I'm planning to rent a car while in Hungary and am wondering whether an Internal Driving Permit is advisable to get before going.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6817 posts
I think it's advisable wherever you might be driving outside your own country. It certifies to a Hungarian police officer or court that you have a valid license at home. You might need that assurance if you're involved in an accident or stopped for a violation. You should have your state-issued license with you too, but you can't expect a Hungarian cop to know that it's valid, or maybe even what it is. The IDP also assures a Hungarian car rental company that your license is valid.
All that is true, whether or not the rental company or local law requires an IDP. Often it's not required, but I think it's still cheap insurance against misunderstanding and unneeded hassle if something goes wrong. "To IDP or not to IDP" is a perennial topic on this forum, and other posters seem to have strong views about it. The arguments against getting the IDP have never been persuasive to me. But of course everyone's entitled to their opinion.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
4020 posts
It is the law in Hungary that Americans renting a car in Hungary have a “Certified translation” of their U.S. state drivers license. This is exactly what an International Drivers Permit ( IDP) is.
Those residents in the EU/EEA are not required to have an IDP.
Posted by
Republic of Texas / U.S.A. / Magyarország / Budapest
27477 posts
... have a “Certified translation” of their U.S. state drivers license. This is exactly what an International Drivers Permit ( IDP) is.
No, it really isn't what an IDP is, but the IDP is an approved substitution for the certified translation.
- Don't forget the E-VIgnette
- Maybe find a video on a few of the maybe unexpected traffic laws.
- Parking in Budapest i would budget $50 a day, outside of Budapest, at least half that. Search for parking in advance of your trip if possible.
- You might want to watch a video on how to pay for public street parking (cheaper than lots)
- Drinking tolerance is 0.00% so not a drop the day you drive.
- Traffic fines are often due on the spot and they arent cheap. Most cops now have card readers.
- Carry your passport when driving (and its the law at all times).
When you run into a golem and wreck the car, the first thing the
police will want to see is your passport and the passports of
everyone in the car.
Posted by
Huntersville, Nc
22 posts
we always get one whenever driving in Europe as a precaution. Thus far we've never had to use it and for a small amount of money ahead of time it makes sense to us