Do you need an International Driving Permit in Indonesia?

Indonesia is not a party to either the 1968 Vienna or the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. Check the rules with the local authorities before you drive.

Indonesia and the road traffic conventions

ConventionStatusIn force sincePermit validity
1968 Vienna ConventionNot a party
1949 Geneva ConventionNot a party

What to carry when you drive in Indonesia

An International Driving Permit never replaces your national licence. It is a standardised translation that local police and rental desks can read, and it is only valid alongside the licence it was issued against. Carry both, and keep your passport handy at rental pickup, since most rental companies ask to see all three before releasing a vehicle.

Our document reproduces your licence details across 12 languages in the booklet format the conventions describe, so an officer who reads none of them in your alphabet can still find your name, date of birth and vehicle classes:

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • Italian
  • German
  • Russian
  • Arabic
  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • Thai
  • Vietnamese
The inside cover of the booklet, listing the contracting states where the permit is recognised
The inside cover lists the contracting states. Indonesia appears on it.

What the road rules say in Indonesia

The Government of Canada advises carrying an International Driving Permit alongside your national licence in Indonesia.

Traffic drives on
The left
Emergency services
police 110, ambulance 118, fire 112

Common questions about driving in Indonesia

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Sources

  1. Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 8 November 1968) United Nations Treaty Collection, 91 parties. Checked 4 August 2026.
  2. Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva, 19 September 1949) United Nations Treaty Collection, 103 parties. Checked 4 August 2026.