lukesaunt

I read on a thread below mention of International Driving Permits. What are they? DH and I are going to be renting a car on the French Riviera soon; will we need those? We drove a car all through England and Scotland with our US license in 2002 and had no troubles . . . Haven't driven in Europe since then. Thanks in advance.

mikemo

France should not be an issue, but when you enter Italy, beware without same.
M

janisj

And IDP is merely a translation of your driver's license - so not needed in the UK. It is required in some countries (Italy, much of Eastren Europe, etc)

France does not require them - but I'd personally get one in case I was stopped by the police somewhere. They are only $15 so no big expense. In the countries where an IDP is required, you do not need one to rent a car - but but you do to drive it.

PaulRabe

An IDL is a translation, in about two dozen languages, that you possess a legal right to drive in your home country. It is not, in any way, shape, or form, a substitute for your actual driver's license. Some countries require tourists have one to drive in their country, some don't. Some car rental agencies require you have one to rent the car, even in countries that don't require it, some agencies don't.
Check ahead on a country's and agency's requirements. If someone goes through a stop sign and hits your rental car, and you don't possess a required IDL, guess who the police are going to get VERY nasty with?

If you have your driver's license and two passport photos, you can get an IDL at any AAA office in about ten minutes; you need not be a member of AAA to do so.

CRAZY4TRAVEL

You don't need one for France and personally I wouldn't bother.