In November of last year, when we picked up our Hertz car in Venice, I was not required to produce my IDP (which I did have). Since I was not stopped by a policemen for any reason I can not say if I would have been asked for it. For $15 why worry about it, just get one. There is the chance that you could be denied the car at the rental desk if they were picky, plus you will be legal. This all assumes you are not EU citizen.

Also since the permit is good for a year you might get some more use out of it later.

I never used the IDP, even when I was stopped by the police, they only wanted to see the car's registration, not the rental contract. Make sure you know where the registration is and what it looks like. We handed over everything that was in the glove compartment in a panic. I don't think I even got an IDP for that trip. I have in the past and never used it.

I thought that all you really need in Italy was a translation of your license in Italian (included as part of the IDP). The police didn't ask for that either. Some Americans living there carried around a laminated translation card with their US driver's license.

In 2001 I was driving from Pisa to Rome. Around halfway there there was a police car along the side of the road and they came out with their red stop sign and pulled me over. Apparently they knew I had a rental car and rental cars in Italy did not have the original registration in them due to theft. The police knew this. I had my IDP permit and that was perfect for them .The fact that I had an Italian last name and spoke italian also helped. Moral of the story is pay the extra $ and get the permit just in case.. By the way the fine was around $30 and the rental car company paid it.

carl--the IDP is a translation; that's the purpose: a standardized translation form that authorities around the world can easily recognize as an official document with some controls over it. Not something someone dashed off on their personal computer at home.

Whether or not an individual policeman or car rental clerk ever asked you for one is of no consequence. What is of importance is that it is a legal requirement in some countries, such as Italy, and that a cop COULD ask you for it and penalties COULD be enforced if you don't have it.

In addition to the legal requirement, does anyone know if there are insurance ramifications from not having an IDP?

WillTravel: &quot;<i>does anyone know if there are insurance ramifications</i>&quot; absolutely. If one is driving illegally (as an American one would be w/o an IDP) and there is a damage claim - the insurance company can deny coverage.

I laugh at all these folks who say (and it happens every time an IDP question comes of) &quot;Oh - don't worry, I've never used an IDP&quot;, or &quot;The rental agency never even asked to see it, don't waste your money&quot;

It is just stupid to depend on that sort of anecdotal info since what may or may not have happened to a particular person doesn't have ANY bearing on what happens to the OP or anyone else . . . . .

It is easy and cheap to get the IDP. Go ahead and do it.

I was merely answering Dukey's question: Have any of these various people ever RENTED a car in Italy? Have they ever been stopped by a policeman? I answered by sharing my experience. This is not the same thing as saying don't get the IDP.

Let me follow up on Dukey: has anyone ever gotten in trouble for not having an IDP?

hey, we're going to hire a car for 24 hours and for the price (btw seems to be a lot scam websites offering the permits at extortionate prices) I def think its worth it to have the peace of mind and be safe rather than sorry x x

Just for the record, when I rented my car from Hertz at PMO, they want to see an IDP.

When I was stopped at a police checkpoint outside Valley of the Temples at Agrigento, first thing the cops want to see is the IDP.

Draw your own conclusions.

janisj - You have mistaken several postings offering stories to share about the IDP with recommendations on whether or not to get one.

My posting, for example never said &quot;don't do it&quot;, just that we personally did not do it. I was interested in reading that rkkwan had been asked to show his IDP both for rental and to the police. Perhaps we were just lucky this past summer in Italy that our Rental Agency did not ask for it. We got the IDP for many years and never used it so finally stopped because it did seem a waste of time. I will certainly rethink the next time I rent in Italy.

AtlTraveler: My post had absolutely <u>nothing</u> at all to do w/ you specifically. We get this question all the time - at least a couple of times every week. And without exception, every single time - there are multiple folks who post anecdotally that &quot;We've never needed an IDP&quot;, or that &quot;the rental agency didn't even ask to see an IDP&quot;, or &quot;The IDP was a waste of money - no one ever asked me for it&quot;, or -- well you get the picture.

What I meant - it doesn't matter one little bit what may or may not have happened to anyone else -- it is a <b>legal requirement</b> in Italy . . . .

Carolemg just forget any web sites and go to the nearest AAA office and get one there. In fact the State Dept of the US only recognizes two vendors to issue IDP see this from their web site

&quot;International Driving Permits

Although many countries do not recognize U.S. driver's licenses, most countries accept an international driving permit (IDP). IDPs are honored in more than 150 countries outside the U.S. (See AAA’s application form for the list of countries. They function as an official translation of a U.S. driver's license into 10 foreign languages. These licenses are not intended to replace valid U.S. state licenses and should only be used as a supplement to a valid license. IDPs are not valid in an individual’s country of residence. Before departure, you can obtain one from an automobile association authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue IDPs. Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on Road Traffic (1949) authorizes the U.S. Department of State to empower certain organizations to issue IDPs to those who hold valid U.S. driver’s licenses. The Department has designated the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance as the only authorized distributors of IDPs. &quot;

When we travelled in Italy we got an IDP - I have no issue getting one. In June we will be driving in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. Just wondering if it is the law in those countries.

We have been going to Italy since 1982, and whenever we were driving we got an IDP before we went. And we were never stopped EXCEPT!! once. It was another incident where the cops were pulling people over with their stop sign, and they specifically asked for both our CA and the IDP licenses. So you never know!

I'm certainly glad that I read this post! Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to get and IDP?

cybertraveler: You walk into an AAA office and walk out 10 minutes later w/ your IDP in hand. Faster if you bring your own photo . . . . .

You can get them at the AAA while you wait.

Austria does require the IDP. Germany does not. Don't know about Czech Rep.

Czech Republic

An International Driving Permit (IDP), available from AAA (in the United States only), MUST accompany a U.S. driver’s license; failure to have the IDP with a valid license may result in denial of an insurance claim after an accident.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...traffic_safety

thanks guys. We'll put that on the list to get done!