India on a Chinese Licence 2026: No IDP, So Hire a Driver
China
India
UK and Canadian advice say visitors to India must carry a 1949 IDP with their licence. China issues no IDP, so there is no recognised route: book a car with a driver instead.
India puts two hurdles in front of Chinese drivers, and the first cannot be cleared from home. The second is the side of the road: India keeps left, the reverse of China.
The permit you cannot get
Canadian government advice says visitors must carry an International Driving Permit, and UK advice asks for the 1949 version, kept in the car with the licence. China is a party to neither the 1949 nor the 1968 road convention, so no Chinese authority issues an international permit, and a translation is not the same document. That leaves a Chinese licence holder with no recognised route to self-drive.
The good news is that India is built for the alternative: a car with a driver is widely available, inexpensive by international standards, and spares you the hardest traffic you are likely to meet. If a rental company offers you a self-drive car anyway, get its acceptance of your licence and its insurance cover in writing before you pay.
What the roads are like
The traffic runs on a logic of its own. Lane lines are treated as advice, any gap is filled at once, and the horn does the work a mirror does in China: a short tap means “I’m here, I’m coming past”. Cattle, dogs, cycle- and auto-rickshaws and pedestrians share the same surface, and UK advice notes a high road death rate.
Limits are set by notification and posted by road; WHO lists 120 km/h as the motorway maximum, but actual speeds are far lower. The alcohol limit is 30 mg per 100 ml (0.03%), a touch above China’s 0.02%. Speeding in a car costs INR 1,000-2,000 for a first offence under the Motor Vehicles Act. Call 112 in an emergency, or 100 for police.
Read the full rules on our India driving guide, compare other routes with the Driving Permit Checker, and price any fine on the Speeding Fine Calculator.
Sources
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, India, safety and security (1949 IDP with licence; road hazards): gov.uk
- Global Affairs Canada, India travel advice (“You must carry an International Driving Permit”; 100/112): travel.gc.ca
- UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (India a party, China not): treaties.un.org
- UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Convention on Road Traffic (China not a party): treaties.un.org
- India Code, Motor Vehicles Act 1988, s.183 (speeding) and s.185 (30 mg per 100 ml): indiacode.nic.in
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, India profile (120 km/h motorway): who.int
- Global Affairs Canada, China travel advice (0.02%): travel.gc.ca
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Not on a recognised footing. Canadian and UK government advice say visitors must carry an international driving permit, the 1949 version, with their licence. China is party to neither road convention and no Chinese authority issues an international permit. Hiring a car with a driver is common and inexpensive in India, and it is the practical option; if you still want to self-drive, get the rental firm's written acceptance first.
The left, opposite to China. The first hours are the danger window at junctions, roundabouts and overtakes, where your reflexes point the wrong way.
30 mg per 100 ml of blood (0.03%) under the Motor Vehicles Act, slightly above China's 0.02% but still strict. City checkpoints are common, so don't drink before driving.