IDL International Drivers License — Part 2: The Follow Up

by Mario 01-Feb 2010

My first post on the subject stirred some debate. I’ll encapsulate that post by restating that possessing an International Driver’s License in Italy is a scarcely enforced law that I deliberately choose to ignore. Having said that, I also promised to check into it a little deeper. Here are the results:

The Law Regarding International Drivers License is written in Italian and confusing at best. Our Italian legal counsel summed it up as follows: “with an American license you can drive, but if you do not have an IDL or an official translation, you risk a fine of 78 up to 311 Euro.” The main issue, it seems is not translating the color of your hair, but understanding what vehicle class you are allowed to drive. In Italy, I don’t drive buses, tractor trailers, heavy construction equipment or motorcycles and thus I am content to be without an IDL in my sedan.

Second, I had our staff in Italy stop, call and speak to members of various law enforcement agencies. Not a single officer was aware of such a law and none of them claimed to have ever demanded seeing an IDL from an American. They look for a valid driver’s license, passport and car rental contract. Granted, our research was completely unscientific. Nonetheless, rarely enforced laws occur all over the world. For instance, men with mustaches in Nebraska cannot kiss a woman. 

Third, in order to pick up their car at the car rental desk, clients must provide their valid driver’s license, passport, credit card and reservation.

Finally, I have yet to see copy of a fine or ticket levied against anyone for failing to comply with this law. So where does that leave us? For myself, I shall continue to spend the extra cash on something useful like getting a shave next time I visit Nebraska. 

Tags:

Driving in Italy

Permalink | Comments (14)

Comments

2/2/2010 12:32:26 PM #

Great post.  Funny, informative.  Keep up the good work.

S. K. Russell

2/10/2010 10:37:44 PM #

Wow, I am so impressed with your new blog. Although I have driven in Italy (5 years ago?) I can see things have changed, and your series on driving in Italy is a must read for all my travel companions who will be with me in the Veneto this May (alas not in a Parker Villa). Every blog you've done has been great.  Thanks so much for so much good info, even for repeat visitors to this amazing country! Grazie mille

Barbara Martin

2/22/2010 4:13:12 PM #

Please do not confuse the official "International Driving Permit" issued in the U.S. by the AAA and various and sundry unofficial - and totally worthless things called an "international drivers license" or "international driving document", or whatever.

Second, your information about Italian police not being aware of the relevant law is out of date.

Based on personal experience exactly one week ago today, I can assure you that the municipal police of the the Commune of Florence are keenly aware that U.S. drivers licenses in and of themselves have no validity under Italian law. If I had not had proof of my French citizenship, I would have been charged with driving without a license.

George H. Lesser

2/28/2010 10:52:40 AM #

QUOTE: -"Based on personal experience exactly one week ago today, I can assure you that the municipal police of the the Commune of Florence are keenly aware that U.S. drivers licenses in and of themselves have no validity under Italian law. If I had not had proof of my French citizenship, I would have been charged with driving without a license. "-

  Wow ... exactly what I was wondering since we will be going this Spring (April), so I may as well not plan on driving at all?

Darwin Grandusky

3/1/2010 10:55:41 AM #

Dear Darwin,
Please do drive. Often times Americans who actually live in Europe and who then provide residency papers when stopped may be asked for all manner of things.

For tourists this is hardly the case. Again, it is simple enough to go to AAA, spend $15 dollars and get some piece of mind. The research our Italian staff conducted, while not scientific, was obtained a month ago. I would hardly call that "outdated". This piece on IDL is purely the opinion of the author.

No one, including me, refutes the fact that Italian law requires all non-EU drivers to possess and IDL. My opinion to forego the expense is based on the skimpy application and knowledge of the statute by the Italian law enforcement community.

I'm still waiting to see a copy of an actual fine imposed on an American tourist by any Italian police for not having an IDL.
Mario

Mario

4/13/2010 4:24:45 AM #

Hi "Mario"  Thanks for sharing these useful information! Hope that you will continue doing nice article like this. I will be one of your loyal reader if you maintain this kind of post!

Bhutan Travel

4/26/2010 7:34:41 AM #

I'm reading this post from my I-Phone and it looks great!  I like your writing style and you make some excellent points about italy.

Kate

6/11/2010 10:16:48 AM #

I love your content, it is excellent.  Found all the information I needed to find.  Your blog is great, helped me a lot.

Stacy Logan

7/17/2010 2:04:53 PM #

My cousin is a Carabinari and while on a recent visit I asked him about the IDL. he told me it is a MUST! Car rentals are supposed to ask for an IDL when renting, of course they are lax on this but if they do ask and you do not produce it, they won't rent a car to you.   Better be safe than sorry!

Lilly

8/12/2010 10:27:54 AM #

It's really important to look for a valid driver’s license, passport and car rental contract.

Budget Car

3/18/2011 9:20:41 AM #

Hi,
I am a UK citizen living in the Island of Anguilla in the Caribbean. It is a british territory and through such I got my British Passport. No one in Anguilla knows how I can get a IDL. I just rented a car through Hertz in Italy and saw that there are fines if stopped by police if not in possession of an IDP. I cannot find anywhere where I can get an IDL, but was hoping that as a UK citizen with a licence issued in a UK territory I wouldn't need one. As Anguilla is not a country, I cannot find any relevant information in the UK or in Italy perstaining to wheather I need one or not. Any specific information would be greatyly welcomed.

Alan

3/18/2011 11:45:45 AM #

Alan,
As a UK subject you are exempt. The law requiring an IDL only applies to citizens of non EU countries.

Mario

3/18/2011 1:01:30 PM #

Thanks Mario, however when I viewed the UK AA site it says this :

F – All valid UK driving licences should be accepted. Acceptance of driving licences that are not of the European Communities model cannot be guaranteed therefore drivers may wish to voluntarily update them before travelling abroad, if time permits. Application for D1 (in Northern Ireland DL1) is available from most Post Offices. Alternatively, older licences may be accompanied by an IDP.

As my licence is from ANGUILLA, an overseas territory, I am not sure this applies. Funnily enough there is no mention of overseas territory licences in the UK site, and as Anguilla isn't an independent country, I cannot find any information here about that. Travelling to the US was no problem, they readily accepted it.


No one can translate my licence to Italian here in this little island, and I might have to get one of those "shady" IDP or IDL or IDD to satisfy Herz Bologna Airports requirements.

Alan

3/27/2011 5:14:47 PM #

Hey, thanks for this post, it can be pretty confusing making sure that you're covered! Grazie!

Alessandro

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Hi, my name is Mario Scalzi and it is time for me to give something back to Italy for all the wonder and joy it has brought me over a lifetime.  more....

 

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