An IDP isn't a new license — it's the official translation of your Brazilian one. Here's when it's actually required, what it costs in each state, and where your CNH alone already does the job.
An IDP isn't a new license — it's the official translation of your Brazilian one. Here's when it's actually required, what it costs in each state, and where your CNH alone already does the job.
An IDP **does not replace** your CNH — it's an official multilingual translation of it, based on the 1968 Vienna Convention. You always travel with both, side by side.
**Cost varies wildly by state**: R$137.79 + shipping in São Paulo, R$271.02 in Minas Gerais. Realistic national range: R$100 to R$280 (about US$18–50). Issuance takes up to 5 business days after payment.
**Where the CNH is enough**: Mercosur (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) and much of the EU (Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy accept the CNH for up to 180 days). **Where the IDP is required in practice**: the US, Chile, Japan (with a big caveat), and nearly every car rental company.
Only drivers with a **full CNH** can get an IDP — not the provisional first-year permit (PPD), despite the similar name. Documents: your original CNH (printed or digital) + proof of the fee payment.
At the rental counter, the IDP is rarely the problem. What stops people is the **minimum age (21, with a young-driver surcharge up to 25)** and the **physical international credit card** needed for the security hold. Virtual, prepaid, or digital-bank cards don't cut it.
An IDP isn't a new license — it's the official translation of your Brazilian one. Here's when it's actually required, what it costs in each state, and where your CNH alone already does the job.
