International Driving Permits/Licences

[MooTime]

Sardinia.
Essential for most car rental companies, as we found, to our cost, a year or so back.
A huge - and expensive - hassle to find a substitute vehicle, and still make it to the booked car ferry on its last trip for the day.

Yes Sardinia, Italy,last year we found we had to have it at rental car pickup, they requested it & luckily we organised it before we left.
Not sure if pulled over by police what the situation would be.
Easy to get done at RACV.

 

[pagingjoan]

Yes Sardinia, Italy,last year we found we had to have it at rental car pickup, they requested it & luckily we organised it before we left.
Not sure if pulled over by police what the situation would be.
Easy to get done at RACV.

You could breathe easily, then, having had the advance waning. That was a good save.
I was making the rental booking on the fly, in the midst of our travels, so we discovered the requirement way too late.

Doubt we will be doing too many more international car rentals in future. I’ve been converted to the benefits of having a car and driver, wherever possible and appropriate. Someone else can worry about Drivers’ Licences, local road rules, parking hassles, navigation quirks, and manic traffic. I can relax and watch the scenery float by.

 

[Scarlett]

Can those converts of using an IDP please post what the actual prices are (in 2019) that motoring organisations charge around Australia:
WA-
NT-
SA-
QLD-
NSW-
VIC-
TAS-

I don't think I've had one for about 10 years and recall paying the RACQ maybe $70 when we were made to get one for a work trip to the US...
For a bit of a 'fun with flags' moment, I have driven internationally in:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
L.
N.
P.
R.
S.
T.
U.
V.

Hats off if you can name those 41 nations without looking them up...
(made a bit easier with starting letter)

Guess I've just been lucky that no one has wanted to see an IDP...

 

[Austman]

Can those coverts of using an IDP please post what the actual prices are (in 2019) that motoring organisations charge around Australia:
VIC-

I'm not a convert. And I disagree with the usual "it's only a small cost in the scheme of things" argument* .

But in VIC it currently costs $42.00 (+ postage).

FWIW, I've driven in lots of those countries too. So many that I can't even remember! The vast majority without an IDP.

* = do the proper research, as you should do for any country you are planning to visit and decide then.

 

[DC3]

...But in VIC it currently costs $42.00 (+ postage) ...

And the same when I last checked in most States/Territories. Quite a nice little money maker for motoring organisations I’d guess. Maybe $10 would be a fairer price.

Edit: Content

 

[jase05]

I renewed mine about a month ago. $42 in SA at RAA

 

[Flashback]

The RAA charge $42 for an IDP so not a huge cost considering what the rest of the trip is likely to cost.

Cost in Australia is 50% more than in the USA even accounting for the woeful exchange rate.

And 300% more than the UK.

Yep, just over a 5er here, makes sense for peace of mind. Currently have a UK licence (was free to convert from AU to UK so long as it's done in the first 12 months, otherwise you have to go through the full process of acquiring one!) which means no issues using it in all EU member states .......... until Brexit, if/when that happens

International Driving Permits | Help and support | Post Office

Get help with your International driving permit application at Post Office and see our most frequently asked questions.

www.postoffice.co.uk

Never been asked for IDL, note though - always asked for DL, even though I an Hertz Presidents Circle and Avis President Club. NONONE will give you a car without a DL

Ditto, I rent a car every week (across various countries) and always asked to see my licence when leaving the lot.

 

[VPS]

Yep, just over a 5er here, makes sense for peace of mind. Currently have a UK licence (was free to convert from AU to UK so long as it's done in the first 12 months, otherwise you have to go through the full process of acquiring one!) which means no issues using it in all EU member states .......... until Brexit, if/when that happens

International Driving Permits | Help and support | Post Office

Get help with your International driving permit application at Post Office and see our most frequently asked questions.

www.postoffice.co.uk

Ditto, I rent a car every week (across various countries) and always asked to see my licence when leaving the lot.

That's a lot cheaper than Australia. I wonder if I could go into the PO in the UK and say I forgot to get one before I left home can you give me one here - I might try it next trip

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I renewed mine about a month ago. $42 in SA at RAA

Since when can you renew?

I thought it was get new one each time and that they only last 12 months.

 

[jase05]

Since when can you renew?

I thought it was get new one each time and that they only last 12 months.

Yeah, poor choice of words. Replaced with a new one was what I was looking for. The old one was due to expire whilst overseas so I went in and got another. Was $42 at the RAA

 

[Flashback]

That's a lot cheaper than Australia. I wonder if I could go into the PO in the UK and say I forgot to get one before I left home can you give me one here - I might try it next trip

Can't see any reason why it wouldn't work, but maybe they don't know how to translate the AU classes, whereas the DVLA would.

 

[Jennyc]

You need it for some states in the US.

Years ago I got pulled up for speeding in the woods of Quebec, the cop wanted to see my IDL.... felt good handing it over. Still copped a fine though.

Greece. Until 2018 I could hire a car in Europe as an Australian without an international drivers licence (IDL). As of 2019, suddenly it's an issue. Not a problem to get an IDL, but I didn't want to find out I needed one at point of hire.

 

[OATEK]

Greece. Until 2018 I could hire a car in Europe as an Australian without an international drivers licence (IDL). As of 2019, suddenly it's an issue. Not a problem to get an IDL, but I didn't want to find out I needed one at point of hire.

Jennyc - welcome to AFF. Any more details on your experience with Greece?

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF @Jennyc

 

[Jennyc]

Jennyc - welcome to AFF. Any more details on your experience with Greece?

No, except that we tried all the car hire agencies such as enterprise, thrifty, hertz, and basically got told we needed an IDL.
Last year, 2018, in Greece I could hire a car on displaying my Australian licence. So the change in rules was surprising and annoying. (Eventually we managed to hire a car through a slightly dodgier outfit at a higher rate.) I just wish they had advertised the change in conditions more widely, so we knew beforehand.

 

[Jennyc]

Welcome to AFF @Jennyc

Thanks

 

[amaroo]

I renewed mine about a month ago. $42 in SA at RAA

Ditto for RACQ @ $42

 

[amaroo]

That's a lot cheaper than Australia. I wonder if I could go into the PO in the UK and say I forgot to get one before I left home can you give me one here - I might try it next trip

Worth a try but going by this they shouldn’t issue it.

Interestingly It seems you can get a 1968 convention IDL issued with a 3 year valid period.

Frequently Asked Questions - International Driving Permit

Learn some key facts and the most frequently asked questions about the International Driving Permit/ International Driving License here.

internationaldrivingpermit.org

 

[wandering_fred]

Interesting that the topic of US nationals not resident in the USA is never mentioned or discussed.....
The .gov website explicitly states FOREIGN nationals

Just wandering (away from the grammar fanatics)
Fred

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Now you have got me curious too!

Sorry I forgot to reply to this earlier.
No big mystery, when I was young I was friends with the son of a French diplomat who was based in Perth.
He lived around the corner and was in my class at school.
We made a deal that I would help him learn English if he taught me French.
Later I studied French at high school and university.
Then I travelled as a young adult and spent time in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Tunisia.
After a long period of no international travel due to the cost of raising children, more recently I have spent more time in France as well as Morocco and especially New Caledonia. Wherever I go I make a point of staying with local people and avoiding tourists. I have even pretended that I don't speak English.
I started that to avoid socialising with other anglophones - Aussies and Brits and Yanks. Not because I disliked them but because I wasn't in France to speak English.
Over the years I have made friends in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Nouméa and it is probably those friendships which have improved my language skills the most.
Although I have completed an advanced French course online through a Paris unviersity and also paid for some private tutoring here before each trip to make sure I am not rusty when I arrive! I would not want my French speaking friends to feel like I was using them as unpaid teachers!