How to Get an International Driving Permit Through AATA (2026)
AATA is the second of two US-authorized IDP issuers — mail-only, often faster than AAA's mail option, and the right choice if you don't live near a AAA branch.
Yes. AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance) is one of only TWO organizations authorized by the U.S. State Department to issue International Driving Permits to American citizens. The other is AAA. Both produce IDPs that comply with the 1949 Geneva Convention and are accepted in 150+ countries. AATA is smaller and less well-known but operates under the same federal authorization.
Verify directly at travel.state.gov → "International Driving Permit".
When AATA Is the Right Choice
AATA is not a backup option — for a meaningful share of travelers, it's the better issuer. Here are the specific scenarios where AATA beats AAA:
- You don't live near a AAA branch. AATA is mail-only — you don't need to find or drive to a physical location. If your closest AAA office is 40+ minutes away, AATA usually wins on total time spent.
- You want a fully online application. AATA's web form is more polished than AAA's. The entire process — application, payment, photo upload, signature — can be completed from your phone in about 10 minutes.
- You're in a small town or rural area. Mail processing is often faster than driving to a distant AAA branch. AATA standard turnaround is 5–10 business days, vs. AAA's mail option which typically runs 10–15 business days.
- You don't want AAA membership upsells. AATA does not sell roadside assistance, travel insurance, or memberships. They only issue IDPs. No upsell flow, no add-on cart.
- You prefer a smaller, single-purpose organization. Some travelers genuinely prefer dealing with a niche issuer over a large multi-service association. AATA's customer support is more direct — fewer hand-offs.
- You live abroad with a US license. AATA will ship IDPs to international addresses. AAA generally will not — they require a US shipping address.
Bottom line: If you're not within 20 minutes of a AAA branch, or you want to handle this entirely from your phone tonight, AATA is the practical choice.
When AAA Is Better
Honest reverse: there are real scenarios where AAA is the right call, not AATA.
- You need a same-day IDP. AAA branches issue IDPs in-person, walking out the door with one the same day. AATA is mail-only — even expedited shipping is 2–4 business days minimum.
- You live near a AAA branch and prefer in-person interactions. If you can walk into a AAA office on your lunch break, the in-person experience is hard to beat — photo taken on site, IDP printed and signed while you wait.
- You want a recognized brand for border peace of mind. Both IDPs are equally valid, but if you're a nervous traveler and you've heard of AAA, the comfort factor is real. (In practice: border guards and rental agencies do not care which US issuer produced the document.)
- You're already a AAA member. Members sometimes get a slight discount on the photo, and the application form can pre-fill from your membership profile. Net savings: roughly $5.
The AATA Application Process — Step by Step
Plan on ~10 minutes online plus 5–10 business days of mail. No appointment, no branch visit.
- Visit AATA's website: aataidp.com
- Complete the online application (~10 minutes). Name, date of birth, US license number, mailing address, travel dates (optional but helpful for AATA's prioritization).
- Upload your documents:
- Photo of the front of your US driver's license
- Photo of the back of your US driver's license
- One passport-sized photo (2"×2", color, white background, taken within the last 6 months)
- Pay the fee: $20 base + $5–$15 shipping depending on the speed you choose.
- Sign: Either digital signature inside the web form, or print a signed form and mail it in. Digital is faster.
- Receive your IDP by mail: 5–10 business days (standard) or 2–4 business days (expedited). AATA emails a tracking number once your IDP is processed and shipped.
AATA Cost Transparency
Real numbers, not vague ranges. The base IDP fee is $20 — the only variables are shipping speed and whether you need to take a new passport photo.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| AATA IDP application | $20.00 |
| Standard return shipping (5–10 business days) | $5.00 |
| Expedited shipping (2–4 business days) | $15.00 |
| Photo upload (take your own with a phone) | $0 |
| Photo from a drugstore (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) | $10–$15 |
| Realistic total | $25–$50 |
Source: aataidp.com pricing page, current as of 2026.
How AATA Compares to AAA at a Glance
Side-by-side on the variables that actually matter. For a full deep-dive, see AAA vs AATA.
| AATA | AAA | |
|---|---|---|
| Base cost | $20 | $20 |
| Same-day available | No (mail only) | Yes (in person) |
| Mail processing | 5–10 days std / 2–4 expedited | 10–15 days |
| Branch locations | None (online only) | 1,000+ |
| Membership required | No | No |
| International shipping | Yes | No (US addresses only) |
| Acceptance | 150+ countries | 150+ countries |
Real Edge Cases AATA Handles Well
These are the situations where AATA's online flow tends to outperform AAA's branch-by-branch consistency:
- Your US license is from a US territory (Puerto Rico, USVI, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands). AATA accepts these as standard US-issued licenses. Some individual AAA branches have refused or hesitated on territorial licenses because front-desk staff are unfamiliar with the format.
- You have a US license but live abroad. AATA will ship to international addresses. AAA generally requires a US delivery address — meaning expats either have to ship to a family member and re-mail, or use AATA directly.
- You're getting an IDP for a non-US citizen who holds a US license. Both AATA and AAA can process this, but AATA's online flow handles the edge cases (non-US passport for ID, immigrant license categories) more cleanly than navigating an unfamiliar AAA branch.
- You need two IDPs (1949 + 1968 Conventions). Honest answer: both AAA and AATA only issue 1949 Geneva Convention IDPs (the standard US format). The 1968 Vienna Convention format isn't available from US issuers. In practice, no mainstream tourist destination requires the 1968 version — the 1949 IDP from AATA is accepted everywhere it matters.
- You lost a previously issued IDP. AATA can re-issue with a fresh application; there's no formal "replacement" discount but the standard $20 process applies.
What to Do If Your IDP Doesn't Arrive on Time
Most AATA delays are not actually AATA's fault — they're last-minute orders or USPS mail issues. Here's the realistic playbook:
- Track your IDP using the tracking number AATA emails after processing. Most "missing" IDPs are actually in transit — USPS just hasn't scanned the package yet.
- Do the math: Standard processing is 5–10 business days from application + 3–5 days mail in transit = 8–15 calendar days total. If you ordered 7 days ago, you're not late — you're on track.
- If 20+ days have passed: Email AATA support at support@aataidp.com with your application reference number. They typically respond within 1–2 business days and will re-ship if the package was lost.
- Last-minute fallback: If your trip is in less than 5 days and your AATA IDP hasn't arrived, the only realistic backup is walking into a AAA branch in person for a same-day issue. Yes, you'd pay twice — but having a valid IDP at the rental counter is worth $20.
Pro tip: Order your AATA IDP 3–4 weeks before your trip, not 1 week. The vast majority of "AATA was slow" complaints online are from travelers who ordered 5 days before departure. The IDP is valid for 1 year — there is no benefit to ordering late.
Common Concerns About AATA (Myth-Busting)
- "I've never heard of AATA — is this real?" Yes. AATA is smaller and far less marketed than AAA, but it's one of only two organizations the US State Department has authorized to issue IDPs to American citizens. The Department's official IDP page lists exactly two issuers: AAA and AATA.
- "Is AATA a scam?" No. AATA is State Department–authorized. You can verify this yourself: go to travel.state.gov, search "International Driving Permit", and you'll find AATA listed alongside AAA. Be careful, however, of imitator websites with names like "International Driver's Association" or "Global IDP" — those are not authorized. The legitimate site is aataidp.com.
- "Will an IDP from AATA be accepted abroad?" Yes. Border guards, rental agencies, and police care about the document being a valid 1949 Geneva Convention IDP — not which of the two US-authorized organizations produced it. The booklet format, translations, and watermarks are functionally identical.
- "Is AATA cheaper than AAA?" The base fee is the same: $20. AATA's standard shipping ($5) is sometimes slightly cheaper than AAA's mail option. AAA members may get a small in-branch discount on the photo. Net difference: usually under $10 either direction.
- "Can I use an AATA IDP to drive in the US?" An IDP is not a US driving document — it translates your existing US license for use abroad. Inside the US, you drive on your regular state license. The IDP only matters when you cross a border.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Your IDP Through AATA
$20 + shipping. 5–10 business days standard, 2–4 expedited. Fully online — no branch visit, no membership.