Once your Digital International Driving Permit (IDP) is ready, you’ll receive it as a digital file by email — making it easy to keep on your phone or tablet alongside your other essential travel documents, wherever in Canada you’re departing from.

Keeping Your IDP Handy While Travelling

After you receive your Digital IDP, we recommend saving a copy to your phone’s photo library or a documents app, and also keeping a backup copy in cloud storage or your email, in case your phone is lost, damaged, or runs out of battery during your trip. Many Canadian travellers also print a paper copy as an extra backup, even if they ordered the digital-only package.

Showing Your IDP at the Rental Counter

When you arrive to pick up a rental car abroad, have your Digital IDP, your Canadian driver’s licence, and your passport ready to show together. Rental staff are generally familiar with reviewing documents on a phone screen, but having a printed copy as well can speed things up if a counter doesn’t have great connectivity for viewing email attachments.

Offline Access Tips

Before you travel, save your IDP as a PDF or image file directly to your device’s storage (rather than relying solely on an email app), so you can access it even without an internet connection. This is especially useful if you’re travelling to areas with limited mobile data coverage.

Digital vs. Printed: Which Should You Choose?

If your trip is coming up soon, the Digital IDP delivered by email gives you a usable document right away. If you’d prefer a physical booklet as well — for example, as a backup or because you simply like having paper documents — our print-and-digital packages include both. See our pricing page to compare options in CAD.

Security Reminders

Your Digital IDP contains personal information, so treat it the way you would your passport or driver’s licence: avoid sharing copies publicly, use a passcode or biometric lock on the device where it’s stored, and keep a secure backup in case your primary device is lost or stolen while travelling.

Learn More

For more on what an IDP is and how it’s used alongside your existing licence, see our Digital IDP overview. To check whether your destination is on our list of recognized countries, visit our approved countries page.

Apply for Yours

Apply online today and have your Digital IDP ready well before departure.