Know if You Need an International Drivers Permit for a Car Rental Overseas

Is an International Drivers Permit (IDP) required to rent a car overseas? There are several factors at work which determine whether it is or isn’t. If you’re going abroad, it’s a good idea to stay on the safe side and get one. If you don’t want to take the time to obtain one, though, contact the agency you’re going to rent a car from and find out for sure if it’s necessary.

Steps

Discovering if You Need an International Driver’s License

1. Call the car rental agency. The easiest way to discover if you need an IDP to rent a car overseas is to contact the agency directly. Call or email a representative from the agency you plan on renting a car from. The agency can tell you their policy regarding whether or not an IDP is needed to rent a car from them.
   • Check the law regarding whether an IDP is needed to drive in that country. While a car rental service might be more than willing to rent a car to you without an IDP, their policy may not be in concert with the law regarding who can legally drive a car in that country.
   • Conversely, a country may not legally require an IDP, but a rental agency might.
2. Consider what country you’re traveling to. If you’re traveling to an English-speaking country, you’re probably fine just using your US driver’s license. If you travel for business, think about where your company does business and what countries you might be asked to travel to. If you’re traveling for pleasure, you will have a better idea as to where you want to go.
   • In either case, if you intend to travel to any nation within the English-speaking world, you might be able to get away with skipping the application for an International Driving Permit. For instance, an American driver can probably rent a car in Canada or South Africa without needing an IDP.
   • Japan requires the IDP for foreign drivers.
   • In France and Germany, you can drive with just a US driver’s license as long as it is accompanied by a notarized French or German translation, respectively.
   • 15 nations (Bahrain, Brunei, Croatia, Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles), Georgia, Israel, Lebanon, Mauritius, Namibia, the Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Tanzania) require an IDP to hire a car.
3. Identify the nations which do not require or recognize the IDP. Brazil, China, and several other major nations do not recognize the IDP. Therefore, you will not be asked to produce an IDP in countries which do not accept the IDP as valid.
   • Brazil and several Central and South American nations accept a similar document, the Inter-American Driving Permit. Consider bringing the IADP when renting a car in a relevant nation.
4. Think about what kind of vehicle you’ll be renting. While most people think of the IDP as necessary when renting or driving a regular passenger car overseas, few know that the IDP can and should be used to drive many other types of vehicles. Below your identification info and above your permit is a row of vehicle options; you will need to choose at least one in order to obtain the IDP.
   • In addition to the passenger car, you can request that your IDP cover the use of vehicles over 7,700 pounds; vehicles over eight seats, and vehicles with heavy trailers. You need a license to operate such vehicles in the US, too, if you want to operate them abroad.
   • You can use the IDP to rent or drive a motorcycles as well. Simply check the “motorcycle” option above your signature in order to indicate you want your IDP to reflect the fact that you hold a motorcycle license in the US and want to ride one in a foreign nation which honors the IDP.
   • Many nations do not require a license for small-engine vehicles. A 50cc scooter or electric bike, for instance, requires no license to drive or rent in much of East and Southeast Asia.

Obtaining the IDP

1. Collect the necessary paperwork. When applying for an IDP, you will need several important items. First, you’ll need your regular driver’s license. You’ll also need two passport photos. Finally, you’ll need to fill out the IDP application and a check covering the application fee ($15 through AAA, $25 through NAC with domestic priority shipping).
   • You can apply for the IDP with either the American Automobile Association, and the National Auto Club. The applications are available at https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpapplc.html.
   • Do not apply with any other agency or organization; there are many fraudulent IDP purveyors out there.
   • Your US driver’s license must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the issuance date of your IDP.
   • Only checks are accepted, not cash.
2. Apply for the IDP. You can apply for the IDP either by mail or in person. If applying by mail, send your assembled documents to the appropriate address. If applying through AAA, you can also drop your application off at your local AAA office for processing.
   • Dropping the application off in person is a good idea if you have questions or concerns regarding your application
   • Emailed or faxed applications cannot be accepted.
3. Bring your regular driver’s license with you. With your IDP in hand, you might think you’ll be ready to rent a car in any of the countries listed. However, it is important to remember that your IDP only supplements your regular driver’s license. You will need both to rent and drive a car in another country.

Tips

• It’s better to be safe than sorry. Getting an IDP is quick and easy.
• Renting a car overseas can be stressful, especially the first time. You should carefully research all of the information that you might need to know.
• The rental policies for international locations are specific for each country. If you make your reservation online, make sure to check out the rules and regulations specific to that country. If you call a company direct to make a reservation, the agent is required to let you know of any mandatory regulation information for that country.

References

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