News, Paid for a driving permit that's no good. (cost, rent, airport)
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His travel agent sells him an International Driving Permit, but when Michael Elliott arrives in Grenada, he's told he needs to buy a local permit. Should his agency refund the money he spent on the first permit? And what's the deal with International Driving Permits, anyway?
Paid for a permit that's no good - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/12/31/driving.permit/index.html - broken link)
The International Driving Permit is NOT a drivers license. It is a translation of your home drivers license into a lot of different languages, so if you are traveling abroad, the local police can know that you are a licensed driver in your home country. Some countries do not recognize them---particularly countries where local driving conditions can be particularly dicey for an outsider---such as a Caribbean island with RH drive. I think in Bermuda, foreigners are not allowed to drive at all, period.
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(set 13 days ago)
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In order to drive overseas in most countries you need to get an international driver's license (which is valid for one year) based on your local driver's license. In the USA, these can be gotten at any AAA office.
In order to drive overseas in most countries you need to get an international driver's license (which is valid for one year) based on your local driver's license. In the USA, these can be gotten at any AAA office.
When I went to live in the UK, I was told I was allowed to drive on my US license for up to a year.
In order to drive overseas in most countries you need to get an international driver's license (which is valid for one year) based on your local driver's license. In the USA, these can be gotten at any AAA office.
Thats not always the case, we rented a car in France and had no issues at all with our US license.
Bottom line is check the local laws before you travel.
In my experience, the vast majority of European countries will recognise a US drivers license if, for example, you want to rent a car. I have done this in the UK, France, Switzerland and Spain. I have never bothered to get an International Drivers License.
The same is true for Europeans wishing to visit the US and rent a car.
International driver's license/permit/whatever = scam.
No need for one. If anything, the one sold by the AAA here in the US is a translation of your US license, to make things more convenient for foreign officials. It also folds out, lists the types of vehicles you're licensed on, with axles, tonnage, etc.
A stamped passport and a valid home country license will work in most countries. For the ones in which it doesn't, you need to buy a 'temporary permit' (as in Grenada apparently) to drive. Mine from Barbados has always cost a few bucks, is paper, and is good for a year. Just a few $$ in the coffers from tourists, same as the departure tax at the airport.
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"Wishing all the best of health and peace!"
(set 13 days ago)
43,476 posts, read 44,203,065 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ji603
International driver's license/permit/whatever = scam.
No need for one. If anything, the one sold by the AAA here in the US is a translation of your US license, to make things more convenient for foreign officials. It also folds out, lists the types of vehicles you're licensed on, with axles, tonnage, etc.
A stamped passport and a valid home country license will work in most countries. For the ones in which it doesn't, you need to buy a 'temporary permit' (as in Grenada apparently) to drive. Mine from Barbados has always cost a few bucks, is paper, and is good for a year. Just a few $$ in the coffers from tourists, same as the departure tax at the airport.
Pay to play!
The international driver's license from AAA has been around a long time similar to travelers' checks which are still valid but not necessarily what one needs to have. So I wouldn't call what AAA issues a scam, but rather something that seems to be outdated.
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