International Driving Permit for Malaysia: Which Countries Still Need One in 2026 (and Which Don't)

Whether you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Malaysia comes down to two questions. Where was your licence issued, and can a Malaysian officer read it? Visitors from the other ASEAN states drive on their home licence. Everyone else should plan on carrying an IDP, or an officially attested English translation, alongside the original licence. Below is where each group of visitors stands, and what to bring to a rental.

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The legal baseline

Malaysia's Road Transport Act 1987 allows a visitor to drive on a foreign licence that is still valid in its country of issue. Where the licence is not in English or Malay, it must be supported by a translation — an IDP, or an English translation attested by the issuing country's embassy in Malaysia. Short-term visitors can generally drive on this basis for up to 90 days from entry.

An IDP is not a licence in its own right. It is a standard booklet that translates your licence details into several languages, issued in your home country under the international road-traffic conventions. It is only valid together with the original licence.

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ASEAN visitors: your home licence is enough

Nationals of the other nine ASEAN member states can drive in Malaysia on their domestic licence for short visits, under the 1985 ASEAN Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences. They need no IDP and no translation.

Carry your passport alongside the licence.

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English-language licences: legal, but bring an IDP anyway

A valid licence printed in English — from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the United States, for example — can be read by the authorities without a translation. Even so, many rental companies and insurers in Malaysia ask non-ASEAN visitors for an IDP regardless of the licence's language, and some travel guides treat it as expected of every non-ASEAN driver. An IDP is cheap and quick to get before you travel, and it removes the question at the rental handover and at a roadside check.

If your licence has no photograph, get an IDP.

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GCC visitors: the Arabic-script question

This is where most of the confusion arises for Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti, Qatari, Bahraini and Omani visitors.

Malaysian law does not reject a GCC licence. What it needs is for the licence to be readable, so the practical rule is this: if your licence does not show your details in English, you need an IDP or an embassy-attested English translation. Many GCC licences carry English alongside the Arabic; some do not.

You have two ways to meet that requirement:

Option 1 — an IDP issued in your home country. All six GCC states issue IDPs through their traffic or licensing authorities. This is the most widely accepted option. Get it before you fly.

Option 2 — an embassy-attested English translation. The law also accepts a translation attested by your country's embassy in Malaysia. It is valid, but the process takes time and varies by embassy, so for a holiday rental Option 1 is the practical choice.

In short: GCC nationals driving in Malaysia should carry their original licence together with an International Driving Permit issued at home before departure. An embassy-attested English translation is the legal alternative. Unlike visitors from the ASEAN states, GCC visitors are not covered by a regional agreement that exempts them.

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Applying for an IDP in Malaysia (for Malaysians travelling abroad)

For Malaysian licence holders who need an IDP for a trip overseas, JPJ issues it:

• Online through the MyJPJ app or the MyEG portal.
• In person at a JPJ branch or an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC).

The fee is RM 150. The permit is valid for one year from the date of issue, or until your Malaysian licence expires if that comes first. Check JPJ's website for the current list of documents before you apply.

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What to have ready for a VELO self-drive rental

VELO delivers to your hotel or residence, so the documents are checked when the car arrives. For a self-drive luxury car rental in Kuala Lumpur, have these ready:

• Your original driving licence (the physical card or booklet, not a photo of it)
• Your International Driving Permit, if you hold one
• Your passport, with a valid entry stamp or visa

Malaysian residents need their Malaysian licence and MyKad instead.

Rules for your nationality and the car you choose are confirmed with you before you book, so nothing is left to the handover. If you are unsure, the team will tell you exactly what to bring. See our FAQs and rental policies, or WhatsApp +601111117733 in English or Arabic.

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A note on rental company policy and Malaysian law

Malaysian law and rental company requirements are not always identical. Rental companies set their own documentation conditions, often because of insurance terms, and some ask every non-Malaysian licence holder for an IDP whatever the licence's language. That may go beyond the legal minimum, but it is the rental company's condition to set.

The practical advice is simple: if you are not from an ASEAN country, bring an IDP. It removes any ambiguity from the rental, the road, and any roadside check.

Browse the full luxury car rental Malaysia fleet — including the sports car fleet — and the requirements for your chosen car are confirmed when you book. If you are landing at KLIA and would rather not drive on day one, our chauffeur-driven airport transfer from KLIA sidesteps the licence question entirely.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drive in Malaysia with a Saudi or UAE driving licence? Yes, provided the authorities can read it. If your licence does not show your details in English, you need an International Driving Permit issued at home before you travel, or an English translation attested by your embassy in Malaysia. The IDP is the simpler and more widely accepted option.

Do ASEAN nationals need an IDP to drive in Malaysia? No. Under the 1985 ASEAN Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences, nationals of the other nine ASEAN states — Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar — can drive on their domestic licence for short visits.

How long can a tourist drive in Malaysia on a foreign licence? Generally up to 90 days from entry. If you stay longer, or move to Malaysia, different rules apply and you may need a Malaysian licence.

Where can a Malaysian get an IDP? From JPJ: online through the MyJPJ app or MyEG, or in person at a JPJ branch or UTC. The fee is RM 150 and the permit is valid for one year.

Is an IDP valid on its own? No. An IDP must always be carried with your original driving licence. It is a translation, not a replacement.

My English licence has no photograph — do I need an IDP? Yes. Get an IDP before you travel.

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Check your documents before your trip, or WhatsApp the VELO team at +601111117733 and we will tell you exactly what to bring for a KLCC delivery or any other address in the city.