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, according to the UN Treaty Collection, and none of those three countries is a party to it. This page sets out what counts, what an unlicensed rider risks 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, set out in Circular 29/2015/TT-BGTVT as summarised by Easy Riders Vietnam, recognises the 1968 permit carried together with the original home licence. The UN Treaty Collection status page, checked on 26 September 2026, lists Viet Nam as a party since 20 August 2014 and does not list the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland or India. Citizens of those countries cannot obtain a permit that Vietnam accepts, because their home authorities only issue the 1949 kind. The permit is not "slightly wrong". It is the wrong document.

Which licences are valid for foreigners in Vietnam?

Three routes are valid for foreigners, according to the Vietnam Law and Legal Forum article of 10 December 2025 on how foreigners are sanctioned for traffic offences:

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 (ETHOS Spirit of the Community and IR Touring, both checked 26 September 2026).

The motorcycle category matters. 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.

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 Motorbike Da Nang's 2026 checkpoint guide gives the licence amounts below as the ones 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. The Vietnam Law and Legal Forum states that a vehicle can be held for up to seven working days as standard, extendable to two months in serious cases. A rental contract keeps running while the bike sits in the compound, and the owner can be fined separately for lending it.

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

Usually no. Easy Riders Vietnam states that riding without a licence that is valid under Vietnamese law will typically void 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. IR Touring, checked on 26 September 2026, states that foreigners holding a permanent residence card or a temporary residence card valid for more than three months 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, according to Tan Van Lang. The same source warns that a 90 day e-visa or the 45 day exemption does not lead to a residence card on its own. 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. HitchHive's 2026 Da Nang cost page puts a cross-city Grab ride at VND 30,000 to 60,000 (about USD 1.20 to 2.40 at its early 2026 rate), and the Da Nang Hotel Guide budgets VND 800,000 to 1.5 million a month for Grab. HitchHive quotes a monthly scooter rental at VND 1.5 to 2 million, so a Grab habit can cost less than a scooter before fuel.

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 the rider, 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 26 September 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm with the official source linked above before you act.