Driving in Vietnam: Driving Licences, IDPs and Legal Requirements.

For our full guide on riding motorcycles in Vienam, please click here.

The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is an international agreement that sets common rules for how people should drive and how traffic should be organised.

Its main goals are to:

• Make roads safer by having the same basic driving rules in many countries (like who has the right of way, how to use traffic lights, and rules for overtaking).

• Help international travel by allowing drivers to use their national driving licences (and international driving permits) in other member countries.

• Standardise road signs and signals so that drivers from one country can understand them when driving abroad.

In short: it’s a global “rulebook” for driving, created to make international road travel safer and more predictable.

1. Vietnam and the Vienna Convention

• Vietnam acceded to the 1968 Convention on 20th August 2014.

• Vietnam also recognises the ASEAN Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences and its own national laws.

This means that, unlike Convention member states (e.g., EU countries, Russia), Vietnam does not automatically honour foreign driving licenses or international driving permits (IDPs) issued under the Vienna Convention.

2. Motorcycle Riding in Vietnam as a Foreigner

The rules for foreigners are as follows:

• International Driving Permits (IDPs):

o Vietnam began recognizing IDPs issued under the 1968 Vienna Convention in 2015.

o So, if your country is a Contracting Party to the 1968 Convention and you have a valid IDP, you can legally ride in Vietnam (within the vehicle categories on your permit, e.g., motorcycles).

• National Driving Licences:

o Vietnam does not accept most foreign national licenses on their own.

o ASEAN countries (e.g., Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia) have a special regional agreement that allows mutual recognition of licenses.

• Conversion to a Vietnamese License:

o Foreign nationals residing, working or studying in Vietnam may be eligible to exchange a valid national driving licence for a Vietnamese licence covering the corresponding vehicle category.

Under Circular 108/2026/TT-BCA, effective from 1 July 2026, qualifying documents include a visa or temporary residence card with at least 90 days remaining, a valid permanent residence card, or diplomatic or official identity documentation.

Holding a 90-day visa does not automatically guarantee eligibility. The remaining validity of your immigration documents, your existing driving entitlement and the supporting paperwork must meet the application requirements. An international driving permit cannot itself be exchanged for a Vietnamese licence.

Before making travel or rental arrangements that depend on conversion, contact the local Traffic Police licensing office to confirm your eligibility and the documents required, including a certified Vietnamese translation of your national driving licence.

3. Which Driving Licences and Permits Are Recognised?

Your eligibility to drive or ride in Vietnam depends on where your licence was issued, the vehicle categories it covers and whether it is recognised under the applicable agreement. Your nationality alone does not determine your entitlement.

For drivers using the 1968 Vienna Convention route, you must carry both a valid national driving licence and a valid 1968 International Driving Permit (IDP), with the appropriate entitlement for the vehicle you intend to use. An IDP supplements your national licence; it does not replace it or add new driving entitlements. A car-only licence and IDP do not authorise you to ride a motorcycle.

Certain national licences are recognised under the ASEAN agreement, subject to its conditions. Drivers who cannot use a recognised foreign licence or permit must obtain an appropriate Vietnamese licence before driving or riding a vehicle that requires one.

For UK licence holders, current British government guidance requires carrying both your UK driving licence and a 1968 IDP when driving a car or riding a motorbike in Vietnam. Check that both documents are valid and cover your intended vehicle before arranging a rental.

4. How to Check Whether Your Driving Permit Is Recognised

Before travelling, check the country that issued your driving licence against the United Nations’ current treaty status table. Signing the 1968 Vienna Convention is not the same as becoming a contracting party: a signature alone does not establish recognition under this route.

Contact the authorised IDP issuer in your licence’s issuing country and confirm that it can issue a 1968 Convention International Driving Permit valid for use in Vietnam. Check that the permit covers your intended vehicle category and remember to carry your valid national driving licence alongside it. You can use the AIT/FIA International Driving Permit directory to help identify authorised issuers.

Driving Licences Issued in ASEAN Countries

Recognition under the ASEAN agreement is a separate route, with its own conditions. If you hold a licence issued by a participating ASEAN country, check the requirements for your particular licence, including vehicle entitlement and any translation requirements. Do not assume that ASEAN nationality alone makes a licence valid in Vietnam.

5. Insurance: Check What Is Actually Covered

Holding the correct driving licence and permit does not automatically mean you are insured. Before hiring a car or motorbike in Vietnam, check three separate areas of cover.

Compulsory third-party motor insurance covers certain liabilities for injury or damage caused to others, subject to the policy’s terms and legal limits. Ask the rental provider for evidence of valid cover for the vehicle. Do not assume this insurance covers your own injuries or damage to the vehicle you are hiring.

Travel insurance should explicitly cover your intended driving or riding activity in Vietnam. Check restrictions relating to motorcycle engine size, licence requirements, helmet use and riding on unpaved roads. Confirm whether you are covered as a rider, a pillion passenger or both, and whether emergency treatment, medical evacuation and repatriation are included.

Rental vehicle damage cover concerns your financial responsibility if the hired vehicle is damaged or stolen. Read the rental agreement carefully and check any excess, exclusions and charges. Neither compulsory third-party insurance nor travel insurance should be assumed to cover these costs.

If anything is unclear, ask your insurer for written confirmation covering your intended vehicle and activities before you travel. Photograph the vehicle’s condition before accepting it, retain a copy of the rental agreement, and do not leave your passport as a rental deposit.

Planning to Ride a Motorbike in Vietnam?

For more detailed advice on motorcycle licences, riding requirements, insurance and practical safety considerations, read our guide to motorbiking in Vietnam.

Official Sources and Date Reviewed

Last reviewed: 26th September 2026.

This guide draws on the following sources:

Requirements can change. Before arranging a rental, confirm that your licence and permit are recognised for your intended vehicle and check your insurance cover directly with your insurer. For Vietnamese licence exchange applications, confirm your eligibility and supporting documents with the local Traffic Police licensing office.

A poster titled "Vietnam Travel Rules" showing a Vietnamese police officer, a tourist with a backpack, a woman in traditional clothing, a tent, a drone, a sign indicating no bicycles, a license document, and a sign indicating the area is licensed and operating legally, set against a mountainous landscape with terraced fields.

Click here to read more about essential travel tips and regulations for travelling in Vietnam.