You can rent a car in France without a IDL, I just did.

My experience was many years ago - the first time I drove in Italy (I had no clue there even was anything like an IDL). I got pulled over at one of those random stops the Italian police like to make in the middle of nowhere and was asked for the IDL. I didn't have one. Had to show my passport. No problem. Fine - 10,000 lire on the spot. I'm sure it's a lot more these days.<BR><BR>And Bob, no one ever needs an IDL to RENT a car - the rental agents won't even mention the topic in all likelihood. You need the IDL to DRIVE the car - but NOT in France.

I've rented cars all over Europe, including Italy, and have never had an IDL, nor have I ever been asked for one. I've spend 5 years stationed in Europe and never required an IDL. It's an "I want your money" AAA scheme. Don't go for it.

Mike: You just don't get it, do you? If you don't want to get the IDL, fine. BUT if you get pulled over in Italy and you don't have it, or a notarized translation of your US license, you ARE going to pay a fine. And random stops by police in Italy, especially of rental vehicles, aren't unusual.<BR><BR>If you're comfortable with that, great.

Mike: You just don't get it, do you? If you don't want to get the IDL, fine. BUT if you get pulled over in Italy and you don't have it, or a notarized translation of your US license, you ARE going to pay a fine. And random stops by police in Italy, especially of rental vehicles, aren't unusual.<BR><BR>If you're comfortable with that, great.

I've had to show my drivers license quite a few times in Italy over the years and have NEVER been fined, this ranges from random traffic checks to accidents. I suppose it depends on the cop? I've also never been asked to show any more than my license and passport (and once or twice the rental papers) in any country in Europe. 10000 lira is less than 5 euro if my luck runs out!

That was 10,000 euro more than 20 years ago - I expect you would pay a lot more these days. Also, payment of a fine on the spot is not, I suspect, the only remedy available to an Italian cop.

My husband now has the IDL and we both have peace of mind. I don't understand why the AAA Club would say an IDL is required to drive if it wasn't true. And, don't say they have some sort of scam going. The AAA Club couldn't afford to scam it's members. I'll probably post when I return to let everyone know if we needed it.

Sandy: The AAA club isn't scamming you in all likelihood - they just don''t know the rules - like 99% of people on this thread. You definitely do NOT need an IDL in France. Take my word for it - I live there several months out of the year and if I needed it, I'd have it. You DO need it for Italy. If you plan to take the car to Italy, you'll need it AND extra insurance, for theft, which IS something the rental outfit will mention to you, UNLIKE the requirement for the IDL, which they ignore because if you arrive without it and they tell you you need it, they can't rent the car to you. So why should they concern themselves with a requirement that's your responsibility and deprive themselves of your business?<BR><BR>This is all so much simpler than this thread would indicate.<BR><BR>You DO need an IDL in Italy. You do NOT in France. <BR><BR>It's never a bad idea to have one, anyway, as in any country if you are stopped by the police it is possible they will want to confiscate your license. In that case, hand them your IDL and keep your US license. You've only lost $10.00, not a valuable ID and driving permit.

Christina's FAQ from the Italian State Police Site stated that the requirement of an IDL is for all countries in the EU.<BR><BR>Last year I read three guidebooks that stated an IDL is not required in France.<BR><BR>Again we have fact and fiction.<BR><BR>As an aside, my drivers license says I can drive class 5 and 6 vehicles (in English only).<BR><BR>Would a French police officer have a problem with me driving a motorcycle, or a British policeman have a problem with me driving an 18 wheeler?<BR><BR>What does 5 and 6 mean to an officer from out of province?<BR><BR>Does that picture even look like me?

Carolyn;<BR>No matter what the law supposedly says;<BR>I have been stopped 3 times in the last 2 years on trips to Italy.<BR>Two years ago I was stopped on a routine police check outside of Castellabate below the Amalfi coast. <BR>I showed my State drivers license and passport...no problem.<BR>Then last year not only was I stopped on the way to Merano in Northern Italy<BR>but I was also asked for my passport and license at a border crossing from Switzerland into Italy.<BR>Both times I showed my drivers license and passport with no problem. <BR> Also, if you're still worried that the law says you need a translation of your drivers license,what's the problem.<BR>Just take your own copy and use you <BR>phrase book, dictionary, Italian speaking friens, etc. and make the easy translations for name , address, city,<BR>state, height, weight, eye color, hair, color, etc. and write them next to the perinent English words

I just had a flashback (ouch).<BR><BR>This whole IDL with a picture thing started back when licenses were scraps of paper with a name typed on it.<BR><BR>Now we have laminated photo id's with embedded holograms.

StCirq - I love that name - has got it right on the IDL. You're traveling to Europe and spending thousands of dollars - why worry about spending another $10 to avoid possible hassles?

I have not had an IDL since 1967 or possibly 1975 (but I don't think I had one then) when I drove in Czechoslovakia and Hungary in a rented car. At any rate, I have never been told by the rental agencies that I needed an IDL, whether the rental was for France, Germany or Italy. But if you worry about it, get one.

We will be renting a car in Austria, and have been told by my travel agent, Avis, 2 guidebooks, and AAA that an IDL is REQUIRED in Austria. For $15 bucks, I'll get one! I'm with the others... why take a chance on something that simple to get?<BR><BR>Anne

The thing is, probably 8 times out of 10 the cop will just wave you on but what if you are one of the unlucky 2 that the cop decided to use as an example. The law is the law. <BR>

Gino,<BR><BR>I get myself in a twist because people state their opinions as fact. If you want to disobey the law that is fine but it is not fine for you or anyone else to tell people not to bother because of a protest statement you want to make. Tell people it is the law (most people say it is not law) and let them decide if they want to obey it or not.<BR><BR>As I said ealier, I hope everyone who recommends not getting an IDL gets stopped and fined. <BR>

Is it possible to get an IDL while in Europe? Must you get it before you leave? I have friends who are expats and they would like to get an IDL in Europe, but no one knows how.<BR>

Well in Italy you get it at ACI but if they are in Italy and have been here for more than a year, they must have an Italian license to drive. The IDL in Italy is only valid if you have been in Italy for less than a year.<BR><BR>Sorry I cannot give more information as I don't know where in Europe your frinends are.

At the first of this in the post by Cristina the following is stated: "If the license or permit does not conform to the international conventions as does Italy, you must have an official translation into Italian or an equivalent document (IDP)."<BR>Now a drivers license from the USA confroms with the international conventions so we do not need a IDL.