Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Route / Travel Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/)

-   -   The International Driving License (IDL) / International Driving Permit (IDP) Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/5765-international-driving-license-idl-international-driving-permit-idp-thread-44.html)

Hi all,

Can I drive with an Indian Driving License in Malaysia ? (only in Langkawi as in KL, public transport is quite good). I am not sure if a IDP is required. My license is in English & 1 hiring agency which I checked, said that is sufficient.

Does anyone have any recent experience with the same ? It will be really helpful because I love driving & don't want to spend another couple of thousand bucks for the IDP, just for my 2 days in Langkawi next month.

Thank you.

You can drive with Indian license in Malaysia without IDP.
Before we visited Malaysia in 2018, I did my research regarding this. I found out about SOCAR app which lets you book self drive rental cars from designated spots. Check on YouTube for their videos. Once you get hold of a Malaysian SIM card, the OTP process will finalise the installation. Verify your identity on the app and upload the pictures of your driver's license and your account is verified within 24 hours. I booked several cars within the 12 days we were there and the process was seamless and not once did we get stopped by cops or any authorities.
However there is a competitor app known as GOCAR and their website asks for IDP, perhaps its for universal users and not filtered as per country.
Let me know how it worked in your favor.

Thank you @alstonlobo, I will definitely share my experiences after returning later this month :)

Hi everyone,

I'm Jyoti and I just joined this pretty awesome community.

My current question is whether anyone has any experience getting an IDP from the Kolkata RTO (fees, procedure, hassles).

Although I don't live in Kolkata anymore, I was a student there in 2010-14 and got my Drivers License from Kolkata. I guess this means I have to get the IDP from Kolkata itself.

I am now planning to travel to Kolkata on work for a week and wanted to get the IDP by taking a morning off.

Thanks in Advance!

The status would remain the same I guess. For me it was the same and then I realised after watching a random YouTube video that I've to take the print myself. You've to goto the sarathi website, click on Menu and then under driver license you'll find print IDP option. Put your application no. And DOB and you'll get a pdf download of your IDL.

I applied with just air tickets and stay booking pdf's. No visa required if you state Thailand. I just filled VOA in the box where it was asked to put in Visa No. This is for KA 41 , KR Puram Bengaluru. I did not have to goto the RTO.

They could have pointed this out in the status but the status still says "In printing" rl: .

I just went to the Kolkata RTO.

It seems that the IDP application must be made online but the fees (Rs 4,000) is to be paid in the cash counter at the RTO office.

On top of that I have to give a driving test because my DL is issued less than 10 years ago - is this a law or are they scamming me?

The office was extremely unpleasant with brokers, scammers, beggars and creepy men everywhere.

Is it possible to avoid this and apply for IDP at some other RTO like Delhi?

Has anyone got a IDP for Japan?
Is it in Japanese?
Does RTO issue IDP in Booklet form if its for Japan, since Japan not accepting the paper form?
Has anyone used Automobile Association of South India AASI for getting IDP for Japan & heard they issue in Booklet Form even now?
Price of IDP through AASI?

Thankyou all in advance

Ok, did some enqiry and research in this regard, here is what I got to know, RTO online IDP is only in english and A4 sheet printout with some rubber stampings, which is something the Japanese still do not consider, I have the Book type IDP from 2018 and the A4 sheet from 2019, both do not have any mention of 1949 Geneva Convention or any variation of this. so finally spoke with the staff at Automobile Association of South India (Since I am in Bangalore) they said the same thing aboyt RTO, However they are giving in Book form with the Japanese translation and the 1949 Geneva Convention all mentioned on and in the booklet.
Life membership for AASI is Rs. 6000 + GST, that comes to Rs. 7080/-
for the IDP the Rs. 1000/- for the RTO online has to be paid anyways, in addition Rs. 1000/- + GST = 1180/- has to be paid to get any country specific IDP Total cost for IDP each time would be Rs. 2180/-
They do apply and get the RTO version first and then they, based on that give the Booklet version, is what I got to understand.

All of that sounds Scammish, I got my First IDP less than 5 Years after getting DL, its only 1000/-, now its completely online, finally it all depends on the country you want to visit, if its US or UK you may not even need it, UAE accepts english IDP, but they need a IDP to give the car at the rental.

whereas Japan needs the "1949 Geneva Convention" mentioned on the IDP and all your DL text in Japanese and booklet form. since these rules keep changing only someone who has travelled, hired a car and driven in Japan in the last few months can confirm.

The AASI no longer issue IDPs since it went on line so don’t waste your money

Japan is awesome in its own way! :)

For IDP https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2022.html
Indian Embassy is reissuing IDP also https://www.indembassy-tokyo.gov.in/...Click_here.pdf

Best to go to automobile association to get the correct info and assistance
・Western India Automobile Association
・the Automobile Association of Upper India
・the Automobile Association of Eastern India
・the Automobile Association of Southern India

Unfortunately this is not a scam. I was informed by the RTO (Licensing) himself. In the end I chose not to go through with this for my immediate travels and that worked out well. Paying Rs 4,000 for a translation of my DL valid for one year is bad enough but having to undergo a driving test is ridiculous.

I will try to find out if it is possible to get the IDP from Delhi RTO.

I am trying to get an IDP and thinking of exploring online portal as the agent I know is quoting 5000 for the same. If it is indeed online, then worth trying :Cheering:

They are still asking for a form 1A which is a manual step.

Looks like this thread and RTO are both operating in same way. I applied for IDP using parivahan portal about 3 weeks ago and still the application is stuck in ARTO approval. Sadly I am unable to move the state further and grievances too does not have any affect. In my case this is KR PURAM RTO, BANGALORE. Looks like Parivahan Seva only works in few of the RTO and in rest of the places they encourage middle men and some fat bribe only.

Any suggestion as to what are my other options ? I am travelling to UAE next week and is there any way I can rent a car there if my RTO folks dont bother to approve my IDP ? FYI I hold the DL smart card which is written in English.

I'm trying to apply for an IDP online, for the Jayanar Bangalore RTO (KA05). In my case, the process is offline at multiple steps - 1. Get medical form 1A attested by a doctor, upload it online, and then 2. RTO appointment offline.

Any leads on where I can get form 1A stamped around Jayanagar? I went to the RTO assuming I'll find an agent/doctor there, but found no one!