No Deal , "May" need International driving licence
Discussion
There's a slight subtlety around this that I've only recently discovered. Most countries around the world that want an IDP want one related to the 1968 Vienna Convention. Spain, unfortunately, needs one related to the 1949 Geneva (I think!) convention, so you may need more than one. Apparently current UK issued IDPs are for the 1949 convention, but 1968 ones are available from the end of January.
It's all a bit of a mess. Thankfully, though, the number of post offices able to issue IDPs goes up to 2500 from the end of Jan, hopefully the staff in them are properly trained on which IDP covers which country. Last time I bought an IDP was in 2014 for a trip to the US when the governor of Florida declared that all foreigners needed an IDP, but quickly repealed that edict. The post office that issued it appeared to have ticked that I could drive buses & HGVs on mine!
Chapter & verse here - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/international-driving-...
It's all a bit of a mess. Thankfully, though, the number of post offices able to issue IDPs goes up to 2500 from the end of Jan, hopefully the staff in them are properly trained on which IDP covers which country. Last time I bought an IDP was in 2014 for a trip to the US when the governor of Florida declared that all foreigners needed an IDP, but quickly repealed that edict. The post office that issued it appeared to have ticked that I could drive buses & HGVs on mine!
Chapter & verse here - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/international-driving-...
Targarama said:
I've driven all around the world, never needed one. Doubt I'll be needing one in the EU in future either. Same goes for that 'get a code from the DVLA to give to the rental company' story, never been asked. More scaremongering.
Thinking back, since this was introduced, I've hired a car 3 times in the EU (Malta, Madeira and Cyprus) and I've never been asked for it either. Twice was with small rental people and once with a big one (Sixt). Bloke in Sixt was a bit confused with my paper licence (he wasn't very old and I think it must have been the first time he'd seen one).Plus, people from the UK must hire a lot of cars in the EU whilst on holiday and I can't see the car hire industry being overly happy about all this. Rock up with your UK licence one day and it's fine, the next it's not (but nothing in reality has changed) and they have to refuse to hire you a car. Yeah, that's bound to happen.
snuffy said:
they have to refuse to hire you a car. Yeah, that's bound to happen.
It might well happen, in peak season when they are short and your reservation can be sold at twice the price.I have a paper licence but the passport is the ID they use to verify the identity and the licence.
I suspect they will come up with a transitory arrangement but wouldn't want to find out the hard way.
Bit of a non-post from me, I think the roadside impact of not having an IDP on the Continent after a potential No Deal Brexit will boil down to circumstance.
A family hatchback with a French speaking British couple and their kids in it, travelling slowly back to the UK after their holidays; being stopped at a random spot check in France and not being able to produce an IDP - are likely to be waved on by the cops with an understanding smile and wave (assuming everything else is in order).
A solo driver being stopped for exceeding the speed limit in a sports car is likely to get more aggro if they can't produce an IDP.
I find the best approach to driving on the Continent is to carry 500 Euros and a humble smile so that I can pay the (often) trivial on the spot fines and encourage the cops to make the transaction as effortless as possible respectively.
That's all the cops want and that's all that I want.
I have my IDP ready along with all the other pointless trivia that is needed for driving on the Continent next week.
A family hatchback with a French speaking British couple and their kids in it, travelling slowly back to the UK after their holidays; being stopped at a random spot check in France and not being able to produce an IDP - are likely to be waved on by the cops with an understanding smile and wave (assuming everything else is in order).
A solo driver being stopped for exceeding the speed limit in a sports car is likely to get more aggro if they can't produce an IDP.
I find the best approach to driving on the Continent is to carry 500 Euros and a humble smile so that I can pay the (often) trivial on the spot fines and encourage the cops to make the transaction as effortless as possible respectively.
That's all the cops want and that's all that I want.
I have my IDP ready along with all the other pointless trivia that is needed for driving on the Continent next week.
Riley Blue said:
Surely one of the 12 signifies 'us', we joined when there were only six member states.
Can you identify which is the UK? 
I predict a glut of Union Jack, Flag of St George, Thatcher's (who never would have stood for this Brexit s
t)/Farage's/BloJo's face stickers on eBay to stick over the offensive Euro stars on plates (for those with such delicate natures).M
We're getting the ferry down to Spain in June, and then going to be driving back up through France over the following few weeks. Really hoping that common sense will prevail before then otherwise it looks like both me and my wife are going to have to apply for wo different types of international driving license.
NorthDave said:
I live in France half the year and will be doing precisely nothing about this.
It's all a load of twaddle.
This.It's all a load of twaddle.
As an Australian who has driven in a load of different countries including ones that don't speak English commonly like the Dominican Republic, Thailand or United States, your license isn't a big concern. I've never had or carried an IDP despite a lot of countries listing it as a requirement.
I'd be more concerned about insurance. I'm sure the relative police forces of the EU will be able to check license validity, but insurance is another matter. However I think most insurers are on top of this... At least mine seems to be but we won't know exactly what will be what until post Brexit at the earliest.
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