Driving in Viet Nam as a foreigner: international permits and licence conversion

Driving licences in Viet Nam are handled by the traffic police under Circular 12/2025/TT-BCA of 28 February 2025.

Visitors: international driving permits

Only an international driving permit (IDP) issued by a country in the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic is valid, and you must carry it together with your national licence.
Korea and Viet Nam recognise each other's international driving permits.

Foreigners living, working or studying in Viet Nam can convert a valid national licence if their residence card, permanent residence card or diplomatic ID is valid for at least 3 more months.
You need a notarised Vietnamese translation of the licence and a health certificate (not needed for classes A1, A and B1).
Apply at the traffic police division or the commune police; it takes 5 working days.
International driving permits and temporary licences cannot be converted.

Facts checked on 2026-10-03 against the official sources below. Rules change: check the source before you act.

This series is written by Flosa, a flower shop in Ho Chi Minh City that delivers to homes, offices and hotels across Viet Nam. For company orders see flowers for companies; for the holidays of your own community in Viet Nam see flower holidays in Viet Nam.

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