You're packed, the car is loaded, and you're about to board the Rosslare ferry to Cherbourg. Then someone in a high-vis jacket asks for your International Driving Permit and you go completely blank.
This is happening. Not to people who never read anything, either. To switched-on drivers who simply didn't know the rules changed.
What Brexit Actually Did to Your Driving Licence
Before Brexit, your Irish driving licence was recognised across all EU member states without any extra paperwork. That's still true today. Ireland is in the EU. Nothing changed for us there.
But here's where people get confused. A lot of European road trips don't stay in EU countries. You drive through France, pop into Switzerland. You cross into Norway. You detour through Bosnia. The moment you leave the EU's mutual recognition zone, your Irish licence alone may not be enough.
The UK leaving the EU created a ripple effect. It pushed British drivers into IDP territory for European travel, and the coverage got heavily reported. What got lost in that noise was the broader picture for everyone: which non-EU countries require an IDP from any foreign driver, including Irish ones.
The answer is more of them than you'd think.
Which Countries Actually Require an IDP
An International Driving Permit is a translation document. It renders your licence details into multiple languages so foreign authorities can read them. There are two main types: the 1949 convention permit and the 1968 convention permit. Different countries recognise different ones. Some require both. Yes, really.
Countries where Irish drivers currently need an IDP include:
Outside the EU, where road trips often wander:
- Morocco (popular ferry route from Spain)
- Turkey
- Georgia
- Albania
- Kosovo
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Montenegro (before confirmed EU accession)
- Ukraine (not advisable to drive there regardless, but it's on the list)
- Most countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Further afield but relevant for overland travellers:
- Any country where French, German, Spanish or English isn't an official language and your licence text means nothing to a roadside officer
Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein all accept Irish licences without an IDP because of separate European Economic Area agreements. But the Balkans are a patchwork. Check each country individually before you go.
The AA Ireland and the RSA both maintain updated guidance. Don't rely on a forum post from 2019. Rules shift, especially in countries with evolving EU accession status.
Why Post Offices Are Running Low
IDPs in Ireland are issued exclusively by the AA or by your local post office. An Post has the licence to issue them alongside the AA. Cost is around €15. You get it on the spot, in person, with your valid Irish driving licence and two passport photos.
The problem is demand spiked after Brexit coverage and has stayed elevated. Quieter post offices in rural areas sometimes run out of the physical permit books. Dublin city centre branches tend to have stock. Smaller towns: ring ahead.
AA Ireland branches are generally more reliable for stock. If you're planning a trip through the Balkans or North Africa and you leave getting this until the week before, you may be scrambling.
One thing worth knowing: an IDP is only valid alongside your actual Irish driving licence. It's not a standalone document. Lose your licence, the IDP is useless.
The Ferry Terminal Problem
Some Irish drivers are discovering the IDP requirement not from the RSA's website or a travel forum, but from ferry staff or, worse, a police officer in a country where a fine is the least of your worries.
If you're planning a European road trip that ventures beyond the core EU member states, build a document checklist before you even look at routes. That checklist should cover:
- Valid Irish driving licence (not expired, not just your learner permit)
- IDP, correct convention type for your destination countries
- Motor insurance certificate with European cover confirmed in writing
- Vehicle registration document (V5 if borrowing someone else's car, or a letter of permission)
- Proof of breakdown cover if you have it
Your insurance is a separate conversation entirely. Most Irish policies include some European cover but often at third-party only level. Ring your insurer and get the specifics confirmed before you leave. Don't assume.
How to Get Yours Before You Go
The process is simple. The timing is the only variable.
Go to an AA branch or a main post office. Bring your current Irish driving licence and two standard passport-sized photos. Pay around €15. Walk out with your IDP. It's valid for one year from the date of issue.
If your trip is happening in summer, go in May. Post offices near ferry ports and city centres see a rush in June and July. The AA is your safer bet for consistent stock.
Check which convention your destination countries require. The AA can advise at the counter. Most European destinations outside the EU use the 1968 convention permit, which is the standard one issued. Countries further afield sometimes want the 1949 version. A few want both.
For anyone heading to the Scottish coastal route or beyond into non-EU Europe, this is not bureaucratic box-ticking. It's the difference between a wave-through and a roadside argument conducted in three languages none of you share fluently.
A Note for Borrowed or Rental Cars
If you're driving a car registered to someone else across international borders, you need a letter of authorisation from the registered owner. This applies whether you're borrowing your brother's 2018 Volkswagen Passat or a rental car from a company that doesn't operate in your destination country.
Rental companies that operate across Europe generally sort this themselves. Private arrangements between friends and family: sort it in writing before you go.
One More Thing About That Ferry
Get to the terminal with your documents organised and accessible. Not buried in a bag in the boot. Permit, licence, insurance cert, registration. Have them together.
Because the last place you want to find out you're missing something is at the check-in barrier with a queue forming behind you and a crossing to make.
Sort the IDP now, while you're thinking about it. Then think about where you're actually going.
