International Drivers License

I haven't researched this since 2008, but at that time we were told they are required in Italy and Germany. My own experience: We used it after a fender bender and it is the first thing the police asked for. I was glad we could hand it right over!!! In the end, we got off easy (no ticket) When you are in the wrong and an officer approaches and demands to see your international license...you will be glad you have it!! (the officer spoke very little English, the people we hit spoke only German. The license is a translation of your state driver's license (and you need both). Without it, the police officer is looking at something he cannot decipher and that would not have been good in our situation)

Larry,

First to clarify the terminology, it's more accurately termed an International Driver's Permit. It's not a license per se, but must be used in conjunction with your home D.L.

To date, I've never been asked to produce an I.D.P., however in some countries (Italy) it's compulsory. Given the reasonable cost to obtain an I.D.P., I'd rather have this on hand rather than having to pay a fine for failing to produce one (or risk having my rental car impounded).

You may want to read This Page from the U.S. State Department. Scroll down to the section covering I.D.P.'s.

Cheers!

We have never had one before - but will get it this year. Just silly not to considering the consequences if you are asked for it, and you don't have it!

Didn't need one prior to 2006 to rent.

But I need them now to rent motorcycles. The rental agencies ask and there is a line on the rental forms to insert the IDP number and expiration date. I use to think it was a waste of time and money to get them. But, like I said, the rental agencies now ask and require one if you are a tourist.

By the way, the fine is 110 Euros, last time I checked, if you are ever ticketed for lack of IDP or other recognized translation.

Hi Larry,

After 6 recent trips (Germany/Austria) I've never been asked to show my IDP at a rental counter, or anywhere else so far. I get one anyway. For less than $20, better safe than sorry. I wouldn't even think of not getting one.

Paul

What I've said before is this: While Italy requires an IDP and France does not, they're easy to get and a good for this reason. If you get stopped - and increasingly, you may because of speed cameras, etc., you want a happy cop. A happy cop is one who doesn't have to figure out which line on your English-language drivers license is your birth date and which one is the expiration date.

It is very inexpensive and can be obtained at any AAA office. Why take the chance? Get one.

We had to produce it to get our rental car last Sept. in Siena. I say get it--it's a cheap way to avoid a travel headache.

We weren't asked for it last September but we got them anyways! As previously said, better safe than sorry! Easy to get at AAA office & good for a year.

I was asked to produce my driver's license by a border control guard while entering Switzerland from Germany. I whipped out my IDP and the border guard said "No, No...your REAL driver's license".

Car rental counters have NEVER asked me to produce one although they DO want to see my passport and real driver's license.

As with most tourist-related items I feel confident that this is a money-making scheme that benefits "somebody"...just not sure who that might be. AAA perhaps?

Tim - I think we've had this exchange before.

Norm and I had a back-and-forth a couple of years ago, leading me to research the issue. I found that in Italy, you can be fined on the spot for not having one. Yet, I've only heard one instance of someone actually being fined (in Spain) and I've read a few claims that rental car offices asked for them.

Nonetheless, I advocate for having them because it is highly likely you'll be stopped at police checks in Italy. They have random stops everywhere (once on a roundabout near Malpensa Airport.) Though I've just shown my passport, if I was cited for something (as I was in France), I've learned that I want the cop to have as easy a time understanding my drivers license as he or she can.

Before our trip to Germany last fall (2009) it was strongly suggested to obtain an international drivers permit. Through our AAA it was relatively inexpensive and we thought it better to be safe than sorry.

When we picked up our rental car, the gentleman behind the counter asked for my drivers license. When I asked him which one, he said my American license. I asked what the other one was for and he said that was to show the officer if we got stopped or had an accident. Luckily we never needed to show it to anyome, but it sounded like that was the one the officals would ask for in case of a problem.

Again, we erred on the side of caution. Why mess up a great vacation because of not having an internatonal permit?

Doug - I never said it wasn't required. I just said that whenever I "was" asked for a driver's license it was always my "real" license...not the flimsy little cardboard makeshift license from AAA (the IDP).

Tim - sorry. That makes sense. The IDP is worthless without your real license.

In Spain they asked me for it both times I rented a car at Hertz. I imagine Italy will not be any different. I get mine at the local AAA office.

Get it. I needed one in Greece and was denied a car by the corporate agencies at the airport. If you are stopped or in an accident, they are helpful, if not required, as translations for the officer. They also certify that your state issued license is valid, something a foriegn officer or rental agent will be hard to verify.

France is the only country where we rented a car and they wanted to see the IDP and that was in 2003. WAs in France in 2006 and the car rental agency didn't ask. Never in all the times we have rented cars in Italy have they asked although my husband has always had one. Have never experienced a fender bender either.

You won't need it unless you don't have it!

I rented a car last Spring in France and also over Christmas in Germany/Austria. I didn't have one in either country and had no problems. With that being said, I'll pick one up before Italy in 2011.

The "permit" is nothing more than a translation of your license, so you need your "real" license to prove you know how to drive, and the translation so the policia or rental agency can read it. If you are planning to drive, go for it. We are not even planning to drive in Italy or Greece, but will take them anyway, because plans change!

I can't imagine knowingly driving in a country that requires an IDP without carrying one. They're cheap and easy to get. Compared with all the other expenses and hassles of planning your trip, this one is a no-brainer.

It's true I carried one and was never asked for it but I was also never pulled over for a traffic stop and never involved in an accident. Are you sure you will have no events where you will be asked to show your IDP? If so, you can save a lot more money by going uninsured.

I agree with Brad. Just because some people have not been asked for it, doesn't mean it is not required. I am one of the few people who needed it and I was glad to have it. I think if we had had our fender bender and the police had asked for it saying "people on the RS helpline told me it was a waste of money" would not have helped me very much. As stated: it is not your license. It is a translation of your license. Therefore you always must hand it over with your license. You may get lucky and get an official who speaks enough English they don't need your IDP and just ask for your license. But if you don't...

We had driven in Europe multiple times with our IDP and never needed it. I could have easily been part of the group saying "I have never been asked for IDP in all the time I have driven in Europe". Then came 2008.... :(

The IDP, and if you need it, is discretionary in practice in Italy.
Its discretionary in the sense that you may or may not be asked for it. The law says you have to have it, though it is rarely if almost never enforced by the police. It CAN however be a requirement to rent a car or a motorcycle and you'll never know that till you are standing at the counter trying to get your vehicle. My motorcycle rental place told me that I would not have been able to rent the bike if I didn't have one. And that year, I almost didn't get a new one, yet I'm glad I did, since I would have had to find some other place with limited time to rent from that didn't ask. We also had an encounter with the local Police in Peinza whereby I had to talk my way out of a parking violation - ZTLs "sort of" apply to Motorcycles also, Technically they don't - but I wasn't going to stand ground on it, and though I was not asked for the IDP, I was glad I had it since the cop was only one question away from giving me a fine if I didn't have it. He didn't ask for the IDP, but he could have. And though technically a ticket to me for parking in the ZTL, would have been dismissed in a court he still could have written up a ticket that I would have had to fight or just pay, AND he could have nailed me for the lack of an IDP if he had wanted to and If I didn't have one. But I did have an IDP. And I knew he really shouldn't give a ticket to a motorcycle in a ZTL space. Not having the IDP he could have nailed me on. So It sort of empowered me knowing he could not fish for a fine that could stick.
With me, in this case here, the IDP was priceless. Even though I never even produced it.