In June 1952 the resolution of the Inland Transport Committee established the Green Card System with the participation of eight countries with effect from 1st January 1953. The eight countries were: Austria, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Great Britain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany. Within a half-year, another four countries (Denmark, Norway, Finland, Ireland) joined this system. In the next few years, most European countries followed them. Hungary has been participating in the Green Card system since 1961.

As the years passed, the number of member countries of the Green Card system continuously increased.

In the recent years more and more Eastern European countries introduced the compulsory motor liability insurance and joined the system. To ensure the proper running of the Green Card System, the Council of Bureaux is stipulating stringent rules of admission. In the earlier years new members were provided with a transitional membership with limited rights for a period of two years. This has now been increased to four years. The activity of the transitional members is supported and controlled by a committee elected by the General Assembly of the Council of Bureaux.

Although it has been declared as a European system, nowadays some Non-European countries (such as Morocco, Tunisia, Israel and Iran) also became part of it, for economical, political and tourism-related reasons.