Traveling to Spain and Renting a Car

If stopped by police for any reason, it would be good to have it. IDP is less than $25, basically a translation of your driver’s license.

Expect more conflicting information (actually, conflicting opinions) here.

This is the forum's equivalent of resolving the eternal questions of Israel/Palestine, gun control/2nd amendment rights, reproductive rights/abortion, etc., like asking "what's the greatest [movie, food, band, etc.] ever", or do you/do you not have the right to recline your seat?

Let's just say...opinions may be divided. You may also want to define the word "need"...

Good luck.

PS: Yes, it is a legal requirement for your US state drivers' license to be valid for driving in Spain. Whether or not you believe that you "need" an IDP to rent a car in Spain may (or may not) be a separate question. For me, it's an easy call: 25 bucks and 5 minutes is cheap insurance. Others will howl at the moon over that. Go figure.

As above, when I rented a car from Hertz in San Sebastián last month the Hertz rep said it is only mandatory to present the IDP to the police if you are stopped for any reason. Hertz did not require it. The police will require it. I was told the same by another car rental agency in Tossa de Mar. Without the IDP, you can rent the car, however, there can be serious consequences that will take all the fun out of your vacation if the police ask you for yours and you do not have one.

Someone here said that a new law has con into effect in the last year or two requiring that the IDP be presented when picking up a rental car. In my two rentals there in 2023 it was never asked for at pickup. (Nor was it once in 2022 or 2021.)

I guess I’m a “worst case scenario” kind of planner. If you legally need it, or it is a requirement in the fine print of your rental agreement, and don’t have one, what is the worst case scenario? The rental company refuses to rent you a car. Does that throw a big wrench in your plans? Is that worth the cost ($25ish) of the IDP?

I'd read my insurance policy very carefully to be sure it's not void if the driver doesn't have an IDP when it's required by law.

There was recently a nightmare story posted about a driver in a rental car in Spain who had an accident and was driving without the required IDP. The fact the driver could not produce an IDP led to detention and a cascade of other consequences.
Under the law in Spain, a fine up to €500 can be levied on a foreign driver without an IDP.
$30 for an IDP is a lot less than a €500 fine.
Plus, chatting with uniformed officers for an unknown amount of time is a serious interruption of what—up to then— would have been a fun vacation.

Get the IDP. Cheap and easy to get. We have been stopped, randomly, and the police spoke no English. He looked at my drivers license and the IDP and we were on our way.

The assumption that someone is Spain, Portugal or any other European county will speak English is at bit presumptive. So again get the permit and hope you never need to show it.

Yes, it is a requirement to have an IDP.

In all my trips to Span, or any country, I’ve never been asked by anybody to see it. I always have one.