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The IDP exists primarily to held identify the driver, not the vehicle (most tourists will probably be using a rented or borrowed vehicle). Essentially the IDP provides translations into several languages of the basic info on the driver's home DL. This primarily moves things along if stopped by the police in a foreign country where there might be a language problem. Legally the IDP is not supposed to used by itself but only in accompaniment with the driver's home country DL.
In the US, the AAA is legally authorized to issue IDPs, which it does for about $15. The AAA insists on seeing the official DL to work up the IDP.
There are con artists out there, advertising on the internet, that they will issue IDPs with any sort of name, birthdate, whatever, for prices approaching $300. Beware. These guys send out IDPs supposedly issued by travel agents in the third world, but the IDP convention says that the IDP must be issued by an authorized body within the driver's home country.... and that the IDP is supposed to duplicate the information on the official ID or DL.
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