SamB2

I'm traveling in southern France and will be driving on Wednesday to Italy for the next part of our vacation. I realized just an hour ago that I've lost my International Drivers Permit, which I need to drive in Italy. I have searched everywhere and may have left it in another vehicle... I'm following up with the rental car company to see if it may have been found, but in the meantime I need to figure out what alternatives I have to get a replacement IDP immediately. I've also just contacted my AAA office at home to see if they can help.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to get a replacement IDP once you are already in Europe? We will be in Nice tomorrow and perhaps in a big city there is some way for an American to get a replacement IDP.

Thanks so much for any suggestions.

Sam

SamB2

Does anyone know who issues IDPs in France? Would they give an IDP to a foreigner with a valid foreign drivers license?

uhoh_busted

Did you rent your car through AutoEurope? They may be able to help if you did. They promote being able to help you get an international drivers' permit. Even if you didn't it couldn't hurt to try.

StCirq

http://www.drivers.com/article/207/

Scroll down to Italy.

You won't find a place in France to get one, I don't think, as France doesn't require one and I doubt French drivers need one to drive in Italy.

SamB2

Thanks so much for the quick responses. I am trying everything!

I use Kemwel for car rentals. I'll call them to see if they have any advice. (They did not find the IDP in my other vehicle.)

St. Cirq, if a French driver needed an IDP to drive in another country in the world, where would they go to get an IDP?

Sam

StCirq

Sam, I don't think going the French route with this is going to help you. I just did some googling on French google and found this (and lots of equivalent language on other sites):

Le permis de conduire national en cours de validité permet de circuler dans l’ensemble des pays de l’Union européenne.

Dans les autres pays étrangers, le permis de conduire national peut ne pas être suffisant. Il convient alors de se munir d’un permis international. Il est conseillé de se renseigner préalablement auprès des services consulaires du pays concerné.


So, if you have a valid French license, that's all you need to drive anywhere in the European Union. And if you're planning to drive outside the EU, the advice is to contact the consulate of whatever country you plan to drive in. No help to you whatsoever.

I'd plan on getting this in Italy.

uhoh_busted

We "do" long driving tours in Europe. (Several in France and Spain). The only time we've ever been asked for an IDP was when we picked up our rental car having left it in a long term parking lot outside of Venice for 3 nights in the middle of a 3 week trip around Italy. There were a couple of motorcycle cops half a block down from the parking garage and they seemed to be pulling people over randomly.

Judy

We had never been asked for one either until our recent trip to Greece. We needed it to rent cars twice. Both agents put the IDP # on the rental contract. Our last time driving in Greece we were not asked for it at all.

kerouac

I know that officially you are supposed to have an IDP for driving in Italy (if you don't have in EU licence). But I have never been stopped a single time by Italian authorities in more than 30 years of driving through Italy. What do you think your chances are? The fact that you got your car in a different country already gives you the "benefit of the doubt" if stopped. Italians do not want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

alanRow

"Italians do not want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg"

Try Googling "Italian car fines". ASs for the IDP, it's a legal requirement to have one in Italy regardless of whether you are asked for it. Technically without one you are driving without a licence and hence insurance is invalid.

Pvoyageuse

"if a French driver needed an IDP to drive in another country in the world, where would they go to get an IDP?"

To the Préfecture of their Département.

LoveItaly

Sam, under Italian law one needs to have a translation of their US driver's license into Italian as of course you know. Now that is usually taken care of with the IDP. However if one has a certified translator translate their US driver's license into Italian they are in compliance with the Italian law. Having said the the cost would be expense, at least a $100.00 I think. I don't know but I would think contacting the closest Italian consulate might be a good start as hopefully they might have a list of certified translators.

lincasanova

hopefully the last rental place made a photocopy, might be enough.

SamB2

Thank you again everyone for your research and thoughts about my dilemma. My wife and I had several frantic hours last night as we pursued different solutions. We did not want to take a chance without an IDP in Italy.

My wife remembered that the AAA office took two photos for the IDP and kept one. We found a helpful person at AAA who consulted with her branch manager and they agreed to send us a duplicate IDP and to overnight it to us at our hotel in Italy. We should have it later this week and before we pick up our next rental car. This will cost us about $85 for the new license and the overnight fees, but is a huge relief.

There's a big lessons learned for me here, and I will always be much more careful with my IDP in the future.

I've read Fodors forums for years but this is the first time I've registered and posted. Thanks so much for helping a newcomer in need.

Sam

klondiketoo

All's well that ends well...you now owe us a travel report

spiceolife

I've been driving in Italy for 7 years (renting cars for first 3, having my own for 4) and have never had and IDP. They are completely unnecessary. No one cares. My CA driver's license is much more interesting to them! Once I became a resident, I've been asked, once, to apply for an Italian driver's license... meh. It's kind of a pain. But hey, it helps to speak Italian. I cannot imagine you'll have any issues without it.

kayd

" I cannot imagine you'll have any issues without it."

Spicellife must have no imagination at all -- fines and wasted time are two obvious consequences of being caught without the legally required document. One need not have done anything wrong to be caught; you could encounter a random traffic stop or be the innocent party in a car accident.

Carlux

'My CA driver's license is much more interesting to them! Once I became a resident, I've been asked, once, to apply for an Italian driver's license... meh. It's kind of a pain. '

I assume this means that spiceolife doesn't have an Italian drivers licence, even though resident in Italy. This is an approach we have encountered with other people (we live in France) and it amazes me that people would break the law in another country when they presumably would not in their own - presumably.

We took the French drivers test, which was not easy, in order to get one here, partly so we would be in agreement with the law, but also because we figure that if we ever had an accident, whether it was our fault or not, the insurance company would be very happy NOT to pay if we were not legally entitled to drive. I wouldn't have driven without a valid license when I lived in Toronto and I certainly wouldn't here either.

An International Drivers Permit is something else, as it's really only a translation of your license. However - we are going to South Africa for the 5th or 6th time this winter, where the IDP is required. Have we ever been asked to show it? No. Will we be renewing ours? You bet. Why cause yourself unnecessary problems?

StCirq

<<I cannot imagine you'll have any issues without it.>>

You are dead wrong. If you get stopped by Italian police - and that happens - you're in deep doodoo. You are in effect driving without a license and your insurance is invalid.

I speak Italian very well and have been stopped several times by police in Italy, randomly, not because I was doing anything wrong. Had I not had the IDP I would have been fined, even though I speak Italian well enough to provide an on-the-spot translation of my American license.

Your "advice" is worthless.

spiceolife

StCirq: That is just not true. I have been stopped by Italian police many many times over the years of living full-time here. You are not "in effect driving without a license." You are driving with a foreign recognized license, and in Italy, for American licenses, I've never heard of anyone being asked for more. Sure, the translation helps. And no, they will not fine you. Not ever. Maybe some countries might, but Italy will not. Again, this question only pertained to Italy.

I've never been to a car rental agency in Italy that required an IDP (nor have I known anyone to have that experience). Your car is most certainly insured. If there truly is a law in Italy that says you must carry an IDP, it's certainly not being followed by anyone. EU rules are often not followed in Italy, and anyone that's lived here for any amount of time knows that. I don't know why everyone's barking at me when I'm just saying it from experience. Isn't that what a forum is for?