266. Drive in Goa with British

License

Q. Hello, please could you help by informing me if it is possible to drive in Goa with a British license. I have recently been informed that there is an agreement under U.N. law that an Indian licence is recognised in Britain and therefore a British licence in India . I cannot establish if this is the case and was wondering if you have information on any such agreement or if not who might I contact? I thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer. Glen Moon A. There is no UN law that British driving licenses must be accepted in India. You may have heard about the United Nations conventions on road safety signature countries that accept an International Driving Permit (IDP). UK and India accept IDP. An International Driving Permit is proof that you hold a valid driver's license in your own country. IDP’s also have included in them a translation into almost a dozen languages, so that police and authorities in other countries can read your license in their own language. If you have a British driving license you can easily get a International Driving Permit in UK even by mailing in your application. To find out how you can easily get an International Driving Permit in UK click HERE. To legally drive in Goa you should travel with your valid British driving license as well as your International driving permit. Update: During a visit to Goa in January 2011, I found that a large number of tourists from overseas were renting scooters using only their foreign driving license. Apparently there appears to be a big competition amongst renting firms for business and they won’t turn you away. However even though some may overlook the legalities, a international driving permit should be sought by tourists to avoid complications. To drive overseas in any country both, your home driving license and international driving permit are required.