International Driver's License for Colombia

Colombia may accept a foreign license for short visits, but an International Driver's License is strongly recommended for anyone driving here. Because your national license is likely not in Spanish, an IDL gives Colombian transit police (Policía de Tránsito) and rental agencies an official translation they can read at a glance, which smooths roadside checks and insurance claims. Apply online through E-ITA and get your digital IDL within minutes.

In Colombia, an IDP (International Driving Permit) — also called an IDL — is a multilingual booklet that translates the details of your home driver's license into the languages Colombian authorities and rental desks recognise. It does not replace your national license: you carry both together. The IDP simply proves what your home license already permits, in a form a Spanish-speaking officer can verify.

* People drive on the right side of the road.

* The minimum age to drive a car is 16; the minimum age to rent a car is 18.

* There is a national seat belt law — always buckle up.

* Handheld mobile phone use while driving is prohibited; hands-free is permitted.

* Helmets are required for motorcycle and scooter riders and their passengers.

* Legal blood alcohol limit is 0.02% — effectively, do not drink and drive.

* Speed limits are up to 80 km/h (49 mph) in urban areas and 120 km/h (74 mph) on rural roads.

Most rental companies in Colombia will accept your home license, but many ask to see an International Driver's License alongside it, especially when your license is not in Spanish. Carrying an IDL avoids counter disputes and makes it easier for the agency to record your details correctly on the rental and insurance paperwork. You must present both your national license and the IDL.

Tourists can generally drive in Colombia on a valid foreign license for the duration of their authorised stay as visitors. Once you become a resident you are expected to obtain a Colombian license through the RUNT system. For short trips, keep your home license and IDL together for the whole visit.

Yes. Colombia enforces a low blood alcohol limit of 0.02%, and penalties for drink-driving are severe. The practical advice is not to drink at all before driving. Transit police run checkpoints, and an IDL alongside your license helps a stop go smoothly if you are asked for documents.

Helmets are mandatory in Colombia for both riders and passengers on motorcycles and scooters. To rent or ride a motorbike your home license must cover that vehicle category, and an IDL restates those categories in a form local police and rental agencies can read.

It is best to arrange your IDL before you travel, because it must be issued against your home license by an authorised body — you cannot simply buy a valid one at a Colombian airport or rental desk. If you are already in Colombia and realise you need one, you can still apply online through E-ITA and receive the digital copy quickly.

Apply online through E-ITA in a few minutes: enter your details, upload your valid national license, and you receive your digital IDL shortly after, with the physical booklet available for delivery. Do this before your trip so both documents are ready when you land in Colombia.