International Driver's License

If you are stopped by the police in one of the countries that require it, you have to show it. Italy is one of them.

Someone reported here that the Italian fine for not having the IDP along with a driver's license is 200 euros or more; I don't remember the exact figure.

If you own a car in the US, no one asks you for your license before you hop in and start driving, but you better have one with you if you are in an accident or are stopped by the police for any reason.

if you have an unfortunate collision , you will be asked for it. Best to have one - its the law

Hi Joe,

We have driven in Italy once and had to show one. And all my husband did was to drive around a traffic circle twice. And while the carabinieri woman was attractive she was armed with a machine pistol. Her partner waved us over. No violations, no traffic issues, just a traffic stop in the middle of no where headed back to Siena from Pienza.

Good Luck!

edit to add; Definitive ruling? According to friends who have lived there, refer to machine pistol above.
This happened last May in middle of afternoon

The OP refers to the “need” to have an IDP. It is the law, not a need. If you have never had to show it that only means you have never had to show it. It does not mean you would not have been heavily fined if caught without it.-

In most cases the rental car companies will not ask to see one before renting you a car.

However, as I posted last year (see below), the IDP is required by law by art. 135 of the Italian vehicle Code for those who hold a license from outside the EU. So if you are pulled over by police or involved in an accident you may be asked to produce one to the police officer, and driving without one carries a fine of 400€ and up. Of course you might run in a benevolent Carabiniere who will waive the fine in exchange of other performances, but since it costs only about $20 and 10 minutes of your time at AAA, I don’t think it is worthwhile to take a chance.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/drive-without-idp-at-your-own-risk

Joe, I was once an IDP denier as well, and I feel for your pain regarding ridiculous bureaucratic bs. However, you need to get one. I have talked to a Carabiniere who confirmed that he would have to give me a ticket even though he was far from enthusiastic (I had one). I know of an ex-pat who was ticketed for not having one, even though she was waiting for her Italian license to arrive and could prove it. I have also seen a notice on the door of a Europcar office that said with Italian flourish, 'No IDP, no car'. So even though some cops won't do it, you are gambling $20. against 350 Euro. Not a good bet.

without the international permit or an official translation, as referred to in paragraph 1, is subject to an administrative fine ranging from 400 Euro to 1,600 Euro

At current exchange rates its $490-$1960.

How lucky do you feel?

I have driven in Italy many times over the past 20 years, always with an IDP. Never needed to show it until last October driving to the small town of Scanno in Abruzzo. Routine traffic stop on the highway. I presented the IDP and the Carabinieri officer checked it, smiled, and waived me on. He didn’t even check my actual US drivers license!

Joe,

One other point to add is that the I.D.P. is a permit and not a license, and therefore it must be used in conjunction with your valid home D.L.

Many car rental firms don't ask for an I.D.P. because they don't care, as all they want to do is rent the car. If the renter gets nicked, it doesn't affect them. There are a number of countries in Europe where an I.D.P. is required (France, Greece, Spain, etc.) but you may not be asked for one at the time of rental. As I recall, I was asked to produce one when renting in Greece.

There was a post on the forum here last year from a traveller who was pulled over at a routine police check in Spain. The traveller had an IDP but not with them. They were fined several hundred Euro and the officer marched them to an ATM to obtain the cash.

I always pack along an I.D.P. on every trip, whether I'm planning on driving or not. That's been handy on a few occasions when I've decided on a spontaneous rental. It's cheap and easy to get so seems like a good idea.

An IDP is easy to obtain from AAA and inexpensive, so why not follow the law?

An IDP is easy to obtain from AAA and inexpensive, so why not follow the law?

Thank you so much for all the information.

And Costco is a quick and easy way to get a passport-sized picture for the IDL.

AAA will take the photo for a few extra $

I think it has all been said