You may want to pick up an International Driver’s Permit.
If you plan to drive a car in a foreign country, you might want to get an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). An IDP is a translation of your English-language driver’s license into ten other languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. It verifies you have a valid driver’s license that was issued where you live. For travelers from the U.S., that means a driver’s license issued by a state or U.S. territory.
When driving overseas, you’re supposed to carry an IDP—which includes your name, driving details and photo—along with your valid driver’s license. The IDP is a “permit” and not a “license”—it’s not valid unless you also have your driver’s license from home.
The IDP is accepted in more than 150 United Nations member countries and is viewed as a valid form of identification in more than 175 countries. (You may want to get an IDP even if you don’t plan on driving, as it’s an additional means of identification with all of your details translated into a format officials are used to seeing.)
Not every country requires an International Driver’s Permit but many do. In Europe, for example, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Spain all require an IDP.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) is the only entity authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue an IDP. You must be 18 or older, have had your driver’s license for at least six months, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Your license must also be valid for at least six months after the issuance date of your IDP, and not have been suspended or revoked.
To apply, fill out the AAA form and submit it—in person at an AA office (you don’t have to be a member) or by mail—with two identical two-inch by two-inch color passport-style photos (if you go to an AAA office, you can get photos taken there), a signed copy of the front and back of your driver’s license, and the application fee ($20 per person, plus shipping).
An AAA office will issue your IDP while you wait. Otherwise, it takes a few weeks for it to arrive by mail. You can apply within six months of your desired effective date. For example, if you plan to travel on July 1, you can apply for an IDP the previous January. An IDP is valid for one year or until your current driver’s license expires, whichever comes first.Note: I’ve rented cars in dozens of countries around the world and I’ve NEVER been asked for an IDP at a car rental counter. I have, however, been stopped by police (for no apparent cause) while driving through remote areas in several South American countries and asked to show my IDP. On all four occasions I was quickly shooed on my way after producing it. Hmm…
Twist’s Take: You should bring an International Driver’s Permit if you plan on driving overseas—you’re supposed to have it and you never know when cops or a rental car company will ask to see it.
