An international driving permit in Malaysia is issued by JPJ, and you can get one in the MyJPJ app (delivered in a few working days) or over the counter at a JPJ branch, a UTC or the AAM (same day). You need a full Competent Driving Licence (CDL) that's valid for at least another year. The permit lasts one year from the date it's issued. The steps below are as at November 2026.
If you're driving only in ASEAN countries, you probably don't need one: Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar accept a Malaysian licence. Outside ASEAN, plan on carrying an IDP with your licence.
Before you start
- A CDL. A probationary (P) licence doesn't qualify, and neither does a learner's licence.
- At least one year left on your licence on the day you apply. If it expires sooner, renew it first; renewing a driving licence explains how.
- Your MyKad.
- Photos. For a counter application, two passport-size photos, 35 mm by 50 mm, white background, taken in the last six months. The app takes a digital photo instead.
- The fee, which is set by the Ministry of Transport, charged per year of validity and not refundable. Check the current amount on the JPJ portal or in the app before you go.
Applying in the MyJPJ app
- Open MyJPJ and log in. If you haven't set it up, our MyJPJ app guide walks through registration.
- Go to the Driving Licence tab and choose Apply for IDP.
- Upload your photo, check the details pulled from your licence, and pay in the app.
- Choose courier delivery and give an address where someone can sign for it.
- Wait for the booklet: three to five working days is the standard delivery time.
Use the app if your trip is more than a week away. A courier that slips by two days won't matter.
Applying over the counter
- Go to a JPJ branch, an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) or the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM). These are the only places that issue the permit.
- Fill in form JPJ L1, available at the counter or to download from the JPJ portal.
- Hand over your MyKad, your licence and the two printed photos, and pay.
- Collect the booklet, usually within 30 to 45 minutes.
The counter is the answer if you're flying in a few days. It's also the safer choice if you're unsure your photo meets the rules, because the officer checks it in front of you.
Using it abroad
The IDP is a translation of your licence, not a licence on its own. Carry both together every time you drive, and your passport.
It's valid for one year and can't be renewed. For the next trip after it expires, apply for a new one. JPJ introduced a redesigned permit in 2024 to match the international standard format, and said older permits remain valid until they expire.
A few countries need care. Japan and South Korea work to the 1949 Geneva Convention format, which is what JPJ's permit follows. Mainland China doesn't recognise the IDP, so it won't help you there. Taiwan checks it strictly. For anywhere else, look at that country's embassy or road authority site before you book a rental, because the rental counter will follow its own country's rules, not ours.
Small print people ask about
Is the IDP a separate driving licence?
No. It's only valid with your Malaysian licence, and only in the countries that recognise it.
I'm a visitor to Malaysia. Do I need a Malaysian IDP?
No: you get your IDP in the country that issued your licence, before you travel. Visitors with an ASEAN licence can drive here on it; others carry an IDP from home alongside their own licence, in the format of the international conventions. In October 2026 JPJ warned that a document sold as an "International Driving Permit" isn't valid unless it comes from a proper issuing authority, so get yours from your own licensing body or its appointed motoring club. Our guide to Malaysia's road rules for foreigners covers the rest, and renting a car as a tourist explains renting here. What Grandpride asks a visiting driver to show is CHECK: licence, IDP and ID requirements for foreign renters.
Staying longer than a visit?
If you live in Malaysia on a foreign licence, the IDP stops being the answer. Converting a foreign driving licence explains the switch to a Malaysian one.
Visitors who'd rather not drive in KL at all can book a chauffeur by the hour instead; those who do can browse the Grandpride rental fleet.
