the medical and LTO appointment, and go with you. You must sit any exams yourself, the LTO decides whether to issue a licence, and we do not promise outcomes. For other settling-in paperwork, contact our settling-in services.

Not sure whether your licence needs an extra test, or who should translate it? → Help with converting to a Philippine licence