Driving in Andorra with a Colombia Driving Licence: IDP Requirements and Rules
A Colombian driving licence is not automatically confirmed as valid merely because it is current. Andorra recognises specified foreign national-licence formats and specified convention IDPs. Colombia officially states that it is not party to the Geneva 1949 or Vienna 1968 road-traffic conventions and cannot issue an official IDP under them. Whether the current Colombian national licence itself meets Andorra's recognised format test could not be conclusively verified.
Quick answer for Colombian licence holders
The key issue is the format of the national licence. Article 14 of Andorra's current regulation recognises national permits from other countries when issued in conformity with Annex 9 of the Geneva Convention or Annex 6 of the Vienna Convention, including documents differing only by supplementary entries. The Colombian Ministry of Transport confirms the Colombian licence format and categories but the checked official material did not state that the document conforms to either of those convention annexes.
Legal treatment of a Colombian licence in Andorra
Andorra's regulation lists EU and EFTA permits separately and then recognises national licences of other countries that satisfy the Geneva Annex 9 or Vienna Annex 6 model requirement. Colombia is therefore assessed under the foreign-licence provisions rather than the EU or EFTA rule. Colombia's Ministry of Transport identifies its current private-vehicle categories as A1, A2, B1, B2 and B3 and public-service categories as C1, C2 and C3. The precise Andorran entitlement depends on the valid category and its correspondence with Andorran categories.
IDP requirement, recommendation and applicable model
Andorra recognises international permits issued in accordance with Annex 10 of the 1949 Geneva Convention and Annex 7 of the 1968 Vienna Convention when accompanied by the holder's national licence. Colombia's Ministry of Transport states that Colombia is not a state party to either convention and therefore cannot issue an official international driving licence for recognition abroad. Consequently, a Colombian traveller should not assume that a privately sold document described as an IDP supplies the convention document contemplated by Andorran law. No Andorran or Colombian authority checked for this page provided a separate official recommendation that Colombian visitors obtain an IDP.
Visitor and resident rules
The current Andorran regulation checked for this page does not state a fixed maximum visitor period in Article 14 for a non-resident using an otherwise qualifying foreign permit, so no fixed visitor-day figure is asserted here. For a holder who obtains habitual residence in Andorra, qualifying foreign permits covered by the relevant provisions are subject to additional conditions and generally remain valid for driving for no more than six months after habitual residence is obtained. The same six-month limit is stated for holders of temporary residence. Article 15 separately regulates changing a foreign permit to an Andorran equivalent.
Rental-car requirements
Legal permission to drive and a rental company's acceptance rules are separate questions. No named rental-company terms were verified that specifically establish the documentation required from a Colombian licence holder renting in Andorra. Confirm acceptance of the exact licence with the rental provider before payment or vehicle collection.
Police documents and insurance
The licence relied upon must satisfy the applicable Andorran validity rules. No Colombia-specific authoritative source checked for this page established an additional roadside document list or a special insurance consequence tied specifically to Colombian licences. Insurance conditions are therefore unverified – confirm with official authority and, for a rental vehicle, with the insurer or rental provider.
Relevant exceptions and limitations
The main pair-specific limitation is Colombia's position on international permits. Its Ministry of Transport states that Colombia does not participate in the Geneva 1949 or Vienna 1968 road-traffic conventions and cannot issue the corresponding official international driving licence. This makes verification of the Colombian national licence itself especially important. Residents also face the separate six-month foreign-permit validity rule and the Andorran exchange or homologation provisions.
Official sources used
- Andorra Legal Portal, Regulation of 2 July 2025 on driving permits and the Register of Driving Permits, especially Articles 14 and 15, verifying recognised foreign permits and resident rules, checked 2026-10-02: https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/R20250702B
- Andorra Legal Portal, Law 12/2021 Traffic Code, especially Articles 89 and 90 on valid foreign permits and exchange, checked 2026-10-02: https://portaljuridicandorra.ad/L2021012
- Colombia Ministry of Transport, international-licence guidance stating that Colombia is not party to the Geneva 1949 or Vienna 1968 road-traffic conventions and cannot issue an international driving licence under them, checked 2026-10-02: https://mintransporte.gov.co/preguntas-frecuentes/
- Colombia Ministry of Transport and RUNT, Resolution 20223040045295 and official Colombian licence-format material, verifying Colombian licence categories and format information, checked 2026-10-02: https://www.runt.gov.co/sites/default/files/normas/MinTransporte-Resolucion-2022-N0045295_20220804.pdf
Practical recommendation
Obtain confirmation from the competent Andorran transport authority that the specific Colombian licence you hold satisfies Article 14 before relying on it. This is more reliable than purchasing an unofficial international document. If hiring a vehicle, separately obtain confirmation from the rental company because its documentation policy may be stricter than the legal minimum.
Last verified date
This Colombia-to-Andorra licence and IDP information was checked against the official sources listed above on 2026-10-02. The date records when the information was verified and does not imply that the law changed on that date.