Driving in Andorra with a New Zealand Driving Licence: IDP Requirements and Rules
New Zealand AA currently lists Andorra among destinations accepting its 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit (IDP). However, the official Andorran material checked did not conclusively establish whether a New Zealand visitor may drive on the national licence alone or whether an IDP is legally mandatory. The safest documented approach is to carry both your current New Zealand licence and the New Zealand-issued IDP.
Quick answer
A New Zealand-issued 1949 IDP is documented by New Zealand AA as accepted in Andorra. The exact Andorran legal requirement for an IDP, the visitor driving period and any destination translation rule for this licence were not conclusively verified. Do not treat the IDP as a replacement for your New Zealand licence.
Legal treatment of a New Zealand licence in Andorra
New Zealand and Andorra have separate national licensing systems. Andorra acceded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic on 25 September 2024, with the Convention entering into force for Andorra on 25 September 2025. New Zealand AA states that New Zealand is part of the 1949 Convention system and that AA is authorised to issue the corresponding 1949 IDP. The destination sources checked did not provide sufficiently clear New Zealand-specific visitor recognition rules to state that the national licence alone is legally sufficient.
IDP requirement, recommendation and model
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi describes an IDP as an internationally recognised translation that must be used with the New Zealand driving licence, and New Zealand guidance recommends IDPs for overseas driving in many countries. AA states that it issues the 1949 United Nations Convention on Road Traffic IDP and specifically includes Andorra on its acceptance list. Whether Andorran law makes that IDP mandatory for this exact licence holder remains unverified – confirm with official authority.
Visitor and resident rules
No authoritative source checked established a fixed maximum visitor-driving period for a New Zealand licence in Andorra, so no numerical visitor limit is stated here. Andorra has procedures concerning homologation of foreign licences for residents, but the material checked was insufficient to establish the precise resident treatment, exchange eligibility or deadline for this exact New Zealand licence.
Rental-car requirements
No named rental-company terms were verified for this pair. A rental company may impose documentation, licence-age or driver-age conditions beyond the legal rules, so confirm its terms before booking or collecting a vehicle.
Police, authority documents and insurance
New Zealand AA states that its IDP is not a stand-alone licence and must be accompanied by the current New Zealand licence. Specific Andorran roadside-document and insurance conditions for this pair were not established by the sources checked, so those categories are unverified – confirm with official authority.
Relevant exceptions
The New Zealand AA IDP is available only to eligible full licence holders aged 18 or over and expires no later than the underlying New Zealand licence. Category-specific Andorran recognition, including treatment of motorcycle or heavy-vehicle entitlements, was not verified for this pair.
Official sources used
- New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Kiwis driving overseas, verified that AA is the New Zealand IDP issuer and that an IDP accompanies rather than replaces the national licence, checked 3 October 2026, https://www.nzta.govt.nz/driving-skills/safe-driving-habits/kiwis-overseas
- New Zealand Automobile Association, International Driving Permits for driving overseas, verified the 1949 IDP model, eligibility and Andorra acceptance listing, checked 3 October 2026, https://www.aa.co.nz/drivers/driver-licences/driving-permits-for-driving-overseas/
- United Nations Treaty Collection, Convention on Road Traffic 1968, verified Andorra's accession and entry into force, checked 3 October 2026, https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?Temp=mtdsg3&chapter=11&clang=_en&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&src=IND
- Government of Andorra, foreign-driving and licensing material, checked 3 October 2026, https://www.govern.ad/
Practical recommendation
For a New Zealand visitor, carry the original current licence and obtain the AA-issued 1949 Convention IDP before the trip. This matches the documented New Zealand guidance and AA's current Andorra acceptance listing without assuming that acceptance proves a separate Andorran legal obligation. Check the current destination rule and rental terms before driving.
Last verified
This information was checked against the listed sources on 3 October 2026. Driving-licence, IDP, residency and rental rules can change.