Catch 22 International

March 20, 2006 9:56 AM

Is an "international driver's license" still required for a European-licensed driver, in the USA? [confusion inside]

Belgian driver (license never expires). Expired international license. Living in Africa. Local automobile association (like AAA) will only issue for local licenses. Belgium will only issue you one if you are a resident. Problem: renting a car for use in New Jersey (rented through Virgin Atlantic, so unknown rental company) with only Belgian driver's license? (have official, certified translation, which is what these silly international licenses are, from the Belgian consulate)

posted by Goofyy to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

It seems that Virgin Atlantic rents cars through Avis and Hertz rental agencies. I poked a bit around the Hertz site, and found this:

An acceptable valid driver's license, issued from your country of residence, MUST be presented at time of rental. The driver's license must be valid for the entire rental period. If the driver's license is in a language other than English, and the rental is in the United States, an International Driver's Permit is recommended. In all cases, a valid driver's license issued in your home country must be provided, whether or not you possess an International Driver's Permit. You will not be allowed to rent a Hertz vehicle with only an International Driver's Permit.

Full page here. This is based on info from the Newark International Airport.
posted by luneray at 10:16 AM on March 20, 2006

Rather, the information is from the Hertz website for the Hertz office located at the Newark Int'l Airport.
posted by luneray at 10:17 AM on March 20, 2006

I don't think they were ever "required", but they can be good. One summer, a friend of mine (from the Cayman Islands) and I embarked on a cross-country roadtrip. He had his Caymanian DL and the international DL. We got pulled over in AZ (near a place called Ted's, as I recall, out in the middle of nowhere where the jail was INSIDE the truck stop).

Anyway, a plane had clocked us going 80+ in a 55 and we were one of a couple dozen cars pulled over (they did a massive sweep with 5-6 police cars). When the officer finally came up to our car, my friend was in the drivers seat and handed over his IDL to him, with the Caymanian DL inside. He squinted at it (it was open to one of the foreign languages), turned it around a couple of times, and handed it back to us, grunting, "Ya'll slow down and have a good day."

I suspect the other drivers were not as fortunate.
posted by aberrant at 10:22 AM on March 20, 2006

Well, I'm a Brit living in NYC and I've rented cars many, many times using only my old Brit licence. Never been asked for anything else. I think you're fine.
posted by Decani at 7:06 PM on March 20, 2006

Well, that's a relief. Thanks! I had recalled it was required. Sometimes, this international living gets to be a pain. (oh, the driver in question is my SO)
posted by Goofyy at 12:28 AM on March 21, 2006

I've also rented many cars in the US (and other first-world countries) with a UK license and a non-dodgy African country license, and my SO had no problem with a dodgy African country license (the country, rather than the license was dodgy). As long as it's a credit-card style, you should be fine.
posted by quiet at 3:13 AM on March 21, 2006