International driver's licence
 

Author: MiriamDeba
Date: 02/28/2005, 10:59 pm
Message: Hi all, leaving tomorrow for our trip. I need to know whether we need an international driver's licence for car rental and driving in France. We currently hold an Australian driver's licence. Please respond asap as I dont't have much time if I need to get one. Thanks, Miriam.



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I am an American woman living in France for five years now. I have a lot of experience helping people with moves or travel to France.

You can rent a car using your Australian driving license without any problem. You can drive in France with your foreign driving license for up to one year.

Feel free to ask me anything related to France.

Liesa Blond
www.France-Property-and-Life.com

Advertising aside, we frequently rent cars here in France, and have never been asked to present an international driver's license to the car rental desk. If you happen to be stopped in a police road check, I'm pretty confident your Australian license and car rental papers will get you through.

Does the same rules applies for Spain?
i.e an IDL is not require. We are going to Barcelona in June from France.

Thank you

Hey I have my liscence here in Quebec but its a probationary one (in Quebec once you first get you're liscence you get a "probationary liscence" for the first two years, you just get less chances (a ceiling of 4 demerit pts.) and a zero alcohol tolerance). I can still drive alone and do everything like everyone else. Would this be enough for me to rent a car in France?
Thanks,
- NL

That only EU country currently requiring an International Driving Permit (not to be confused with an International Driving license, which is useless anywhere) is Italy.

Jet - your regular driver's license is fine in Spain. I did it last February.

Karen

Hi Robert, out of curiosity, as an International Driving Permit required by Italy is new to me. How does one get that?

Best place is AAA. Depending on your membership or lack of it, it's usually $10. You also need a passport type photo, which they will do -- again, free if a certain type member, small charge if you aren't.

The IDP costs the same at AAA whether or not you are a member. Photo costs might vary.

Thanks fellows. I doubt if I will drive in Italy but sure glad to know of the requirement. AAA is great at providing this service. Even for non-members.

Robert2533> The document which I bought at AAA for $10, which the Slovak police required at the accident scene: is that an international driving LICENSE, or PERMIT? It says PERMIT; but is it a license? I don't even know where to get an IDL. The IDP sure facilitated the investigation, though.

tomboy, the document you received from AAA was the Permit. The State Department does not recognize any International Drivers License, and consider them to be a scam for people who have lost the right to drive in their own country. Your drivers license is recognized, as far as I know, around the world, just as the US recognizes foreign drivers licenses for those visiting the country. The IDP can come in handy, depending on where you are, as you found out.

There is no such thing as an International Driving License that the general public can obtain. Some countries produce an optional "international license" for their citizens that is translated into several languages.

The IDP is a translation of your own license, and you must have your license in addition to the IDP--the IDP by itself is not sufficient.

OK Rufus, thanks for the info. That is what we always got, and yes always had our state drivers license with us also.
Confusion solved, at least on my part.
Best wishes.