rent a car international

The International Driver’s License (IDL) or International Dirving Permit (IDP) is a translation of a national or domestic driver’s license, which allows you to drive in different countries without experiencing difficulties with various language barriers. This International Driver’s License, however, is valid only with the home-country driver’s license, which must be currently valid and not suspended or expired. The International Drivers License also indicates that you are a holder of a valid drivers license from your home country.

If you’re traveling to an English-speaking country, you might get by with an American or an other english-speaking driver’s license. However, many other countries will ask that you also obtain an International Driver’s License (IDL) or an International Driving Permit (IDP), which is both basically just a piece of paper that translates your information into 10 different languages and is recognized by over 150 countries. If you are planning to rent a car abroad, you may be asked to present one along with your regular home-country license. You must be at least 18 years old to get an IDP/IDL.

Be sure to get your International Driver’s License before leaving home, as it must be issued in your home country. An IDP/IDL is not a license itself, merely a translation of the license issued in your country of residence. If you are stopped by law enforcement officials abroad, you must present both your IDP/IDL and your home country’s license. The only driving record you have, therefore, is within your home country, so obey the local driving rules! Any infraction or citation issued abroad will be waiting for you when you return home.

Best is to check with the consulate or embassy of the country you’re visiting to find out their policies on international drivers. You might also check if the Rental Station accepts your domestic driver’s license.