Photo for International Driver Permit
 

My husband and I are driving around Provence and the Riviera for 10 days in September. I have always gotten International Driving Permits at AAA. We have a basic membership so these are not free and the photos cost too I think. Does anyone know a cheaper way to get the photos? Is AAA the only place to get an IDP? I know there have been debates about whether they are needed in France. I'm a bit cautious and don't want this to worry me the whole 10 days. However I'd like not to pay more than I need to if someone out there has found a cheaper way to get this.

I got my photos at Costco. I think they are about $5 for two. I took them to AAA and applied for my IDP. Easy
Sorry. I always use AAA only because that is the only place I know of.
I think it was $15, I am a member and I had the pictures.

AAA is the most convenient if not the only place to get the IDP. Yes, it charges a lot for the picture, so check with Walgreen's (or your local equivalent), although I suspect that the price will be in the same range.

Take a selfie, crop it to the correct dimensions, upload it to Walgreens or CVS for printing 2 copies. Pick up the pics and take them to AAA.

France does not require the IDP (for now).

Several official sites say that a US license is valid with a notarized French translation, but recommend using an IDP.

http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article376

http://photos.state.gov/libraries/fr...es-driving.pdf

I doubt any one will ask, but I would get one.

>>France does not require the IDP (for now).<<

yes it does -- -- per the Embassy of France in the USA website. Actually they require a notarized translation of the license -- which the IDP satisfies.

>>You may drive with a valid U.S. driver’s license if it is accompanied by a notarized translation in French. It is strongly recommended that you carry an International Driving Permit. You must be 18 years of age or older to drive in France.<<

http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article376

Just go to Walgreen's or take a selfie.

Always wise to have an IDP.

IDP with photo is about $22 US dollars.

As a person that cuts coupons, let me know if you find it any cheaper!!

It is a useless expense and not required. The "official" rules are to prevent people from trying to use a licence in Chinese only. Laws concerning discrimination prevent them from saying that specifically, but believe it or not, the French police have actually gone to school and can read a licence in English.

<i>It is a useless expense and not required.</i>

Probably under normal circumstances. But rub the cop the wrong way, or maybe he got up on the wrong side of the bed, and it would be better to have the IDP. Consider it similar to not having the proper documentation if stopped in the States, except that in this instance you will not be able to provide the documentation after the fact.

That's true, but what expense?

Twenty two dollars vs the expense of the whole trip.

We have rented cars for our 27 driving trips in Europe and have never gone without an IDP.

Do not think that local Police do not look at an IDP.

While not often, it has happened to us and they look at the IDP.

To say that all Police in France are versed in English is a huge stretch.

So, listen to all opinions and make a decision.

Cost of an IDP vs the expense of the trip for ME is a ZERO if doing a cost comparison.

Whatever you decide, have a great trip.

kerouac: the French embassy says one needs a notarized translation - you may think it is unnecessary but the Ambassador thinks it is . . .

(This will now likely degenerate into a tipping-type thread)

In the grand scheme of things is a few dollars more or less for a photo and an IDP really going to affect your trip? When you compare the price of it to the airfare? Or even the car rental?

Wow! I love Fodorites. This is a good mix of responses. Your differing opinions are appreciated. I have gone back and forth myself while researching what to do before I posted.
Tomorrow I call AAA for exact cost to me. Next I will call Walgreens as I don't belong to Costco. I'll let you all know what I find out.

$2 discount at Walgreen's here

http://photo.walgreens.com/walgreens...9-000060f58474

I got my IDP in New Jersey in June at AAA. $23.55 with photos included, probably $22 plus tax.

Walgreens charges $10.99 using the coupon link above for 2 photos (regularly $12.99).

My state and maybe yours have recipricol agreements with France to honor each other's driving license without further adieu.

kerouac lives in France - he knows of what he speaks - others are just quoting something from some Embassy without knowing anything else.

Save your time and money - I have driven in France many times and been stopped at checkpoints where all driver's must show ID - not uncommon in France and no one ever batted an eyelash at my Michigan driver's license.

My son is in France right now with his Michigan driver's license and says he had a checkpoint the other day and no one batted an eyelash - techincally maybe but practically take kerouac, a French resident, more than others just mouthing things they Google.

Like kerouac says French cops ain't idiots... well

let us know what you find out for cost. Are you a AAA member? I have to send my husband to get one next. I was surprised it was only $15, i thought we paisd more like $70 the last time we did this, so I wonder if it is different for member vs non-member.

And if techincally the Embassy says you need a translation that's all - no picture needed besides the one on your real driver's license. IDp is just a certified translation - any certified translator could do the same. so forget the photo - nothing nowhere says you need a separate photo - ask your car rental company if they require it however - probably not but ask.

Let's not make an international diplomacy incident out of this. Our car rental broker said not necessary, but Avis in Bordeaux (where we're picking up)said yes, so we got them. Also at AAA, have no idea how much DH paid. In the context of this long trip, it matters nil. Some people think European countries will not rent cars to those over 70. Not France (not that I am close yet!). But if someone without authority is left at the desk when you're there and says it's necessary, your choices are few. Or if you're caughting driving down a pedestrian zone and the gendarme wishes to punish you, voila! (Actually we did this in Spain but were not ticketed.) Make it stress free for yourselves as best you can! We are taking selfies for print-out at kiosks should we choose to purchase Metro tix in Paris, one version of which requires pictures. Can't hurt whether we get that card or not.

For my IDP, when I first moved to Italy, I took my photo in a photo booth at the mall.

For my most recent passports, both Italian and US, and for my Italian national ID, my husband snapped my photo, and I used Photoshop to put it on a white background, and printed it out at home.

I've seen reports on Tripadvisor of several people who have been unable to rent a car because they didn't have an IDP. Until recently, the car rental agencies never even asked if you had an IDP, although Italian law has officially required one for at least the past 17 years.

I might chime in here and suggest that an IDP is important for motor vehicle and travel insurance issues if nothing else. If you do not have an IDP and are involved in a motor vehicle accident insurance companies may potentially void your claim.

France has been on the list of countries requiring IDPs, but like Spain (until 2014) have not enforced the requirement. In Spain some rental offices have begun asking for the IDP, or simply asking if you have one without requesting to see it.

As noted, your insurance coverage may be void/invalid if you have an accident and cannot produce the IDP, since it is requred by law.

We started telling all of our clients that they should get an IDP.

>Without knowing anything> That is so disingenuous.

My car rental company in Nice required an IDP and said so in BOLD letters.

People like Pal need to know what they are talking about.

Honestly, I forget if they asked for it, but I presented it at the desk THIS year.

A few weeks ago in Italy we got stopped at a routine traffic check (I guess that's what it was as they didn't say we did anything wrong)) and they did ask to see the IDP. Interestingly, they questioned the date on the front, not realizing until we pointed it out that it's valid FROM the date (I guess they thought it was the expiration date).

It's worth the $20. But it still makes me mad that it's only valid for one year, when the actual license is valid for 5. And, AAA employees randomly accept or reject photos they did not take. One year they rejected the photo I used for my passport!!!! Seriously, a photo good enough for a passport but not for AAA. I waited a week and went to a different AAA office and they accepted it.

>>kerouac lives in France - he knows of what he speaks - others are just quoting something from some Embassy without knowing anything else.
<<

That 'something' quoted (and link) is the OFFICIAL website of the French Government in the United States. So now you are saying our friend kerouac knows more than the French Embassy. My word! :?

Like I said - IDP threads get as silly as tipping threads . . . Every time.

<IDP threads get as silly as tipping threads....Every time>

janisj; I am very happy we can agree on this issue.

And is going to find a French translator and a notary - and paying them - cheaper and easier than just getting an IDP?

And with all due respect to Kerouac - unless he is in your car when stopped by the police - I think I wold do as the government asks.

We have done more than 20 road trips in europe and both of us always have an IDP. And it has been asked for at some rental agencies - Italy I think - and by a Swiss border guard.

Sorry - that was stopped for a dead taillight.

So the poster wants something cheaper than the $23.55 at AAA?

Like saving another $2 maybe?

Yet you'll be going to the Riviera?

So out of maybe $8,000 total trip cost, you're worried about a $2 saving?

I suppose every state is different, but whether it is $22 dollars that I paid in the spring or say $25 dollars with a tax at AAA, is that a SHOW stopper.

I

Is that going to depend on taking a trip.

Listen, this morning I cut my coupons that were in the Sunday newspaper and I am thrifty, BUT

It's nothing in the scheme of things, at least for me.

Tomboy,

LOL! My RT airfare to France for travel in July was more than $2000 for just me in economy. I used points to upgrade to business on the way over at a cost of 25000 points. I am not going to look but I'm guessing my solo trip cost more than $8000 for 4 weeks!

For one person... guess two can travel cheaper than one! ;-)

I got my IDP at Walgreen's but I can only it refill it once.

The IDP should not be confused with an IUD or the IDF or anything that resembles an IDEA.

Why don't passports need an official translation? Maybe an International Passport - a translation into French?

I know of being stopped several times at road checks by me and my son - with Michigan driver's licenses and police never bat an eyelash - what are they going to do?

But I guess $22 or so is not much like someone said for folks going on several thousand dollar trips so get it and put it away never to surface again but for peace of mind and yes if the Embassy says so like janis says I would do it (personally I would not and have driven for years around France as my son is doing now and never a problem at the occasional road checks).

and yes janis is right - IDP threads do turn topsy turvy.

One thing that amuses me is the fact that whether or not you have an IDP, you are going to freak out if the police pull you over for any reason. The ones without an IDP will relax faster, however, when they see that the <i>gendarmes</i> or <i>policiers</i> (do you even know the difference between them?) who have stopped them will consider a foreign driver without an IDP more kindly (since the police love foreign tourists and will love to tell you about their vacation in California if they see a California licence, or about their cousin who lives in Kansas, as the case may be...) than people with the dismal boring document that implies they should have known better since they were scared enough to get an IDP. And yet they broke the law anyway!

A special thought for janisj who seems to think that the French ambassador would actually read what the underlings have written on the embassy website. :-)

<never to resurface again>

Perhaps this person never reads my comments, but once again, my car rental agency require an IDP and that was outlined in Caps.

We have also been asked for our IDP at about 4 other desks out of our 27 driving trips.

In addition have been stopped 3 times by Police and they viewed our IDP along with our US license.

Anyways, this is a fun thread to listen to the naysayers.

P.S. All over $22 US dollars. Laughable.

Pal, My Passport is also in French. So are US passports.