New Law For Canadian Drivers

[ewstanley]

My brother (a Canadian citizen) just emailed me and told me about a new Florida law that requires all non US citizens to purchase an international driver's license. My brother is fuming. How do other Canadians feel?

[Bavarian]

AAA used to give them for free. CAA might have similar plan.

[gomoho]

My brother (a Canadian citizen) just emailed me and told me about a new Florida law that requires all non US citizens to purchase an international driver's license. My brother is fuming. How do other Canadians feel?

This is probably some homeland security thing.

[Bogie Shooter]

Couple sites with infomation.
Official Website Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (http://www.flhsmv.gov/ddl/idp.html)

Canadians driving in Florida must carry extra permit - World - CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/14/florida-license.html)

[rubicon]

This situation underscores the need to deal with securing our borders. Clearly if law abiding Candian friends are being confronted with this law then it should apply to all for the obvious reason it was implanted knowing the status of people crossing US borders

[Cisco Kid]

Come to think of it, you ornery rascals have been sliding by for some time.
:laugh::laugh:

[frannieb]

The CAA guy was on the radio today and his contacts in the US said that this was an oversight. The law is mainly so police officers can read the driver's permit eg. Spanish, Chinese etc. The law was passed Jan 1 2013. It is supposed to be amended but that will not be until the summer and
Canadians will not be required to have an international permit.
The recommendation is to decide for yourself whether you want to take the very small chance you will have a problem or you may purchase an international permit at CAA however you will need 2 passport id photos.
We have decided not to purchase the international permit.

[BritParrothead]

Not just Canadians!! We have to as well The permit will cost us Brits £5.50pence. Not a lot really and it does last a full 12 months. We will be buying ours next month and having it dated to start 29th april 2013. I dont think it is that big a deal to be honest.

[l2ridehd]

Most other countries require the International license. Every where I have traveled in Europe except the UK you needed it for rental cars. Italy was the first about 15 years ago and then it spread across Europe. The UK still did not require it last year. You need it in all countries in Asia where I have rented cars. Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and Thailand. Don't know how it works if you have your own car, but if renting I needed it.

[memason]

Most other countries require the International license. Every where I have traveled in Europe except the UK you needed it for rental cars. Italy was the first about 15 years ago and then it spread across Europe. The UK still did not require it last year. You need it in all countries in Asia where I have rented cars. Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and Thailand. Don't know how it works if you have your own car, but if renting I needed it.

I've rented cars in Germany for years with my American license. Years ago, I was required to have an International License, but in the last 10 years, American will do.

However, you are right about other European countries... If you're planning to take your rental car into say Austria, they do not recognize the American License.

In the end, you [I2ridehd] are correct; if traveling internationally, you should get an international license to be safe.

[CFrance]

Most other countries require the International license. Every where I have traveled in Europe except the UK you needed it for rental cars. Italy was the first about 15 years ago and then it spread across Europe. The UK still did not require it last year. You need it in all countries in Asia where I have rented cars. Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and Thailand. Don't know how it works if you have your own car, but if renting I needed it.

I respectfully disagree. We have been renting cars in Italy, France, and Germany since 2000 and have never once been asked for an international license, even at a non-American company like Europcar or the other one, the name of which I can't remember. In Paris we rented a car for a week from a small, private French rental company across the street, and same thing--no international license required.

I think it must be a Homeland Security screwup that hopefully will be taken care of soon.

[kathy and al]

I'm sure that this also pertains to our Southern border travelers?????????

[janmcn]

Florida officials in Tallahassee backpedaled quickly on the new law which was effective Jan 1, 2013.


Angst from Canadians prompts Florida driver's license change | Tampa Bay Times (http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/angst-from-canadians-prompts-drivers-license-change/1275293)

[PennBF]

I have driven in Europe for many years and the only country that "may" ask for an International Drivers License" was Italy. About a year ago we drove
many miles through France and Italy and I did get an International Drivers
Lic. from AAA as I did not want the inconvience in case I was stopped and needed one in Italy. It would probably be prudent to go ahead and get one at AAA just as a precaution even though it may not be a requirement. Why take the risk when there is no problem in just picking one up. :ho:

[l2ridehd]

Interesting. I was specifically asked in Italy, used Avis, and also in Spain, don't recall the rental company, Eurocar I think. Most places I use Avis and finally just added to my profile so it just went through without asking. Most never use to require it, but more and more I find they want you to have it. Probably more a revenue issue then anything else. Once in Malaysia I was stopped by the local police for a tail light being out on the rental car and they asked to see my international license.

[CFrance]

Interesting. I was specifically asked in Italy, used Avis, and also in Spain, don't recall the rental company, Eurocar I think. Most places I use Avis and finally just added to my profile so it just went through without asking. Most never use to require it, but more and more I find they want you to have it. Probably more a revenue issue then anything else. Once in Malaysia I was stopped by the local police for a tail light being out on the rental car and they asked to see my international license.

That is interesting. We haven't rented a car in Europe since 2010, so maybe things have changed? Even in tiny Funchal, Madeira (Portugal), there was no need for the international license, so I assumed it might be a EU development, like the easing of restrictions to taking dogs and cats in and out (no quarantine required between US and the Schengen Agreement countries).

Between 2000 & 2010, we rented in Italy 7 times, no IL asked for, using both American and European rental companies.

I agree with you, though... it's easy, so might as well get one.