If international driver's licenses are not issued by a goverment agency are they actually required?

Answer

I've rented cars trucks and motorcycles in Canada, US, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan. Not once, never, ever was I required to have an international driver's licence. I think it's a scam. Doesn't AAA sell these things. Last I checked AAA was a business, not the government. Has anyone ever needed one?

Answer

Have you been involved in a motor vehicle accident, in a foreign country yet?

Or been stopped by local Police? That is when you will find out, to your horror, that YES, you DO need one. Because your US state driver's permit is just so much coloured plastic to a cop in Manilla, or Madrid.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the fact that the US AAA is the issuing agency, in the USA, does not affect the Internationl Convention and Law Treaty about international drivers' permits. In other nations, the issuing agency is the Post Office, or the Passport Control Office, no matter, it is still required, and woe on you if you don't have one.

Tourists have arrived at their destination and come to pick up a rental car. When they were asked to present an international driving license by the rental car company & did not have one, they were refused permission to take the car. Be warned & always obtain the license even though in many cases your regular license will probably suffice.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by Joeldov. Contributor trust: 112 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 170 [recommend question]