babyatlas

We are traveling to France.
We both have valid passports.
We are headed to the DMV tomorrow and will be issued 'temporary driver's licenses' while our new one is processed/produced - takes 3 weeks!
We are renting a car.
Will this be a problem? yikes.....

J62

Nobody here can say for sure. If your temp DL is attached to or somehow extends your expired DL, then who knows, you may be ok.

I would certainly think that a rental car co would want to see a valid DL when renting a car to you.

I recommend you call up the rental car co. Not the 800# or US desk, but the actual rental desk in France and see what they say. It's not guarantee you'll get the same answer when you arrive, but it's better info than any of us or the US reservation agent can tell you.

StuDudley

Could be - they will need to see your drivers license when you pick up your car. Is "we" both of you ???

Stu Dudley

Christina

Of course they want to see it, unless you get lucky and get a flake. They always ask for it, they can't give their cars to people without licenses. I don't know how they'd view the temporary thing, it is a license, I suppose.

Are you seriously saying BOTH of you have DLs that will be expired?

PalenQ

Go to AAA and pay the $12 or so for an International Driver's License - if they will give it to you but if you explain i would think so

IDP is not a real license but a internationally accepted translation of your valid state license - cops or rental may just look at that?

iris1745

While France does not require an IDP, go to AAA and spend $23 for an International Drivers Permit. Never know, it might help if you have a problem. Plus, one page is in French for easy interpatation.

iris1745

P.S. $15 for the IDP and $8 for the photo. Listen to Pal.

babyatlas

seriously - yes.
our birthdays are a few days apart. i checked the passports six months ago but never thought of the driver's licenses. we just noticed today!! the 'temporary' license that the state of Utah issues is valid. it's a 'real' license, it's just not the fancy formalized looking one as it takes three week for them to actually create it. there is no way to expedite the creation of the 'real' license, i've already called several people to verify this.
i could cry....
thanks for the tips. we will call the agency and see waht they say.

P_M

Here in TX they do the temporary paper licenses but we are not required to surrender the plastic license. Is that how it works in Utah? I should hope they would take the paper license if you still have the plastic one to accompany it. I would call and ask the rental car agency. Good luck.

flanneruk

Car hire company staff are specifically instructed to see a currently valid driving licence.

An IDP ISN'T a licence: most staff I've discussed this with have told me they simply won't accept one by itself and that a real licence has to be shown.

babyatlas

i am on hold with hertz right now...forever....
i'll let you know what i learn.

babyatlas

sigh.
it's not looking good.
the lady i talked to at hertz told me that it has to be the "official" license and not a "temporary" one. i tried to explain that it is a valid license it is just not the final hard copy version....but she kept saying that it has to be the 'official' license.
not sure what to do now.
thanks for the input.....

StuDudley

Do you speak French?? Did you call the actual Hertz office in Nice???

Stu Dudley

babyatlas

stu,
no, i don't speak french. i called the international desk at hertz. i am trying to find someone who speaks french who could contact the Nice desk for me. thanks again for the tip - i'll try to find a way to call them directly....that is going to be the best way to get the most correct answer.

Christina

It doesn't look good. I think the issue is that those temporary paper things are way too easy to forge, that's all. You could easily just print it yourself off your computer by making one up. I really don't blame them, actually. There is a reason they want an official license that is plastic and laminated with photo, etc. Also, people who are forging IDs, etc., could get a temporary from someone who already got the permanent.

Where I live, they don't even have such things, they make them on the spot. In fact, I'm not even sure what a temporary DL is, except for a learners permit which isn't a license. You have to get one of those if you let your license expire more than 6 months or something, and the retake all the tests. But otherwise, you just get one when you go to the DMV. I imagine the Hertz lady thinks it is a learners permit or something.

Unless your temp is like that (laminated and with photo). What do you mean, it's not the final "hard copy" version? That term just means a piece of paper printed off rather than virtual info on the computer still.

Your state is in the dark ages with making licenses.

travelerjan

Contact your congressperson! OR if this is a state thing, your state senator! Those guys get the rules bent all the time ... the right pressure can get a laminated one done in a day. Do you really think that if an elected official (or a celebrity) was heading overseas and suddenly needed a driver's llicense, they couldn't get one expedited?? .... you need some political clout to get bumped to the front of the line.

Have u ever given any money to a VIP elected official?? If not, maybe your dad has? THink creatively. Sorry to be cynical, but this is your hope now.

Since this is Utah, it's probably more helpful if you're Republican.

Best wishes!

babyatlas

yes, i find myself in a most unfortunately situation. i am kicking myself as usually i am so on top of this stuff, organized, forward thinking, etc.

anyway, yes. utah recently changed it laws to make getting a driver's license insanely difficult. i too can understand why a rental agency wouldn't really accept a piece of paper as the forgery potential is probably off the charts. it is simply a piece of paper that says the 'real' license is on the way. i have a another call into the DMV to see what they can do, if there is anyway to expedite this process. probably not....

thanks again for all of your input - i might just need to postpone my trip.

lincasanova

See if the DMV will write a letter on official paper to accompany this "temp"license stating that it IS an official license while you are waiting for a hard copy, PLUS the AAA IDP.

Do not bring anything to clerk's attention when you check in. If they need to see the letter, produce it.
Also make a cancelable reservation at another car place. If first place doesn't accept it, try another one. You never know.

lincasanova

... didn't see previous post about the paper/ letter.

StuDudley

Do you have to surrender your laminated license when you get the temporary one?? Seems to me if you have both a laminated one and an "extention/temporary" license, you may be able to get somewhere. However, the French clerical people don't like to bend the rules. If you get through to a 'supervisor" in France tomorrow (they have gone home today) and they say it is OK, make sure that you get their name because you may need that to prove to the clerk that it is OK. I would start calling France at 3am eastern time - 9 am in France. If you call the airport location, there is probably someone there who can speak good English. Use the work "extension" and not "temporary".

If you don't get to keep the laminated one with a picture - I agree with Christina that you are most likely SOL. Start planning your public transportation trip ASAP. Actually, you happen to have chosen a region where train & bus transportation can get you to a lot of interesting places.

Stu Dudley