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International Driver's Permit needed to drive in Florida....

Lessa123

By Lessa123,
in Holland America Line

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Lessa123

Lessa123

Posted
Posted

We just found this out this morning...

 

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/02/14/florida_now_requires_canadian_drivers_carry_an_international_driving_permit.html

 

As of January 1, 2013, foreign drivers need an International Driver's Permit to drive a car in Florida! For us in Canada, that means $25 plus the cost of

passport photos.

 

So now we have to decide if we want to jump through the hoops and rent the car for 1 day.

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Northshorecruisers

Northshorecruisers

Posted
Posted

Sorry, I couldn't pull the story up from your link....people can go to www.thestar.com to read the article.

 

Seems even though that is the law, some rental agencies didn't even know of it. It's stupid because the driving rules in FL are the same as in Ontario - and I assume the same as the rest of Canada. So many Canadians spend months wintering in FL - my dad is one of them and according to the article is driving illegally. He arrived down there the beginning of Jan for his usual 3 month stay.

 

I can see this being changed as Canadians supply tons of money in tourism every year. Not just the snowbirds who stay extended periods of time, but the families who just go for a 1 week trip.

 

Don't know that I'd go through the hoops and pay the money if I was just taking the family to Disney for 4 days. Maybe we'd just fly to CA instead and let them have our money.

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luvcruisn'

luvcruisn'

Posted
Posted

My cousin and his wife are renting a car today, driving from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale with an overnight stop along the way. They are leaving on a Princess cruise out of Fort Laderdale on Friday. I know that they know nothing about an international driver's permit. I have never heard of this for the US. Hope they don't get stopped for any reason.

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Johanna7

Johanna7

Posted
Posted

They did not make it public until today! or maybe yesterday. No one new. The lineups at CAA offices here in Toronto are crazy long, out the door in the cold. You must also supply 2 passport photos. They have already run out of the permits.

 

They said, in Florida, that their state troopers could not read the foreign language drivers licenses that Quebec issues. Now it is all of Canada!! No other state so far demands it.

 

This will likely decrease the Canadians going to Florida and maybe look elsewhere, such as Arizona. Or California. Cutting off their nose to spite their face in Florida.

 

Our drivers licenses are in English only here as there isn't enough room on them to have several languages. You do need one for certain places in Europe but even the rental places there do not even ask to see them.

 

So much for hasslefree driving to Florida. Not enough that the Carnival Triumph has this major incident, now this as well.

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WpgCruise

WpgCruise

Posted
Posted

Interesting to learn of the requirement now, as when we were in Florida in January we rented a car both before and after our cruise.

 

I wonder if we had been in an accident if our claim would have been denied given that we were driving without the proper license

 

An interesting question, and one I am just as glad we don't know the answer too.

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woodworker&knitter

woodworker&knitter

Posted
Posted

I totally agree about the language thing. Apparently it's 10 foreign languages not only Quebec (Canada) that can't be read. I understand why this has happened.

I also heard on the news to- day that 70 thousand plus Snow Birds have sent a letter to the Governor of Florida to revoke this.

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Northshorecruisers

Northshorecruisers

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It seems so odd that Florida enacted this effective 1/1/13 - but it's not published in the paper until 2/14/13. I know the Star is a reliable paper, having originally lived in Toronto.

 

Canada is making the money by issuing, and Florida will be making money hand over fist if they start pulling over unsuspecting Canadians and charge them with having an invalid license. It should only be an issue if you have a license in a language other than English. Can a person in Quebec request their license to be English rather than French?

 

The insurance issue in the event of an accident would bother me. Do Canadians have to buy suplemental car insurance when they visit the States like they have to do for health insurance?

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FATJACK

FATJACK

Posted
Posted

Italy and other countries have required an International Drivers Permit now for several years. Many auto rental offices have not asked for them, even now, but it could be a problem if you were to be stopped by authorities. The main reason is that the permit translate your license into several languages. I have and learned to live with it.

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jtl513

jtl513

Posted
Posted

Apparently there is an effort underway to amend the law so that English language licenses would not need the additional IDP, but if that is done Mar 1 when the legislature returns the change wouldn't take effect until Jul 1.

 

I expect there will very little enforcement of this law.

 

Canada is making the money by issuing,
CAA issues them, not the government, just as AAA does in the US.
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Lessa123

Lessa123

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We went to CAA this afternoon to get one and the line was stupid crazy!!! HUNDREDS of people!! We decided that we would just cancel our 1 day rental car next week and walk local to our hotel for meals and to pick up wine/beer for the cruise.

 

When we got in the car we heard an update on this and it was that it is against the Geneva Convention so it can't be enforced and will likely be repealed.

 

We're leaving it as is and will try to get the car and see what happens.

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Johanna7

Johanna7

Posted
Posted
It seems so odd that Florida enacted this effective 1/1/13 - but it's not published in the paper until 2/14/13. I know the Star is a reliable paper, having originally lived in Toronto.

 

Canada is making the money by issuing, and Florida will be making money hand over fist if they start pulling over unsuspecting Canadians and charge them with having an invalid license. It should only be an issue if you have a license in a language other than English. Can a person in Quebec request their license to be English rather than French?

 

The insurance issue in the event of an accident would bother me. Do Canadians have to buy suplemental car insurance when they visit the States like they have to do for health insurance?

 

Although our drivers licenses, plastic and the same size as a credit card, they are really bilingual. Name/Nom and also the rest. They somehow get all that information in there. I assume that Quebec also has bilingual licenses though I have not seen one. So it really is a non issue. The type is very tiny so maybe the state troupers have trouble reading the small print. There is a picture on them of the person as well (ugly one).

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