ID needed for Europe
 

My wife and I are traveling to Europe for the first time. Do we need to take any other identification other than our passports? Do we need our driver’s license to get on the plane in the US? Any other reason to take our driver’s license?

Just your passport unless you are renting a car. Make sure you make copies.

Do you just need copies of the pages with the picture and signature? We have never used our passports and there's not much on the other pages.

Just copies of the photo/info page is all you need.

Exceptions -
(1) because we live overseas and have resident visas for our country, I keep a copy of the page with the current visa
(2) any time I travel to a country that requires a visa that cannot be purchased at the airport (like China, Russia, India), then I keep a copy of that page as well.

Bindery: You will need only your passport to board the plane in the US. You will need your drivers license if you are renting a car but nobody else really needs it. However, I always take my drivers license as I have left it for identification when renting some items in Europe. For example: the little golf carts at Versailles, bycicles in Lucca, a pedal surrey on the Lido in Venice. Often times renting these items require that you leave some form of identification as surety of returning the item. I always leave my US drivers license as I refuse to leave my passport with anyone other than the hotel clerk to complete the necessary paperwork. I would take the drivers license for this purpose if I were you as you never know when you will decide to rent an item like those mentioned above. Every time we have rented such items it was a spur of the moment decision and was not planned and we could not have done it without the drivers license to leave with the vendor. Enjoy your trip. J

Like others say, passport alone is enough for ID purposes.

But, will you need to drive yourselves to the airport in the US for your flights? You'd need your DL for that!

Jdraper makes a good point about requiring IDs for renting stuff, such as audioguide in museums. They will take DLs or CCs or passports.

If you are planning on visiting Versailles and want to rent a golf cart to drive around the gardens, you will need a driver's license to rent the cart.

We just returned from Spain and Portugal where we used our DL just as much as our passports. The reason is that we often rent the audioguides for museums, etc. They want something to keep to insure that you will return the rented item.

If you intend to drive in any of several European countries you'll also need an International Driving Permit

BUT "Europe" isn't one country therefore the rules are different in each country

I've often heard suggested what GBC mentions above, that drivers license can be handy for museum deposits and such.

For Americans the only documentation recognized by european governments is your passport. You will need your driver's lic only if you plan on renting a car.

Just be sure you have xerox copies of the front (identity) pages of the passports - in case anything happens to it -it makes it much easier to replace.

Thanks for all the replies. I will not be driving in Europe (just the thought scares me)

Even if you don't plan to rent a car, why are leaving behind one of your main IDs? Is it because you think that will weigh you down too much, that little card? I just think it's safer to take more than one form of ID, I use my DL a lot in Europe, in addition to my passport, even when not driving. I still just don't see the point of not taking it.

What if you lose your passport somehow, wouldn't it be a good idea to have at least one other form of govt ID on you? YOu must drive if you have one, so what if your plane gets diverted and you have to land 100 miles from home and need to rent a car to get home? That has happened to me.

really, it isn't required, of course, I just don't kinow why one wouldn't take it as it doesn't take up any real room or weight anything.

As others have said, make a copy of the first 2 pages of your passport and leave a copy of them with a relative or friend when you're gone. It's also wise to have a copy for yourself, but not (obviously) kept with your passport. If you plan to exchange money overseas or not use an ATM, the bank or exchange bureau may ask to see your passport to complete the transaction.

ENJOY your trip!