Renting a Car in France-Driver's License Question

You might want to get the International permit from a AAA office. Did the rental company say anything about that? I would think that is a bigger problem, potentially, for you.

As for your "dilemma" with the recent license renewal, I don't think you are at risk of getting rejected for that. Surely they are targeting newer, meaning younger, drivers with that requirement.

I don't think many, if any, driver's licenses show the date the holder was first licensed, so that limitation would probably only come into play if you look really young.

I've never seen this requirement, and I can't imagine that a rental company would forego the business of anyone who renewed their license less than two years ago. That would eliminate a third of the drivers in my state. They must be trying to screen out younger drivers with less than two years' driving experience. If you're really unsure about this, conact the rental company. Or talk to someone at Auto Europe.

An IDP, easily obtained through AAA before you leave, assures an overseas rental company, and any officer who might stop you for any reason, that your state-issued US license is valid. It's helpful to bring along, though not necessarily required by law or rental company policy.

I am renting a car in France and the rental car company states that an IDP is required.

Different stated requirements for different companies, and different levels of enforcement, but they’re in the business of renting cars, not rejecting potential customers, so if you meet their requirements, even if someone might argue that all your documentation is not n order, don’t fret too much.

1. Our first European car rental was from Sixt in Avignon, way back in 2001. That was a long time ago, granted, but it went surprisingly smooth.

2. We’re renting next month in Ireland (with Avis), and several rental companies we looked at went to exacting degrees describing how long one had to have been licensed in order to rent from them. There were surcharges for people under 30, and I think 25 was maybe the minimum age for many. Understood … but you’ve been driving for longer than a 30 year old has even been alive. Colorado renews driver licenses every 10 years for those under 60, and every 5 years for those over 60. No one’s going to have 40 years of expired licenses to prove a continuous chain of license validation. If you’re over 30, don’t sweat it.

3. The International Driving Permit, obtainable for about $20 at your local AAA (bring 2 passport type photos, or they’ll snap the photos for an additional few dollars), is very likely only going to need to be shown if you get stopped by police on your trip. I’ve never been asked to show mine by a rental agent in several European countries - they just want to see my passport and Colorado license. But have one anyway, … again, for a potential police officer, probably not the rental desk clerk.

4. If you’re looking for the best rental price or other conditions, you could actually wind up with Europcar, Hertz, Dollar, Avis, etc. They could specify other requirements, but any of them should accept that your current license is the most recent of a long line of licenses, and it’s not like you suddenly took a driver’s ed class, passed your very first vision exam and driver’s exam, and got your first license in 2021, in your mid-fifties (I’m guessing here). You’re American, after all! Anybody here over 30 got their license the day they turned 16. Apparently there are now some Gen Z “kids” who’ve never driven, and have no interest in anything other than a skateboard or motorized scooter, but that’s not going to be your issue when you pick up your rental car.

5. When you get tailgated mercilessly by French drivers, don’t take it personally.

Side Note: On last Sunday’s Meet the Press, when discussing the 21-year-old National Guard Airman suspected of leaking military information online, moderator Chuck Todd quipped that it appeared that Hertz was more restrictive renting a car to a young person than the US military was in giving Intelligence clearance to young service personnel. :-))

You can probably buy an Uzi when you’re 6 in some states so…..

I don't think many, if any, driver's licenses show the date the holder
was first licensed,

All European driving licences show that.

You can probably buy an Uzi when you’re 6 in some states so…

Maybe, maybe not, but a 6-year-old would have a tough time reaching the gas and brake pedals on a rental car, so …

I don't think many, if any, driver's licenses show the date the holder
was first licensed,

All European driving licences show that

Very interesting. I wonder how countries besides the USA and in Europe manage their driver license designs? That could affect lots of tourists looking to rent a car.

I have not rented a car in Europe in just over a decade, and back then I never bothered with the IDP and had no issues. However, I have read anecdotes in recent years about the increasing need to have one to obtain a rental car - sure, it isn't 100 percent of the time, and it may vary from one agency to another - but it seems foolish to me to run into this issue and be denied the rental for lack of an iDP.

You never know who the clerk is that you will be dealing with, and also if you rent a vehicle in a more rural location (I have done more of that than renting at a large airport), there may not be any manager to appeal to...in other words, if you are picking up your car at CDG, you would probably be OK getting approved without the IDP, but I have rented cars in plenty of smaller towns, and some of those are barebones operations with one employee, so beware...

Short answer: get the IDP. Why take a chance on this most critical element in your trip plans?

I’ve rented many cars in Europe, including 3 cars in France last year. An IDP is required. You may never need to show it but if you do need it and don’t have it it would be a problem. All I have ever shown when renting a car is my California drivers license. The IDP translates and verifies it if someone wants to confirm it’s a valid license.