Your flight finally lands and, after months of saving and planning,
your long-awaited road trip across Europe is about to begin. All that’s
left to do now is find the rental office and pick up a car. Then, just
before the agent hands over the keys, you hear these seven words: “Can I
see your international driving permit?”
If you're already on your
trip, you're likely out of luck when it comes to an international
driving permit—it's recommended or required for foreign drivers by more than 150 countries,
after all. But with a little per-planning, your road trip can be
seamless with the $29 permit tucked in your wallet. Read on below for
our recommendations for when and how to pick up an international driving
permit before your asphalt adventure.
What is an international driving permit?
First
things first, it's not technically a driver's license—you'll already
need one of those from your country or state of origin to accompany your
international driving permit. The permit, a small, passport-like
booklet issued by the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the
American Automobile Touring Alliance, gives visitors the right to drive a
car in any of the countries that accept it. The permit translates your
American driver’s license into ten languages, including Arabic and
Portuguese. That means a lot less back-and-forth on the back roads of Morocco when the officer has never seen a Nevada driver’s license before.
Check the State Department’s site
for specific license requirements for the country you’re visiting. The
most important thing is to check the requirements long before you leave,
so as not to be stranded when you learn that you need a document that
you don't have. These can't be issued on the spot outside of the U.S.
An international driving permit isn't required where I'm going. Do I still need one?
If you're traveling to a country that doesn't speak your language, you should get one anyway for the peace of mind, according to Bryan Shilling, AAA's managing director of travel products and services. “The real value of it isn’t so much from a legal standpoint," says Shilling. "It’s really in case something were to happen—you’re pulled over for a driving infraction, or there’s an accident, or something goes awry. If you don’t have an international driving permit, [the police] may not be able to communicate effectively with you."What happens if I drive without one?
Let’s say you’re pulled over and caught sans permit. Whether that’ll be a vacation ender or not depends on the country you’re in and the local laws. The penalties in Japan, for example, are severe: You could be arrested or even deported if you don’t have the necessary paperwork.How do I get an international driving permit?
If you're out of the country indefinitely, you can also apply to the AAA by mail, like the AATA,
but expect it to take up to six weeks to process. Plus, you'll need to
include between $75 and $100 extra to cover shipping costs. Check each
organization's website if you're registering from abroad for more info.
https://www.e-itca.org/
How long is an international driving permit valid?
The permit is valid for just 12 months from the date of issue, so be sure to keep track of when yours is about to expire.https://www.e-itca.org/
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