So, here I am about to leave on the 19th and renting a car, first in Germany and then later another one in Italy, thinking that an International Driver's Permit isn't necessary.

And then I read on the AutoEurope site (I'm actually renting through them in Germany but in Italy I'm going through my buddies at Hertz since when I walk in the door I am SUCH a super member that everybody genuflects and that is so hard to live without)..and what does it say about rentals in Italy: that an IDP IS NEEDED.

Now, before all you super=smug SlowTrav Foodie "get on the plane for 30 months and do it all with one little carry-on" types jump into a feeding frenzy of yes and no's....

please recall that AUTOEUROPE and what it SAYS has certainly risen to Holy Bible and Book of Mormon infallibility status on Fodors so this afternoon I'm headed to AAA after the last patient to get this thing.

And the last time I got it that supposed "translation" into 50 foreign languages looked more like a picture of me and a bunch of blank pages but I'll report back soon as to what, if anything has changed.

IDP is a legal requirement in Italy. The whole point of it is to prove that you have a valid driving licence without the local rozzers having to work out 50+ variants from the US alone

There have been enough postings about this on the Europe forum that you should have become aware of the issue.

I agree, its a pain. I even went directly to IDP central US (AAA Headquarters, Heathrow Florida)and it was a pain. But its the rules... I'm going to bend them though next time and just use my old IDP in Italy.

It took me about 15 minutes to get my IDP at AAA, including them taking my photo--not excessively painful. Of course, if you don't live near a AAA office it gets a bit more complicated.

<b>Quote:</b> <i>"IDP is a legal requirement in Italy. The whole point of it is to prove that you have a valid driving licence without the local rozzers having to work out 50+ variants from the US alone."</i>

Are the rules different for trans-Atlantic types then than for us Europeans?

I've driven on a dozen or more different occasions in Italy - sometimes picking up a hire car, sometimes driving mine over through Switzerland or France and never once have I been challenged to produce an IDP. Neither has my French wife on the occasions when she's been with me.

Not saying to Dukey don't get one - if you need to you need to - but don't be disappointed if you're never asked to show it.

Dr D.

<i>"And then I read on the AutoEurope site (I'm actually renting through them in Germany but in Italy I'm going through my buddies at Hertz since when I walk in the door I am SUCH a super member that everybody genuflects and that is so hard to live without)..and what does it say about rentals in Italy: that an IDP IS NEEDED."</i>

Funny! We rented a car in May and needed one so a good choice to get it this afternoon.

If you have a European licence you do not need an IDP - they are standardised so even thickest copper can work out what is what on it.
Since the rest of the world doesn't have the same standard it is required by law to have an IDP in Italy.

The hire car company may or may not ask to see it - but it is still a legal requirement.


They aren't difficult to obtain, and don't cost a lot. Certainly compared to the potential fine and hassle for not having one.

Dukey this comes up so often on the Europe forum I am surprised you didn't know.

I always take the safe route and the last time I got an IDP it never saw the light of day through a variety of European rentals. IOW, I actually don't expect to be asked about having one and won't be disappointed if I am not.

And gee, I'm really SORRY I took up someone's valuable time by bringing up a topic I should have been aware of...but at least I know what to WEAR in Italy and better yet..I'm actually GOING!

I was asked for my IDP when renting a car at the Rome aiport last summer - good thing I also played it safe and had it ready.

>they are standardised
Owning an old, gray, cardboard West German license, I can tell you that this is all you will ever need for driving in all the EU countries. Never has there been a need for another license in the last few decades in western Europe.

The gray cardboard license is good to drive in the US too, except for Georgia, which seems to break federal law and doesn't care about law it at all.

We were very glad we had an IDP when we were stopped in our rental one day near the Abruzzo National Park in Italy. There was a police blockade associated with a missing child and every car was being stopped and peered into.

The officers asked for licenses from other cars (we could see the drill for the cars in front of us) and the International Permit and the rental agreement from us: we had both and were waved through.

But the folks in the hotel dining room that night in Scanno were not so lucky and were held up for 2 hours while they had information faxed from back in the US.

PS. The youngster was found later that day, safe but with a broken ankle, not far from the family campground.

Boy, Dukey, you really do need a vacation. You've been a nonstop grump on these boards for the past week.

Yes, if you actually read here, you'd likely know that - it's a topic that comes up at least as often as what to wear.

It's a legal requirement. Whether anyone asks you about it at a car rental place isn't the issue. If you get stopped by the police for any reason at all and you don't have it, trust me, it will be a far bigger PITA that running to AAA and spending $15.

Hope Italy mellows you out.

It takes 5 minutes! what on earth is the big deal?

I don't understand why it is such a pain to get one - when my husband had knee surgery in the spring, and it became apparent that I would be the driver for our June Italy trip, one very short and painless visit, and about $15.00 (cash or check only), to AAA was all that I needed to do. Have a great vacation.

Good grief Logos - don't you have to renew your licences regularly in Germany? Ours are valid for 10 years so pretty much everyone here now has the CC sized plastic one, rather than the massive pink cardboard one we used to have. Much easier to carry around.

Italy and Austria are the only countries that reputedly require one. I am still waiting for somebody to report having to show it to someone, because everybody always return with the story that nobody ever asked to see it. I tend to be under the impression that this is an "expired" requirement that is still on the books.

Ah, sorry, boom-boom -- didn't see that you had to show it! Proof at last!

Drivers licenses don't need to be renewed in Germany, since they have no ID purposes here.
Most people I know do have the CC sized pan-EU version now, though. Mostly for convenience reasons or because the old license got torn apart over the years.

<<It takes 5 minutes! what on earth is the big deal?>>

Because you have to go and get a real passport type photo and find a AAA and shlep over there , wait around until someone figures out what you need, and fork over $15.

And repeat next year? For what? My US license that it is based upon hasn't changed one iota.

Didn't take me 5 minutes- more like an afternoon wasted because it never left my pocket while I was in Italy.