International driving permit in Vietnam: why a US, Australian or Canadian IDP is not valid

An international driving permit is valid in Vietnam only if it was issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and you carry it with your national licence, so the 1949 permits issued in the United States, Australia and Canada do not count. Vietnam acceded to the 1968 convention on 20 August 2014, and none of those three countries is a party to it. Below, we set out what counts, what you risk as an unlicensed rider under the current fines, and the routes that are actually legal.

Why is a US, Australian or Canadian IDP not valid in Vietnam?

A US, Australian or Canadian IDP is not valid because it belongs to a treaty Vietnam does not apply for this purpose. There are two international driving permits in circulation. The 1949 Geneva Convention permit is the one issued by the AAA, by Australian motoring clubs and by the Canadian Automobile Association. The 1968 Vienna Convention permit is the one issued in most of Europe and many other countries.

Vietnam's rule, in Circular 29/2015/TT-BGTVT, recognises the 1968 permit carried together with the original home licence. Viet Nam has been a party to that convention since 20 August 2014. On 26 September 2026 the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland and India were not. If you hold one of those passports, you cannot obtain a permit that Vietnam accepts, because your home authorities only issue the 1949 kind. The permit is not "slightly wrong". It is the wrong document, and no rental shop can change that.

Which licences are valid for foreigners in Vietnam?

Three routes are valid for you as a foreigner:

1. A national licence carried with a 1968 Vienna Convention IDP.
2. A foreign licence converted into a Vietnamese licence.
3. A Vietnamese licence obtained by passing the local test.

ASEAN licences are a fourth case. A full domestic motorcycle licence from another ASEAN member, such as Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia, is recognised without an IDP, as long as it is not a learner or provisional licence.

The motorcycle category matters, and it is the detail we would check first. For anything above 50cc, both the home licence and the 1968 IDP must show a motorcycle category (category A). A car licence with a 1968 IDP does not make you legal on a 125cc scooter. Below 50cc no licence is needed, which is why rental fleets keep a few 50cc bikes.

Can I ride a motorbike in Vietnam with a UK licence?

Yes, if you carry the 1968 international driving permit with it. The UK Foreign Office says you need "both the 1968 version of the international driving permit and your UK driving licence" to drive a car or a motorbike in Vietnam, and the UK government lists Vietnam as a 1968 IDP country. The permit costs GBP 5.50 at shops with PayPoint. Above 50cc both documents must show a motorcycle category, and the Foreign Office adds that driving without third party insurance is illegal. At that price, we would buy the permit before leaving home even if you only might ride.

What is the fine for riding without a licence in Vietnam?

Riding without a valid licence costs VND 2 to 4 million on a motorbike up to 125cc and VND 6 to 8 million above 125cc. These amounts come from Decree 168/2024/ND-CP, in force since 1 January 2025. Decree 238/2026/ND-CP amended Decree 168 from 15 August 2026, mainly with new offences such as number plate tampering, and the licence amounts below are the ones reported as in force after that amendment.

To convert these amounts into your own currency at today's rate, use the currency check.

The fine is rarely the largest cost. A vehicle can be held for up to seven working days as standard, extendable to two months in serious cases. Your rental contract keeps running while the bike sits in the compound, and the owner can be fined separately for lending it to you.

Will travel insurance pay if you crash without a valid licence?

Usually no. Riding without a licence that is valid under Vietnamese law will typically void your travel and health insurance cover, whatever the fault. That applies to a missing licence, a missing motorcycle category and a 1949 permit alike. Read the motorcycle exclusion in your own policy before you rent, and check whether cover depends on holding a licence valid in the country where you ride.

A small crash is a medical bill. A serious one can mean hospital care and a transfer to a larger city with no insurer behind you. We set out the Thai version of this in what a motorbike crash on Koh Tao really costs, and the same logic applies in Da Nang. The fine is the risk on a bad day. Voided insurance is the risk on the worst one.

Can an American, Australian or Canadian ride legally in Vietnam?

Yes, but the practical route runs through residency. If you hold a permanent residence card or a temporary residence card valid for more than three months, you can convert a foreign licence into a Vietnamese one. The file includes the original licence, a certified Vietnamese translation, identity and residence documents and, where required, a medical certificate.

A temporary residence card needs a Vietnamese sponsor: an employer, an investment enterprise or a family member. A 90 day e-visa or the 45 day exemption does not lead to a residence card on its own. So for most remote workers on an e-visa, conversion is not available. You can confirm which entry route fits your passport with the Visa Check.

The other route is to pass the Vietnamese test. We have not found an official English page that explains how a foreigner on an e-visa sits it in 2026, so we do not describe it here.

How do you get around Da Nang without a licence?

Use a 50cc bike, Grab or a bicycle. In 2026 a cross-city Grab ride in Da Nang costs VND 30,000 to 60,000 (about USD 1.20 to 2.40 at an early 2026 rate), and a monthly Grab budget runs VND 800,000 to 1.5 million. A monthly scooter rental costs VND 1.5 to 2 million, so a Grab habit can cost less than a scooter before fuel. If your permit is a 1949 one, that is the option we would take.

If you do rent, ask the shop which licence it accepts and whether it can show the bike's registration and insurance papers. A shop that rents you a bike does not make your licence valid. The legal risk stays with you, not the shop.

Which IDP works in Vietnam, in one table?

For the wider paperwork of a long stay, see our guide on how to become a digital nomad, and read about opening a bank account in Vietnam on an e-visa.

Updated on 2 October 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm with the official source linked above before you act.