Driving in Andorra with a Germany Driving Licence: IDP Requirements and Rules
A valid German driving licence can be used under Andorra's rule allowing driving with a foreign licence for up to six months. The official sources checked did not establish whether a German visitor must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP), whether an IDP is officially recommended, or whether a translation is required. Those points should therefore not be assumed.
Quick answer
The central verified point is the foreign-licence period. In December 2024, the Government of Andorra announced that the period during which a foreign driving licence permits driving in Andorra was reduced from one year to six months. Germany issues EU driving licences, but the checked Andorran visitor guidance did not provide a Germany-specific IDP rule.
Legal treatment of a German licence in Andorra
Germany and Andorra are separate sovereign states, so a German licence is treated as a foreign licence in Andorra. The Government of Andorra expressly states that foreign licences permit driving for a six-month period. The source does not provide enough detail to convert that period into a fixed database day count or to state that every German licence category automatically receives identical visitor treatment.
IDP requirement, recommendation and model
The authoritative Andorran material checked did not establish that a German licence holder is legally required to carry an IDP, nor did it establish that an IDP is officially recommended. It also did not identify a specific 1949 Geneva Convention or 1968 Vienna Convention IDP model for this exact Germany-to-Andorra situation. These matters are unverified – confirm with official authority.
Visitor and resident rules
The Government of Andorra announced on 30 December 2024 that the validity period for driving in Andorra with a foreign licence was reduced from one year to six months. Residency requires separate attention. Andorra maintains a formal procedure for homologating foreign licences, and its current application documentation distinguishes licences originating in the EU, including German licences, from licences originating in certain other countries for supporting-document purposes.
Rental-car requirements
No named rental-company terms were verified for this pair. A rental company may impose documentation, age, licence-holding-period or other contractual conditions beyond the legal rules for driving, so the requirements of the chosen company should be checked before booking.
Police documents and insurance
The sources checked did not establish a Germany-specific roadside document list or an IDP enforcement rule for visiting drivers. They also did not establish a licence-specific insurance condition for German visitors. These categories are unverified – confirm with official authority rather than assuming that an IDP or translation changes insurance coverage.
Relevant exceptions
The main distinction is between temporary use of a foreign licence and the homologation process applicable when changing to an Andorran licence. The current Andorran application form treats licences originating in the EU differently from licences from certain other countries for authentication and supporting-document requirements. Its translation provision concerns documentation submitted in the homologation process and should not be presented as proof of the translation rule for a visiting driver.
Official sources used
- Government of Andorra, announcement on the revised driving-permit regulation, verifying that the foreign-licence driving period was reduced to six months, https://www.govern.ad/ca/w/el-nou-reglament-de-permisos-de-conduir-modifica-l-edat-d-obtencio-i-la-vigencia-dels-carnets-professionals, checked 2 October 2026
- Government of Andorra, current driving-licence application form R3 T004 dated 25 September 2025, verifying the separate homologation procedure and documentary treatment of EU licences, https://tramits.govern.ad/tramits/R3T004.pdf, checked 2 October 2026
- Government of Andorra, 2022 announcement on the driving-permit regulation, verifying that the regulation contains rules for exchanging foreign licences and category homologation, https://www.govern.ad/ca/w/el-govern-aprova-el-reglament-de-permisos-i-de-les-autoritzacions-administratives-complementaries-per-conduir-i-del-registre-de-permisos-de-conduir-1, checked 2 October 2026
Practical recommendation
Use the original valid German licence as the primary driving document. Because the checked authoritative material does not resolve the IDP and visitor-translation questions, confirm those points with the competent Andorran authority before travel. For a rental car, separately verify the chosen company's terms because rental policy is not the same as destination law.
Last verified
This information was checked against the listed official Government of Andorra sources on 2 October 2026. Driving-licence regulations and administrative procedures can change.