getting the international driving permit

AFAIK, the ONLY way to get an IDL in the States is from your local AAA office. You don't need to be a member to do this. They can also take the photos necessary for the permit. It only takes a few minutes and you're done. No, you don't need one to drive in the UK. You do need one, BY LAW, to drive in Italy. The rental agency may or may not require that you show them the IDL before renting a car to you. This doesn't change the fact that you are required by law to have one in your possession.

Not having one won’t prevent you from renting a car. But it is a legal requirement in Italy to have one. If you are stopped by the police and asked for it and you don’t have the permit, you are subject to a hefty fine, though it might not be imposed. It’s simple to show up at the AAA office with two passport photos and a $20 bill to get the permit. Look at it as cheap insurance.

cwood, you don't say (and you haven't completed the profile so no information there either) where you are coming from but because you mention the AAA I assume that it is somewhere in the USA.

If so, yes, the AAA is the only major source of them in the US. You go in, hand over around $20 and your current state license and 2 photos, and they give back some change, your license and the IDP (valid for 12 months).

If you don't have photos (extra passport ones are perfect) they can take the picture for you. Depending on which AAA and your membership status they might be free or an additional charge.

15 minutes later you are back on your way....

You'll love Italy...

"Not having one won’t prevent you from renting a car"

This statement is a bit misleading. Some rental agencies may require an IDP to rent a car. There have been reports on this forum of people being unable to rent a car at some agencies in Italy without having it.

Why take chances. It you don't want any hassles, just go ahead and get one. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. And, as mentioned, it is required by Italian law.

Contrary to other posts, you can also get an IDP from the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). Get the application from their website and apply by mail. Takes longer but it’s convenient if there’s no AAA office near you.

You can also get one by mail from the American auto touring association. We did this with no issue as AAA offices are a 2 hour drive from our home.

If you go to the AAA web site and look around long enough there is a way to get an IDP by mail from them. Since your time frame has a relatively short fuse, I would go to an office if at all convenient.

The laws changed in the past few years and now the IDP is law. Being stopped without one is subject to hefty fines. Also, are you driving out of Rome with the car? Many on this forum, including me, would highly recommend training to Orvieto (1 hr north of Rome via regional train) and picking up the car there. I have done the reverse twice (dropped off the car in Orvieto and trained in Rome) and it was so easy, without the hassle of the city traffic. Rome is the capital of Italy and with Vatican city adjacent, the streets can be heavily congested and stopped for incoming politicians, Vatican officials, etc. Twice when we were first in Rome, we left our taxi's due to being stopped for a motorcade. just a thought!

A lot of rental companies are now requiring that you show the IDP before they will rent you the car. If you don't have one they can deny you the rental based on the fact you don't have all the proper documentation to drive in Italy.

It's a permit, not a license. There is no such thing as an International drivers license that I know of or can find. You need the permit and the license in order to legally drive in Italy.

Get one at the nearest AAA and be sure to have both your license and your IDP with you when you pick up the car. Everyone who plans to drive will need one.

Donna

Thanks everyone all have been a great help. I will fill out my profile. I have a triple A about an hour a half away from me plus a Bass Pro Shop not to waste a trip. Springfield,Missouri again thanks to all that commented.

cwood,

One other point to mention is that you may want to do some research on the ZTL areas (limited traffic zones) which now exist in many Italian towns. Passing through these even by mistake will result in hefty fines, which you likely won't know about until months after you've returned home. You may find this helpful - http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/traffic_cameras_speeding.htm

You'll also have to deal with photo radar cameras and tolls on the motorways. Note that some fines (such as not having an IDP) are collected on the spot!

There are also some potentially expensive caveats when using trains and other public transit.

I walked into the triple A office and filled out a simple form. I forgot my extra pictures from getting my passport. They took my picture and I was out the door in less than 15 minutes. I think it was around $35 because I didn't have my pictures. I have one less worry out of the way. Thanks again to all the comments.

Great! Just also remember to CARRY YOUR HOME STATE LICENSE! Someone here posted a few years ago that she forgot to pack the license and had to revise her planned trip on the fly.

Glad you're all set.

I'm one who had to show my IDP to rent a car in Italy (specifically, the Hertz office in downtown Palermo).

Probably obvious, but you need a regular home drivers license plus the IDP for EACH person who will be an authorized driver of the car. If that is only one of you, only that person can legally drive. That might be important if your principal driver is very tired, or has been imbibing.

To rent a motorcycle in Italy, you now need the IDL. Last three times I rented, all different places in Italy, they required the IDL or they would not rent to you. 10 years ago, no body cared. It is the rule now. :)

I picked up my car at Hertz,Rome Airport and they required the IDP to get the car.
Mike

Again, it is the police that require it should you have any issues. The rental car agency issue is a result of this law.