Portugal
Last verified August 7, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
License Requirements
- Short-term visitors from the U.S. can generally drive on their state-issued license alone for up to 185 days — an International Driving Permit is not strictly required by Portuguese law for a short stay.
- In practice, most car rental agencies in Portugal require an IDP anyway as their own condition of rental, regardless of the legal minimum.
The Gotcha
Whether you 'need' an IDP in Portugal depends on who's asking — the law is more lenient than most of Europe for a short stay, but the rental counter isn't the law, and most agencies simply won't rent to you without one. Get the IDP before you go if you're renting a car, even though it isn't strictly a legal requirement for driving itself.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change — check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- Tenho Carta de Condução Estrangeira — Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT), Portugal