During the 2012 legislative session, the Florida Legislature amended section
322.04, Florida Statutes, to require visitors from outside the United States to have an International Driving Permit in order
to drive lawfully in Florida. This change took effect Jan. 1, 2013.
It has come to the Department’s attention that this requirement may
violate the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (1949), an international treaty to which the United States is a signatory. Treaties
to which the United States is a party preempt state laws in conflict with them.
Therefore, the Florida Highway Patrol will defer enforcement of violations
of the amended statutory section until a final determination of the alignment of the amendment with the treaty can be made.
Non-resident visitors to Florida who wish to drive while here will be required to have in their immediate possession a valid
driver license issued in his or her name from another state or territory of the U.S. or from their country of residence. However,
the FHP will not take enforcement action based solely on the lack of an International Driving Permit.
