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Urgent - In Italy, No IDP -Which Car Rental company accept Sworn Translation of DL

hi folks,

have gone through some topic on this forum but i could not find what i was looking for hence opening up a new thread :

i am in Italy and I dont have a IDP, however i am planning to get sworn translation from italian court (registered/attested) as per the guideline mention on the below Italian goverment transport website

https://www.mit.gov.it/traduzione-giurata-della-patente-di-guida

can anyone recommend (based on their similar experience ) which car rental company accept the registered sworn translation for renting the car. I have heard Budget/ Avis would not.

Many thanks

Posted by
9384 posts

If you have a car rental already booked, I would call them or email them to ask. If you don't, I would check their website as most rental agencies should list the document requirements they need. But I can't imagine that they wouldn't accept an official translation, as basically that is what an IDP is.

Posted by
137 posts

Believe it or not I think Hertz will accept the Translation of DL

Posted by
7046 posts

I agree: call the agency.

Worth noting: Having an IDP (or equivalent translation) is not a legal requirement to RENT a car. It is a legal requirement to DRIVE a car (for a foreigner). I've rented cars in Italy many times, from many different agencies, and have never been asked by the agency to show an IDP (I had one, of course, just never had to show it to the car rental agency).

So it's very possible (likely, in fact) that the agency won't care - IME they usually don't - because they don't have to care. If you are stopped by police or worse, if you get in an accident, and you do not meet the legal requirements to drive in Italy, it's not the agency's problem, it's entirely yours (they would get their car back, you would have legal troubles). So they really have no skin in the game and IME typically do not care if you have an IDP/translation or not. Of course, you might find the odd agency or employee who does care, but that seems to be luck of the draw, and not something to count on.

So yes, it's probably worth finding out how picky your agency is going to be, so there's no surprise when you pick up the car. But it's actually the police/legal system that mandates having the IDP or equivalent (and hopefully, you won't have to find out how picky they might be).

Good luck and drive carefully.

Posted by
1854 posts

The car rental companies leave this matter to the local offices which is why the IDP is randomly requested. The law requires a certified translation which is also satisfied by an IDP. The rental counter person may not be well informed about the law so show them this page from ACI, which mentions it in Paragraphs 1 & 8. ACI is the Automobile Club of Italy and has enormous credibility.
https://www.aci.it/i-servizi/normative/codice-della-strada/titolo-iv-guida-dei-veicoli-e-conduzione-degli-animali/art-135-circolazione-con-patenti-di-guida-rilasciate-da-stati-esteri.html

Posted by
16642 posts

All of them will. However the car agency is not the problem. They rarely ask for IDP, The problem is the police if you get pulled over.

If you have a sworn translation it will be in compliance with the law. To get one there are two ways. To have it translated and sworn before a consular officer of the consulate or embassy of the country where your license was issued. My Italian Consulate in San Francisco does that, so probably a US Consulate in Italy should be able to do likewise.

The other option is to have it translated and sworn by an Italian translator or interpreter. There are plenty of the latter, just google: TRADUZIONE GIURATA PATENTE STRANIERA (CITY WHERE YOU ARE NOW).

They generally ask you to email your home license photo via email or WhatsApp (both sides). They can have it done the same day. The sworn translation however must be in paper, so you either pick it up at the translator/interpreter home or office, or they fedex it to your hotel. Obviously a sworn translation will cost more money that the IDP issued by a AAA office.

https://www.mit.gov.it/traduzione-giurata-della-patente-di-guida

Posted by
2 posts

thank you all for your responses, Appreciated

i have called most of the car rental companies in between my tour de italia :-) . Europcar rental said they accept the sworn translation. So , i am planning to book them now.