Do I really need an international driver's license?
Aug 7th, 2007, 08:34 AM
#41
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<b>But i think as several has said it's easy to get $15 at AAA - so the discussion is interesting but the only thing is - get it whether you need it or not.</b>
But what about not living in the US. I haven't lived in the US since 1969. It's a few dollars more than the $15. My flights back to the US are a bit more expensive, if it's for a lark.
My current French Permis De Conduire is translated into nine more languages. But all it says is the name of the document. Korekort in Danish, Fuhrerschein in German, Greek, Spanish, Italian, etc. etc.. What is useful about this translation. It says it's a drivers license. Sillyness!
Blackduff
But what about not living in the US. I haven't lived in the US since 1969. It's a few dollars more than the $15. My flights back to the US are a bit more expensive, if it's for a lark.
My current French Permis De Conduire is translated into nine more languages. But all it says is the name of the document. Korekort in Danish, Fuhrerschein in German, Greek, Spanish, Italian, etc. etc.. What is useful about this translation. It says it's a drivers license. Sillyness!
Blackduff
Aug 7th, 2007, 09:01 AM
#44
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blackduff I'd be surprised if you are still driving on a US driving license - it's the country of issue of the licence that's the important factor here not the nationality of the person or even which country they live in
Aug 7th, 2007, 09:33 AM
#45
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"Then again, I might be wrong.
Blackduff"
>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>
Yes. You are.
Blackduff"
>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>
Yes. You are.
Aug 7th, 2007, 09:44 AM
#46
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>...i think this could well be the same in many European countries save italy - recommended and not required ...
It is also required in Austria.
A full list is at http://tinyurl.com/ypybww
Now, this list was compiled by the NZ Auto Association, so it could just be a plot to get money from gullible Kiwis.
It is also required in Austria.
A full list is at http://tinyurl.com/ypybww
Now, this list was compiled by the NZ Auto Association, so it could just be a plot to get money from gullible Kiwis.
Aug 7th, 2007, 12:01 PM
#47
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I wonder why car rental companies in Austria or Italy, as per other posts on this subject, do not require the IDP to pick up a car - if it's required they should (and i do believe it is required in those countries)
Aug 7th, 2007, 12:08 PM
#48
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LOL
<b>Author: NeoPatrick
Date: 08/07/2007, 01:33 pm
"Then again, I might be wrong.
Blackduff"
>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>
Yes. You are. </b>
So, can you tell me what translations are done in the IDP. My post mentioned that the IDP was mostly weasel words. Was there really a full translation of the drivers license? Mine wasn't and I just tried the IDP from the AAA and it doesn't say that it's translated neither. Hmmmmm! I wonder the Italians want to read when we give them this document.
How about all of you others. Can anyone say what type of translation provides on the IDP.
Blackduff
<b>Author: NeoPatrick
Date: 08/07/2007, 01:33 pm
"Then again, I might be wrong.
Blackduff"
>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>
Yes. You are. </b>
So, can you tell me what translations are done in the IDP. My post mentioned that the IDP was mostly weasel words. Was there really a full translation of the drivers license? Mine wasn't and I just tried the IDP from the AAA and it doesn't say that it's translated neither. Hmmmmm! I wonder the Italians want to read when we give them this document.
How about all of you others. Can anyone say what type of translation provides on the IDP.
Blackduff
Aug 7th, 2007, 12:33 PM
#49
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blackduff-
The only thing 'translated' about your license is what type of Class vehicle you are licensed to drive in the US- ie: On my license it says Class: C which is passenger vehicle. On the IDP, AAA puts a stamp in the column marked 'C'.
In my earlier post I wasn't trying to dispute that we didn't need one or shouldn't get one- it just seems arbitrary. Some EU countries want it, some don't. For instance, France doesn't require- so if they can read my US license and figure out what I'm licensed for, why can't Italy?
Seems like either:
a. EU should standardize and require it or don't.
b. US needs to standarize licenses so we don't have to have an IDP.
The only thing 'translated' about your license is what type of Class vehicle you are licensed to drive in the US- ie: On my license it says Class: C which is passenger vehicle. On the IDP, AAA puts a stamp in the column marked 'C'.
In my earlier post I wasn't trying to dispute that we didn't need one or shouldn't get one- it just seems arbitrary. Some EU countries want it, some don't. For instance, France doesn't require- so if they can read my US license and figure out what I'm licensed for, why can't Italy?
Seems like either:
a. EU should standardize and require it or don't.
b. US needs to standarize licenses so we don't have to have an IDP.
Aug 7th, 2007, 02:02 PM
#50
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Ipsmith
I think you hit the nail on the head. It's the US drivers licenses which is the problem-it's not Americans per se. The previous post which gave the Italian travel site was for Americans-not the drivers licenses from the US.
Some of these sites I searched mentioned the same problem with Spain. It was the same as Italy. Yet, I received my Spanish license which was based on a California license. The Spanish authorities didn't even take my old California license.
Blackduff
I think you hit the nail on the head. It's the US drivers licenses which is the problem-it's not Americans per se. The previous post which gave the Italian travel site was for Americans-not the drivers licenses from the US.
Some of these sites I searched mentioned the same problem with Spain. It was the same as Italy. Yet, I received my Spanish license which was based on a California license. The Spanish authorities didn't even take my old California license.
Blackduff
Aug 7th, 2007, 02:57 PM
#51
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casa del cipresso
My apologies, I messed up the link to the (U.S.) government site. (I was too lazy to do a tinyurl and so just split it up into parts to avoid messing up the board, but this of course made it hopelessly inconvenient for readers, sorry.)
http://tinyurl.com/2yb5qp
should work.
(It's the US Diplomatic Mission to Italy site).
blackduff
"Tourists may also use their valid American driver's license if accompanied by an Italian translation issued by one of the following offices of the Italian Automobile Club (ACI):
* ACI (Rome office) - via Marsala 14a - Tel: 06-4998-2496
* ACI (Milan office) - corso Venezia 43 - Tel: 02-77451
* ACI (Naples office) - piazzale Vincenzo Tecchio 49d - Tel: 081-725-3811"
But if you hold a French driver's license, I can't believe you'd have a problem anyway as needless to say France is an E.U. country.
My apologies, I messed up the link to the (U.S.) government site. (I was too lazy to do a tinyurl and so just split it up into parts to avoid messing up the board, but this of course made it hopelessly inconvenient for readers, sorry.)
http://tinyurl.com/2yb5qp
should work.
(It's the US Diplomatic Mission to Italy site).
blackduff
"Tourists may also use their valid American driver's license if accompanied by an Italian translation issued by one of the following offices of the Italian Automobile Club (ACI):
* ACI (Rome office) - via Marsala 14a - Tel: 06-4998-2496
* ACI (Milan office) - corso Venezia 43 - Tel: 02-77451
* ACI (Naples office) - piazzale Vincenzo Tecchio 49d - Tel: 081-725-3811"
But if you hold a French driver's license, I can't believe you'd have a problem anyway as needless to say France is an E.U. country.
Aug 7th, 2007, 03:14 PM
#52
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I think the main reason that it is a supposed "requirement" is for people who are not from English-speaking countries so that police and rental companies actually see that it's a driver's license. It's not more necessary than an international student card. My student ID worked just fine everywhere where a student ID was needed, no $20 and hassles required. I don't know anyone who had to get a translated license or an int'l license to drive for a limited time in a different country, and I lived there for a bit. I think it's a waste of time and money if you're going there for less than a month.
Aug 7th, 2007, 07:03 PM
#53
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This is not really an answer to Pawley's question. It sounds like Italy requires it by law, so that's settled.
But on the general questions about what an IDP is: NeoPatrick is right. It's a translation. And whether US drivers licenses were standardized or not has nothing to do with anything. Even if they were, there are licenses from nearly two hundred more countries that a police officer may be faced with besides those of the US.
No, the IDP is not a translation of YOUR data. It doesn't translate your name to Japanese or "Elm Street" to Sanskrit. It takes the form that your drivers license comes in and maps the fields to a standardized layout. Therefore a non-English speaking police officer wants to see your license to ensure you are driving with a valid license and didn't have it revoked before leaving your home country. But he'll also need to see your IDP, so he can see that field #5 is your city, so he can properly enter that information on the ticket he's writing you. You may understand which part of your license is the city, but he doesn't, and the Brazilian license he looked at earlier didn't have it in the same place at all.
So basically, it's the <i>labels</i> attached to the data on a license that gets translated. The IDP is a transposition of a huge number of formats for licenses around the world, into a universal format. The AAA (or equivalent body in other countries) fee is not only for the work in completing the form, but in their certification of authenticating that they've mapped the honestly and accurately, so that it stands up to scrutiny by local law enforcement around the world.
