We are leaving Tuesday afternoon and are renting a car for a week in Belgium starting Friday with a brief trip over the border to The Netherlands. For some reason I forgot to get an IDP. Hertz says I do not need one when I pick up the car. I can go to a local AAA Monday and obtain one, which I think I will do, but what is the Belgium authorities attitude IDP's?

Thanks

I don't know about Belgium specifically but the advice here is usually that you will need to be able to show it if the police stop you or you are involved in an accident.

AFAIK IDPs are not required in either country.

They are required in several countries - especially Italy and apparently now in France. But I have never read they were needed in either Belgium or the Netherlands.

Thanks.

In many countries they are not needed until they are needed. The Spanish police can get quite nasty if you do not have one.

Janisj, we're going to Scotland next month, do you know if they are needed there?

Spanish police? You have tagged this for just Belgium + Netherlands. If you do come to Spain then you do need one. The car hire office bod will not give a monkey about it. But the Guardia Civil may well do.

No - since an IDP is merely a translation of your own license . . . and they speak English (of a sort ) in Scotland.

my post was in response to cathies . . .

Ribe

It was just an off hand reference to the Spanish police.

Och Janisj, why didn't i think of that! My maternal grandfather was Scottish. He lived in Australia from when he was a teenager until he died and as a kid I often had trouble understanding him, especially if he had a whiskey or two on board.

Och Cathie, hen - get the translation - yon Scots will no want to be bothered with the Sassenach version

Will do bokhara2, Can't do any harm to have it. Dinner is done time for a wee dram.