International Driving Permit for Vietnam: Which IDP Is Valid in 2026?

Before riding in Vietnam, check the convention, issuer and vehicle category shown on your documents.

Is your IDP valid in Vietnam? Use this four-point check

Your IDP can satisfy Vietnam's licensing rules only if you can answer yes to all four checks below.

If one point is missing or unclear, pause before booking a self-drive vehicle. Check with your national licensing authority and insurer. For a preliminary CBET screen, tell us which country issued your licence, which Convention appears on the IDP and which motorcycle category you hold. The issuing country matters more than your nationality or passport country.

1968 vs 1949 IDP: Which one does Vietnam accept?

Vietnam's Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety recognises an international driving permit issued in the standard format by a member state of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. The holder must also carry the corresponding national licence, and the two documents must be appropriate for the vehicle being driven.

Is an online IDL or instant digital permit valid in Vietnam?

A website's promise is not enough. An official IDP must come from the authorised body connected to the country that issued your national licence. A private seller cannot convert a 1949 entitlement into a 1968 permit or add a motorcycle category missing from your home licence.

Claims such as “all nationalities accepted”, “digital licence valid in Vietnam” or “issued in minutes” are warning signs. Before paying, verify the issuer through your national government's website or the AIT/FIA authorised-issuer directory. A refund promise or a successful rental handover is not proof that police or an insurer must accept the document.

Check that the permit states the 1968 Convention and comes from your country's authorised issuer.

A 1968 booklet is still unusable if the national licence has expired, the details do not match or the required vehicle category is missing.

A genuine 1949 IDP may be valid in other countries, but it does not satisfy Vietnam's 1968 Convention requirement.

What licence do you need for a 50cc scooter, 110-230cc motorbike or car?

The vehicle's legal classification matters more than the name used by the rental shop. In Vietnam, a true moped is not treated the same way as a 110cc, 125cc or larger motorcycle.

These are the current Vietnamese categories under Article 57 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety. Older articles that use 175cc as the main A1/A dividing line may be describing the transitional rights of older Vietnamese licences, not the categories now issued from 2025.

Which licence category do you need for a Cao Bang Eco Travel motorbike?

Cao Bang Eco Travel's current self-drive fleet ranges from 110cc to 230cc. This means every self-drive bike in the fleet is above the true-moped exception and requires valid motorcycle entitlement.

• For a bike from 110cc to 125cc, the documents must cover the corresponding light-motorcycle class.
• For a bike over 125cc to 230cc, the documents must cover the larger-motorcycle class.

Foreign licence labels do not always mirror Vietnam's A1 and A labels exactly. CBET therefore checks the actual motorcycle entitlement and restrictions shown on the national licence and IDP before matching a guest to a bike.

Once the document category is confirmed, use the CBET bike-selection guide to compare automatic, semi-automatic and manual options for the Cao Bang Loop.

Can you ride a 50cc scooter in Vietnam without an IDP?

For a vehicle to fall within the moped exception, it must meet both limits: no more than 50cc for a combustion engine and a maximum design speed of no more than 50 km/h. An electric moped must have motor power of no more than 4 kW and the same design-speed limit.

Do not rely only on a rental label such as ''50cc scooter''. Check the registration and technical specifications. You must be at least 16 to operate a moped, wear a properly fastened helmet, and ensure the vehicle has valid registration and compulsory civil-liability insurance.

For the Cao Bang Loop, choosing a 50cc moped only to avoid the licensing issue is not automatically a sensible solution. Mountain climbs, descents, changing weather and long daily distances still require suitable equipment and riding experience.

Cao Bang Eco Travel does not currently offer a 50cc self-drive option; its confirmed rental range starts at 110cc.

Does a car licence let you ride a scooter or motorbike?

No. For a motorbike above the moped threshold, your national licence and IDP must include the appropriate motorcycle entitlement. An IDP translates existing entitlements. It cannot add motorcycle permission to a car-only licence.

What is the legal age to drive in Vietnam?

The minimum age is 16 for a moped. A person must be at least 18 for the A1, A and ordinary car licence categories. Rental companies may set a higher minimum age, so legal eligibility does not guarantee that a particular company will rent to you.

Is your country's IDP valid in Vietnam?

Use the country that issued your licence, not your passport nationality. The table below summarises the current official guidance most relevant to CBET guests.

This is why a genuine permit can work for one traveller and fail for another. The issuer's treaty authority and the vehicle entitlement on the underlying licence both matter; rental-desk acceptance does not change either point.

EU and other 1968 Convention countries

There is no single “EU IDP”. Issuing arrangements differ by country. Check the United Nations list of contracting parties, then find the authorised issuer through your government's website or the AIT/FIA directory. A qualifying 1968 IDP must still be carried with the matching national licence and correct vehicle category.

What about a domestic driving licence from another ASEAN country?

ASEAN has an agreement on recognition of domestic driving licences issued by member countries. A qualifying ASEAN licence must remain valid and cover the vehicle being driven. Because licence formats, translations, rental policies and insurance conditions can add practical requirements, confirm your specific documents before riding.

How to get the correct IDP for Vietnam?

1. Start with your national licence. Confirm that it is valid and includes the vehicle category you need.
2. Check whether your issuing country participates in the 1968 Vienna Convention.
3. Use only the authorised issuer. Find it through your government or the AIT/FIA directory.
4. Request the 1968 Convention permit for Vietnam. Do not assume the issuer provides the same IDP for every destination.
5. Check every detail when it arrives. Confirm your name, licence number, dates and vehicle categories.
6. Carry both original documents. A photo, translation card or IDP alone is not a safe substitute.

Apply before you travel. A tourist should not try to solve an ineligible home-country licence by buying an instant ''1968 IDP'' online after arriving in Vietnam. If your authorised national issuer cannot issue the required permit, an unofficial website cannot create the missing legal entitlement.

Can a tourist get a valid IDP after arriving in Vietnam?

Usually not through Vietnam's IDP process if you are only a short-term visitor. Under Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA, which has applied since 1 July 2026, Vietnam can issue an IDP to a foreigner who holds a valid Vietnamese national licence. It can also issue one to an eligible foreign-licence holder from a relevant treaty country who has a Vietnamese temporary or permanent residence card and supplies the required documents.

A normal tourist without that residence status should arrange the correct official permit through the authorised issuer linked to the country of licence before travelling. An instant commercial PDF purchased after arrival is not the same route.

What are the fines for driving without the correct licence in Vietnam?

Article 18 of Decree 168/2024/ND-CP sets the following licence-related penalties. Decree 238/2026/ND-CP, which takes effect on 15 August 2026, does not amend the Article 18 amounts listed here.

A short ride is not an exemption. The licensing rule applies when you use the vehicle on the road, whether you planned to travel one kilometre or complete an entire loop.

Can an invalid IDP affect travel or rental insurance?

Potentially, yes. Many policies require the rider or driver to be legally licensed for the country and vehicle involved. If your documents do not meet those conditions, an insurer may have grounds to reduce or refuse a medical, vehicle-damage or liability claim.

This is not identical for every policy. Read both the travel-insurance wording and the rental agreement. Ask the insurer in writing whether you are covered in Vietnam, for the exact vehicle type and engine capacity, as either a driver or passenger.

An IDP is not insurance. Licensing, compulsory vehicle insurance, rental cover and travel insurance are separate checks.

What documents should you carry while driving?

If you are driving a vehicle that requires a licence, carry the original documents rather than relying only on phone photos:

• Your valid national driving licence
• Your official 1968 IDP, with the correct vehicle category
• The vehicle registration certificate, or the lawful copy supplied for the rental vehicle
• The certificate of compulsory civil-liability insurance for the vehicle
• Your rental agreement and the rental company's emergency contact details
• Your passport or other lawful identification required for your stay

Vietnam's Article 56 driving-document rules cover the driving licence, vehicle registration and compulsory civil-liability insurance. Do not leave your passport as a rental deposit.

What should you ask before renting a motorbike?

Before paying, ask the company to answer these questions in writing:

• Will you check my national licence and IDP against this exact vehicle model and engine capacity?
• Can I see the vehicle registration and compulsory insurance certificate?
• What does the optional or included rental cover pay for, and what does it exclude?
• Does the cover apply to theft, collision, third-party damage and mountain-road use?
• What deposit is required, and when is it returned?
• What should I do after an accident, breakdown or police stop?

Remember: a company may accept your passport and rent you a bike, but that commercial decision does not make you legally licensed.

How does CBET check your IDP before a self-drive booking?

Before confirming a self-drive booking, the Cao Bang Eco Travel guide team checks the guest's documents against the intended bike. This matters because CBET's fleet spans both sides of Vietnam's 125cc category threshold.

1. Identify the issuing country. This may differ from the traveller's nationality.
2. Verify the Convention and issuer. The IDP must be an official 1968 permit from an authorised body.
3. Compare the two licences. The national licence must be current, match the IDP and include motorcycle entitlement.
4. Match the entitlement to the bike. The team checks it against the selected engine capacity, from 110cc to 230cc.
5. See the originals at handover. Photos help with the advance check, but guests must still present both original licences before receiving the bike.

If the documents do not match the bike, CBET will suggest an Easy Rider instead. CBET may refuse the handover or cancel the self-drive tour if a guest still intends to ride without acceptable documents.

This check determines whether CBET will provide a self-drive bike. It does not replace a police decision or an insurer's own coverage assessment.

For a faster preliminary check, send: “My national licence was issued by [country]. My IDP states [1968/1949]. My motorcycle category is [category]. I want to ride a [engine capacity] bike.” There is no need to include personal document numbers in the first message.

What should you do if your IDP is not valid in Vietnam?

You do not have to miss the Cao Bang Loop. Choose the option that matches your documents and riding ability:

On the Cao Bang Loop, paperwork is only one part of being ready to ride. The route includes steep climbs, long descents, blind bends and surfaces that can change after rain. If you have little recent experience, are unfamiliar with semi-automatic or manual bikes, or feel tense on mountain roads, travelling with an Easy Rider is usually the better experience.

Easy Rider tours let travellers experience the loop as passengers when self-driving is not legal or suitable.

Not sure which option fits? Contact Cao Bang Eco Travel at WhatsApp +84 868 252 168 for a document check before choosing a bike, Easy Rider or private car.

Frequently asked questions about IDPs in Vietnam

Does a motorbike passenger need an IDP in Vietnam?

A passenger does not need a driving permit if they never control the motorbike. The Easy Rider must be properly licensed, and both rider and passenger must wear properly fastened helmets.

Can two travellers swap riders during the Cao Bang Loop?

Only if each person who controls the bike independently holds the required valid documents and meets the rental conditions. One traveller's IDP does not cover another person.

What happens if my IDP or national licence expires during the trip?

Stop self-driving when either document ceases to be valid. The IDP cannot remain usable beyond the validity of the national licence it supports.

Can Cao Bang Eco Travel guarantee that the police or my insurer will accept my IDP?

No. Cao Bang Eco Travel's check is used to decide whether it can provide a self-drive bike. Police determine legal enforcement, while the insurer decides coverage under its policy.

Which country should I give Cao Bang Eco Travel for the IDP check?

Give the country that issued your national driving licence and IDP, not only the nationality shown on your passport.

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