Drive in India with UK license

Ques:n #: I am an OCI and want to drive car in India on a short holiday what documents I require and how to go about it apart from full UK driver license which I already have, thanks for prompt reply,


Ans: As long as you are a tourist in India you should be able to drive in India if you have with you your valid UK driving license AND a International Driving Permit (IDP). Your UK driving license is not recognized without a IDP. You MUST have both these documents. As long as your IDP is valid you can drive with it.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) allows you to drive a private motor vehicle overseas when accompanied by a valid UK driving license. IDPs from UK are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

You can obtain an IDP over the counter at many post offices in the UK. You must apply IN PERSON (no third-party applications). You must complete an application form, available from the post office. You must also produce one of the following ORIGINAL valid documents:

√ Your UK driving license, or

√ Your UK pass certificate (certificate of competence to drive, valid for two years from the date of your test), together with your provisional driving license.

Once you get an IDP from UK you would be able to drive in India. Remember you must carry both the IDP and your UK drivers license when driving in India.

International Driving Permits are not meant to be a replacement for Indian Driving Licenses, If you are not a tourist but returning to India for resettlement then you should apply for and get a valid Indian driving license. To get a Indian driving license you will have to go through the full procedure of getting a license. Your UK driving license cannot be simply exchanged for a Indian Driving License