# International driving permits: are they truly necessary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 18, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293 "2006-05-18T18:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/1 "2006-05-18T18:17:57Z")
We’re going to France (and possibly Germany and Belgium) in a couple of weeks, and both I and Mr. brown plan to do some driving over there. I only just learned about international driving permits. Are these really necessary, or are they just advised? Thanks for any help. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/2 "2006-05-18T18:39:51Z")
According to the US Embassy in France, you don’t need a Internation Driver’s Licence if you have a full US driver’s licence and you’re not staying longer than one year. [cite](http://www.info-france-usa.org/visitingfrance/driving.asp) Same deal for Germany. [cite](http://www.usembassy.de/germany/faqs/travel.html) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/3 "2006-05-18T19:37:17Z")
Thanks, **Szlater**. That’s one less thing to have to worry about as we prepare for our trip. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/4 "2006-05-18T19:38:17Z")
I was in France for a few weeks in March and Europcar rented me a vehicle with me only having a US driver’s licence. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/5 "2006-05-18T19:40:33Z")
International Driving Permits are a bit of a con. In some countries (definitely not the EU though) they are occasionally required _as well as_ your regular license. They have no legal status, no standard format - and are therefore easily faked - but they do provide a helpful translation of your regular license’s contents. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/6 "2006-05-18T19:45:25Z")
You cannot rent a car in Korea without one. Just FYI. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/7 "2006-05-18T20:06:26Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > International Driving Permits are a bit of a con. In some countries (definitely not the EU though) they are occasionally required _as well as_ your regular license. They have no legal status, no standard format - and are therefore easily faked - **but they do provide a helpful translation of your regular license’s contents.** I was under the impression that this was the main, if not only purpose of them. Imagine the average policeman being faced with a completely legit licence in a different language and script, say from Russia, and the fun they’d have trying to decipher it. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/8 "2006-05-18T20:09:01Z")
I didn’t need them when I was just visiting the US a few years ago. Everywhere accepted my South African drivers license just fine. It was only when I moved here and wanted to buy a car that I needed a local license. I believe the international license would have been required if my South African license was not in English. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/9 "2006-05-18T20:17:51Z")
I can see a translation being helpful to a French or German policeman, should it become necessary. Why is it necessary to bring it in the form of a permit? I know a little French, and between me and Babelfish, we could cobble together a paragraph or two translating the data presented on a driver’s license. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/10 "2006-05-18T20:28:57Z")
I would highly recommend getting an official International Drivers license.I think they’re easily available from AAA. It’s a brown paper permit printed in about 6 languages with the official seal of the international UN conference on transportation of 1944 or some such date. It’s really kinda cute 🙂 It may be totally unnecessary in most cases, but it might just save you a whole lotta hassle if you happen to bump into an inexperienced cop in a small town. You may be certain that the French regulations accept your American license–but if a stupid local bureaucrat doesn’t know that, you could find yourself wasting a day or two of your vacation. The international permit is an easy way to avoid red tape. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/11 "2006-05-18T21:07:40Z")
> [@teela brown](#): > > I can see a translation being helpful to a French or German policeman, should it become necessary. Why is it necessary to bring it in the form of a permit? I know a little French, and between me and Babelfish, we could cobble together a paragraph or two translating the data presented on a driver’s license. Yes, but how the policeman would know that your translation is legit? How would he even know that you’re not showing him your library card, instead of a driving license? The IDL is a relatively official document, contrarily to your half-assed translation that might or might not have anything to do with whatever is written on the document you state is a valid license. Might not be a problem in france where the local gendarme will probably be able to understand the words “driving license” or “name”, and probably already saw an american DL, but what about the Chinese policeman being handed a document purported to be a Serbian driving license? Or maybe your DL could have non-obvious informations on it. For instance that you can’t drive without glasses. I don’t know if these infos get translated in IDLs, but certainly, in some circumstances, the local police would want to know this sort of things. The International DL, I believe, is theorically mandatory in France. Most people on travel boards, though, say : “don’t bother with it”. Some say “It’s no big deal to get one, so why not bring one just in case?”. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/12 "2006-05-18T22:10:11Z")
I have a somehat related question. Just watched **Long Way Round** , and Claudio has a motrocycle license (Swiss?), but it is not recognized/accepted in England and has to take England’s motorbike test. Why does he need a British license to bike around the world (very little riding in England)? ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/13 "2006-05-18T22:29:02Z")
> [@Fear the Turtle](#): > > I have a somehat related question. > > Just watched **Long Way Round** , and Claudio has a motrocycle license (Swiss?), but it is not recognized/accepted in England and has to take England’s motorbike test. Why does he need a British license to bike around the world (very little riding in England)? Could be… i) British Licence is accepted in more countries or ii) The insurance company the production used required it ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/14 "2006-05-18T22:31:59Z")
Switzerland is not part of the EU. But from my recollection of the book, Claudio could ride a bike fine, but didn’t have a license at all (same as me). Maybe I’m misremembering and **Szlater** ’s theory is better. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/15 "2006-05-19T01:11:12Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > International Driving Permits are a bit of a con. In some countries (definitely not the EU though) they are occasionally required _as well as_ your regular license. They have no legal status, no standard format - and are therefore easily faked - but they do provide a helpful translation of your regular license’s contents. I got one for a trip to Spain last November - my first time driving outside North America. The guy at the rental car place didn’t even look at my actual Illinois driver’s license - he only wanted to see the international driver’s license. Which is goofy, as the international license is supposedly valid for 3 years, but my Illinois license expires in a few months. The international license even says it’s invalid unless used in combination with an otherwise valid driver’s license issued by a governmental authority. I asked the guy what the deal was (he spoke perfectly decent English, by the way, so understanding my U.S. license wasn’t an issue), and he said he absolutely would not have turned over the car without seeing my international license. (By the way, I don’t have any special endorsements on my Illinois driver’s license, but there is no space for noting endorsements on the international license. It also lists my nationality, though I showed them no documentation of my nationality or birthplace, and only confirmed my birthplace verbally. It also has a stamp that it was issued in Washington, D.C., when the whole thing was created in about 10 minutes at a passport photo place across the street from U.S. Citizenship & Immigraiton Services in downtown Chicago, a few blocks from my office. All in all, it’s pretty useless as proof of anything. Plus it has several instances of improper use of apostrophes, which irks me to no end.) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/16 "2006-05-19T01:16:48Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I was under the impression that this was the main, if not only purpose of them. Imagine the average policeman being faced with a completely legit licence in a different language and script, say from Russia, and the fun they’d have trying to decipher it. A friend of mine was staying in a hotel in Vietnam a few years ago. The government there has strict ID requirements on foreigners staying in hotels, and an uppity desk clerk was demanding my friend leave some ID with the hotel. Not having his licence with him, and not wanting to leave his passport (in case some cop demanded to see it), he gave them a video library membership card. It was all nicely laminated, had some official looking logos on it, as well as his signature. The non-English speaking desk clerk studied it, nodded approvingly, and bid them a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/17 "2006-05-19T01:25:45Z")
That’s funny. I just printed an application for one for an upcoming trip, and then decided to check out SMDB. Strictly speaking I don’t think they’re legally required but it’s always a good idea. I believe the convention is an agreement for the countries to honor one another’s driver’s licenses but I don’t think it requires the IDL. I have only rented a car once in a non-English-speaking country and got the IDL, but it was in 1990 and I can’t remember if the rental agency asked to see it. [Dept. of State sez:](http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1179.html#permits) > [@](#): > > International Driving Permits > > Although many countries do not recognize U.S. driver’s licenses, most countries accept an international driving permit (IDPs). 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. Many foreign countries require deposit of a customs duty or an equivalent bond for each tourist automobile entering its territory, and the motoring associations are equipped with the necessary facilities for providing expeditiously a standard bond document (Article 3 of the Convention). The Convention is not applicable to United States motorists using their cars in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/18 "2006-05-19T16:33:46Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Switzerland is not part of the EU. But from my recollection of the book, Claudio could ride a bike fine, but didn’t have a license at all (same as me). Maybe I’m misremembering and **Szlater** ’s theory is better. Could also be any other number of permutations, for example, that perhaps a normal Swiss licence entitles the holder to ride a motorbike, whereas this would only allow them to use a car in Britain. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/19 "2006-05-19T17:11:12Z")
> [@Eva Luna](#): > > I got one for a trip to Spain last November - my first time driving outside North America. The guy at the rental car place didn’t even look at my actual Illinois driver’s license - he only wanted to see the international driver’s license. Which is goofy, as the international license is supposedly valid for 3 years, but my Illinois license expires in a few months. The international license even says it’s invalid unless used in combination with an otherwise valid driver’s license issued by a governmental authority. Very strange. I rented a car in Barcelona a few years ago without one. It was from a U.S. chain, though. Poland, on the other hand, did require the international permit. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293/20 "2006-05-19T17:41:43Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > You cannot rent a car in Korea without one. Just FYI. Unless you’ve been living here for over than a year. In that case, you need to have a Korean Driver License. If you’re SOFA personnel, then you will need a USFK POV Driver License (and be E7 or above) to drive a vehicle in this country. The IDL, though, will help you rent a car from the US military bases if you otherwise qualify to do so, such as being retired military as I am. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/international-driving-permits-are-they-truly-necessary/357293.md?page=2)