International Driving Permit (IDP)

[davefl]

Imran wrote:

I am planning to drive in Greater Toronto Area next week. Does anyone know if I will be required to show an IDP in Canada?

Click the link that has been quoted several times and read the uk.gov guidance

https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit

You may not be asked for it but it’s worth having in case you meet with an unfortunate event.

[Imran]

paulm wrote:

Imran wrote:

I am planning to drive in Greater Toronto Area next week. Does anyone know if I will be required to show an IDP in Canada?

Rented three times in the last year in Canada and not been needed

Thank you.

[LD27]

Imran wrote:

I am planning to drive in Greater Toronto Area next week. Does anyone know if I will be required to show an IDP in Canada?

We’re in Canada at the moment. Picked up Avis rental from Toronto Airport on Saturday. No issues with “any” UK licence – even my old green paper licence stuck together with sellotape was accepted!

Going to South Africa in 2 weeks so have already got an international licence as I know the paper licence won’t be acceptable there.

[zapato1060]

Ive always thought in case of an accident, God forbid, they could easily ask you for your IDP post-investigation, which in turn will leave you shrugging your shoulders.

[Imran]

LD27 wrote:

No issues with “any” UK licence – even my old green paper licence stuck together with sellotape was accepted!

Lol, haven’t seen them in a while now!

Just to be safe, I got an IDP a day before I left UK though the rental company in Toronto didn’t bother to ask for it.

[0 post]

The U.S. generally doesn’t require an International Driving Permit (IDP) if you’re visiting and plan to drive, especially if your home country’s license is in English. But it’s not a bad idea to get one just in case, especially if you’re going to be dealing with car rentals or might get pulled over.

[Lady London]

Always better to have an IDP in case someone official asks to see your licence and then turns out to have the power to keep it.

[Man of Kent]

I can’t believe that I’ve reached my mid-50’s and wasn’t aware of this. We’re off to the US next week so a trip to the Post Office tomorrow is called for – thanks HFP community.

[supergraeme]

I’ve driven in 28 different countries and never needed one, although in the last year I’ve got two of the three just in case. Really irritates me!

[John]

Lady London wrote:

Always better to have an IDP in case someone official asks to see your licence and then turns out to have the power to keep it.

IDPs are only valid when presented with the original licence.

[Mankhool]

Europcar in Cairo wont rent out the car without IDP. The first time I took IDP was in 2012 and no rental company bothered to check and just took again this year as the T&C of Europcar specifically asks for IDP. Glad I took it as they refused to give the car without IDP.

[melikepoints]

Personal experience at a small car rental operator outside FCO airport in Sep23 (company name has 2 letters starting with the letter “O”) – they’d tried to sell me the extra insurance but I firmly declined as I had Amex plat.

They then turned round and said I needed an IDP in order to rent from them. I showed them the UK gov guidance that full UK licence holders did not need an IDP to drive in Italy.

They would not budge, said that their cars, their rules, so I lost the rental (about EUR73 at the time).

However, I came back inside the terminal and was able to rent a car with my UK DL at one of the main players there without any issue, expect having to fork out EUR300 for a not very nice car. But I needed the car then!

So be aware!

Ps I did try a charge back from Halifax Clarity but without any success as the consolidator (“Auto” and “Jet” argued that it was not them who refused my rental – do you think I should pushback harder at Halifax Clarity?

[SamG]

No that is correct unfortunately, you broke the debtor, creditor, supplier relationship when you used a third party . No S75 under £100 anyway

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/section-75-of-the-consumer-credit-act-aZCUb9i8Kwfa#payments-through-an-agent-or-third-party

Car hire is one I do try to go direct for this reason although sometimes an OTA can get you a much better deal so it is tricky!