How Long Before a Trip Should You Get an International Driving Permit?

Since permits are generally valid for one year from issue, applying too far in advance risks the permit expiring before a later trip, while applying too close to departure risks not having it in hand in time. A window of a few weeks before travel tends to balance these two concerns well.

For travelers with multiple trips planned within a year, timing the application around the first trip usually covers subsequent nearby trips within that same validity window.