International Driving Permit in Pakistan: What It Is, Who Needs One and the Punjab Fee
An international driving permit only translates your Pakistani licence. Punjab DLIMS charges Rs 930 for a bike and Rs 1,830 for a car a year.
Short answer: An international driving permit (IDP) is a translation of your valid Pakistani driving licence, and it is useless without that licence. You get it from the authority that issued your licence. In Punjab, DLIMS lists the international licence at Rs 930 a year for a motorcycle and Rs 1,830 for a car, including the Rs 480 courier, with a 3 year option.
Carry the IDP and your Pakistani licence together abroad. A permit offered without a Pakistani licence behind it is a fake.
A national online IDP system through the National Police Bureau was announced in August 2026, with no launch date or fee, so for now you apply through the authority that issued your licence.
An IDP is a translation, not a licence
An IDP restates your Pakistani licence in a fixed format that foreign police and rental firms can read. It grants nothing on its own, and it covers only the categories your Pakistani licence already covers.
Three rules follow from that.
- You must hold a valid Pakistani licence, and it must stay valid for the whole trip.
- You must carry both documents together. The permit alone is a translation of nothing.
- An IDP cannot add a category. A car licence gives a car permit, not a motorcycle or heavy vehicle permit.
| Your Pakistani licence | The IDP | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Gives the right to drive | Translates that right into a standard form |
| Valid alone | Yes, in Pakistan | No, never |
| Validity in Punjab | 1 to 5 years, as chosen | 1 year or 3 years on DLIMS |
| Issued by | Your provincial or territorial licensing authority | The same authority |
| Covers | The categories you were tested for | Exactly the same categories |
Punjab's international licence fees on DLIMS
DLIMS prints a separate International License table. The fee is per year, the Rs 480 courier is added once, and the portal shows a 3 year total as well. In any combination of categories, the highest fee applies.
| Category | Fee per year | 1 year with courier | 3 years with courier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle | Rs 450 | Rs 930 | Rs 1,830 |
| Car or jeep | Rs 1,350 | Rs 1,830 | Rs 4,530 |
| LTV, HTV or PSV | Rs 1,850 | Rs 2,330 | Rs 6,030 |
The DLIMS table prints the 3 year motorcycle total as Rs 1,830, which is less than three times the yearly fee. We report the figure as the portal prints it; the PSID amount on your screen is what you pay. Every category, the steps and the papers are in our guide to the international driving licence in Punjab.
Who actually needs one
You need an IDP if you plan to drive abroad on a Pakistani licence, for a holiday rental or a work trip. Many countries accept a foreign licence with an IDP for short visits, and rental firms often ask for it even where the law does not.
You do not need one if you will not drive, or if you are moving abroad and will change to a local licence. Gulf states each set their own rules, so check the rules of the country you are going to and your rental firm's policy before you pay.
How to get one, in the right order
- Check that your Pakistani licence is valid for the whole trip.
- Renew it first if needed. In Punjab, renew online on DLIMS or at a counter, as our guide to renewing a Punjab licence at an e-Khidmat Markaz explains. A lost card needs a duplicate Punjab licence first.
- Apply for the IDP through the authority that issued your licence, with your licence, CNIC and passport. In Punjab, choose International License on DLIMS, now run through the Dastak app, and pay the PSID.
- Check the destination's rules at the same time, because they decide whether you need the permit at all.
If your licence was issued in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad or another region, start at that authority. Our page on how to apply for a driving licence online in Pakistan lists the official portal for each one. If you hold a foreign licence and live in Pakistan, see how to convert a foreign driving licence in Pakistan instead.
The fake international licence trade
Search for an international driving licence and you will find sellers offering 10 year validity, 150 countries, no test, no local licence and delivery in three days.
Each of those is a warning sign. Punjab's own portal issues for 1 or 3 years, only against a Pakistani licence, and through a government payment slip. "No local licence needed" tells you plainly the document is fake, because there is nothing for it to translate.
The risk is real. A fake shown to a traffic officer after an accident abroad is a criminal matter, and your insurance can refuse to pay because you were driving unlicensed. Pay only through the official PSID, never cash to an agent. If you were sold a fake online, report it as shown in our guide to reporting cybercrime in Pakistan.
A national online system was announced in August 2026
In August 2026 the federal government announced approval of one online system for IDPs through the National Police Bureau portal. No launch date or fee was published with it.
Until it launches, use your licensing authority. The same meeting also covered police clearance certificates, which visa files often ask for: see our guide to the police character certificate online.
Questions readers are asking
What is an international driving permit?
A standard translation of your valid Pakistani driving licence, recognised in many countries. It has no force by itself and must be carried with the original licence.
Can I get an IDP without a Pakistani licence?
No. An IDP translates a licence you already hold. Anyone offering one without it is selling a forgery.
How much is an international driving licence in Punjab?
DLIMS lists Rs 930 for a motorcycle and Rs 1,830 for a car for one year, both including the Rs 480 courier. The 3 year car total is Rs 4,530.
How long is an IDP valid?
Punjab's DLIMS issues it for 1 year or 3 years. Offers of a 10 year international licence are a sign of fraud.
Do I need one for the UAE or Saudi Arabia?
Each country sets its own rule, and Gulf states differ. Check that country's rule and your rental firm's policy before you travel.
Has the national NPB system launched?
Its approval was announced in August 2026, with no launch date or fee. Apply through your licensing authority in the meantime.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
We read the DLIMS fee structure page on 8 November 2026.
Last checked 8 November 2026. We read the DLIMS fee structure page, including its International License table, and the DLIMS home page on that date.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
