Dukey that is strange because I had a conversation yesterday on the phone with an AutoEurope person who told me that the only document that they require to rent a car in Italy is a US driver's license,( or one from the country of origin of the renter. ) He went on to confirm what we all probably know--that the police require one and that it is best to have one in case the driver is stopped.

I am quite tired of traveling to the AAA office, and of paying AAA almost every year to update this document, and will probably take a chance using one from last year, perhaps after making my own "update."

As long as the information on your expired IDP is identical to what is on your valid license, I cannot imagine anybody contesting its validity.

The AAA is a real money machine!

If I want to get an IDP/IDL, I'd have to surrender my vintage cardboard license with it's nice picture (this young and dynamic hippie) and get one of those plactic things instead. Won't happen.

Most rental car companies don't care if you have an IDP or not. It is the police in some countries; e.g., Austria, Italy, Spain, that will care because it is the law that you have it in those countries. Of course, even if you are stopped in one of the countries that does require the IDP an individual cop might or might not ask for it. But for $15, why take a chance that you will get a cop who demands to see it? Fines for not having an IDP when required are rather high if a cop cares to pursue the issue.

logos999--there is no federal law in the USA pertaining to the acceptance of driving licenses, other than requiring that each state in the USA must recognize the driving licenses of the other states.

From the USA.gov website:
"An International Driving Permit (IDP) translates information contained on your driver's license into 10 languages so that officials in foreign countries are able to interpret your license. An IDP supplements a valid government-issued license--it does not serve as a replacement for a license. If you are stopped by law enforcement, you will most likely be asked to produce both your IDP and your official driver's license. The United States does NOT issue International Driving Permits to foreign visitors, so you will need to obtain this document before traveling to the U.S." But as far as I can determine, this is not a federal law, so maybe it varies by state?

Of course, most car rental companies in the USA probably are more interested in your credit card than an IDP. And any individual cop in the USA might not ask you for your IDP if you are stopped for some reason; but they might. In fact, I would guess that a high percentage of traffic cops have never heard of an IDP.

If you are a AAA Plus member you get the IDP for free including the pictures.

My own issue with them is having to get a new IDP every year.

I see no point in this--if the actual license has not changed, why the need for a new IDP?

kerouac-- you wrote " 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 will be glad to provide details of how having an IDP saved our assess in Trento, outskirts of Amsterdam, Paris, outskirts of Seville, and Rome. The fact is that having been a poster since 1993 I have posted on this forum approximately 34 times how we have been asked to show the IDP about 4-5 times in 25 years of Europe road trips. I am surprised you have not read it....

And do you know what would have happened if you had not shown it? Whole family in prison? Is your licence in Korean? Were you actually asked for an IDP or did you present it spontaneously?

Anyway, my French license is in 12 languages and I have had no problem renting cars with it in the U.S. I've been stopped for speeding a couple of times, but I was let off, because little birds and stars started spinning around the policeman's head the moment he saw my licence. That is by far the greatest advantage of having a licence that foreign authorities don't want to take the time to figure out.

Kerouac,

Greece requires an IDP also.

Hey Du,

You haven't noticed the thousands of posts in the past several years telling people that an IDP is required in Italy and that you have to buy the CDW?

((I))

Spain too (at least that was the case in 2007).
Here's a tale of the consequences to one traveler without an IDP in Spain. A minor infraction cost him lots more time and money when the rental car was impounded for the lack of the IDP.

From the Washington Post Travel section

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...083100471.html

A few years ago my husband and I were stopped in Sorrento. The police (not sure what kind) held up a little red stop sign and signalled for us to pull over. He asked for our documents and we showed the rental agreement and IDP and he let us go. I don't know what would have happened if we did not have the docs. However, I'm glad that we had whatever they wanted since this was at about 4:00 AM and we were on our way to catch our AM flight home from Naples.

We were pulled over in Italy for some reason not 10 minutes after we rented the car (Avis did not ask for it). As soon as the Carabri...police officer realized we were Americans he waived us on (in disgust, I might add). He didn't ask for papers. I could've been anybody offically....

Why is getting an IDP such a big deal? I meant that as... why do people complain? Can't be the cost (@$15), can it?

The IDP I got years ago from AAA has a handwritten date with no year, so I have never updated it. As I recall, it took all of 10 minutes, including taking my photo. No big deal.

For me because it supposed to be renewed every year. The cost itself is not a biggie.

My driver's license is good for 4
My passport for 10

and at least somebody actually looks at those

Hamlet, once again I wonder. Did you show the IDP spontaneously or did the policeman ask for it?

Not quite the same thing.

I was stopped for speeding in Czechy once and was let off simply because I did not yet have any Czech currency to pay the fine. Go figure.

<i>I was stopped for speeding in Czechy once and was let off simply because I did not yet have any Czech currency to pay the fine. Go figure.</i>

I was stopped for changing lanes in an intersection in Prague and the cop asked for and received a 10 US dollar bill; I understood perfectly well, he did not have to nor could he speak English. That was in 1975.

It takes less time than reading this thread.

AAA is still good for roadside service, guidebooks, and maps--all of which I need.