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International Drivers Permit

oceansandseas

By oceansandseas,
in Oceania Cruises

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oceansandseas

oceansandseas

Posted
Posted

My son, wife and 2 pre-school age children just arrived in Japan for a vacation. I am in Ontario, Canada and have his forgotten International Drivers Permit. They have trains scheduled, so not sure how many days he is renting car.

 

Any thoughts in getting it to him would be appreciated. I have looked at FedX but checking it out on line they say that fastest time for delivery would be May 7th. I will phone tomorrow but in the meantime I thought I would ask here in case someone had a solution.

 

I could send it to him electronically. Would the actual hard copy be needed?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

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pinotlover Great Review Rare

pinotlover

Posted
Posted

Last couple of times in Europe, the rental car companies weren’t interested in my Int’l drivers license, but wanted to see and photocopy my State drivers license.

 

Years ago, one had to take and pass a test, in the US, to get a IDL. One had to learn the different signage and what it means, along with different driving rules. So we get US drivers sometimes creating unsafe conditions by driving using US laws instead of international standards. Today, no test, just pay a fee. So it’s more of a money making gimmick that a useful tool.

 

I agree with the above poster. Don’t worry about it.

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Mura

Mura

Posted
Posted

We needed one in Portugal last June. This is the first time I ever bothered but the agency that booked the trip around the country said it was required. Our Danish friends did NOT need one since Denmark and Portugal are both in the E.U.

 

BUT I don't recall if Europcar actually wanted to see it or not!

 

Mura

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PaulMCO Holiday Sharing Rare

PaulMCO

Posted
Posted (edited)

Japan still requires an IDP if staying less than a year. Greater than a year you must get a local licence.

Just check the rental car companies like Hertz who have this warning.

 

Important Note : Driving License Requirement

VALID LICENCE & INTL IDP MUST be issued under the 1949 Convention on the International Road traffic. NO EXCEPTIONS. .. SPECIAL ARRANGMENTS FOR BE, FR, GE, MONACO, SQ, SZ, & TAIWAN. SEE QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS – DRIVERS LICENSE

 

Key point is that rental car companies require that an IDP needs to be presented when the script of the host country does not match.

Example a Russian renting a car in the USA requires and IDP while a Spanish citizen would not. Countries generally follow the same rule. The IDP has no legal bearing so it must be presented with a valid home license.

 

As to whether a good scanned copy is acceptable. That needs to be asked directly with the rental counter in Japan. It would likely be accepted in the USA.

Edited by PaulMCO
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RJ2002

RJ2002

Posted
Posted

We were on a Mediterranean cruise recently, and had planned on renting a car in Sicily during a port stop in Trapani. After we were already in Europe, I was checking something on the rental reservation and noted in the T&C's that an IDP was required for non-EU renters. I had completely forgotten about this, so I emailed the agency and sure enough, they said it was a requirement.

 

Now, we MIGHT have been able to proceed with the rental without the IDP upon arrival at the agency, but I didn't want to risk our plans for the one day visit, so we cancelled the car and took a ship excursion instead.

 

IDP's are very easy to procure at AAA. I've done it before, but simply forgot this last time.

 

https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html

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Hawaiidan

Hawaiidan

Posted
Posted
My son, wife and 2 pre-school age children just arrived in Japan for a vacation. I am in Ontario, Canada and have his forgotten International Drivers Permit. They have trains scheduled, so not sure how many days he is renting car.

 

Any thoughts in getting it to him would be appreciated. I have looked at FedX but checking it out on line they say that fastest time for delivery would be May 7th. I will phone tomorrow but in the meantime I thought I would ask here in case someone had a solution.

 

I could send it to him electronically. Would the actual hard copy be needed?

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

A local issued drivers licence for just about every country in the world is all you need.... no one needs a international drivers permit. I suspect it is a way to get you to spend money for something you dont need. He will not need need any such permit....relax and dont get ripped off again. Whoever sold you that meaningless document took you to the cleaners

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Hawaiidan

Hawaiidan

Posted
Posted
We were on a Mediterranean cruise recently, and had planned on renting a car in Sicily during a port stop in Trapani. After we were already in Europe, I was checking something on the rental reservation and noted in the T&C's that an IDP was required for non-EU renters. I had completely forgotten about this, so I emailed the agency and sure enough, they said it was a requirement.

 

Now, we MIGHT have been able to proceed with the rental without the IDP upon arrival at the agency, but I didn't want to risk our plans for the one day visit, so we cancelled the car and took a ship excursion instead.

 

IDP's are very easy to procure at AAA. I've done it before, but simply forgot this last time.

 

https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html

 

Been renting cars in europe for 40 years, just got back from France last week and rented a car... Poland, Germany,Italy,New Zealand,Australia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Greece, Tahiti, Holland, UK, Canada, Never ever in all those years, hundreds of rentals have I ever needed or been asked for an international driving permit.... Many years ago they along with travelers checks went the way of the dodo..... Who did you rent from???? Shakey Jakes discount car rental and bar.

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Hawaiidan

Hawaiidan

Posted
Posted
E.U.

 

BUT I don't recall if Europcar actually wanted to see it or not!

 

Mura

 

 

An aside Europcar is HQ in Portland Maine, they rent from every ones inventory sometimes AVIS some times Hertz you never know. I was told this in Lyon last week when I rented a car in France that the local agency rents the car to Europcar who rents it to you. .

 

In the past 40 years of renting a car in every country in europe and some that dont exist anymore like Yugoslavia, I have never ever needed an international Drivers licence...ever I agree that it is today a source of revenue for who sells them The only country that I have had been told to avoid was Italy where many car rental agency people do not want you taking their car into Italy..... ( I can only guess why)

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LHT28 Holiday Sharing Rare

LHT28

Posted
Posted
A local issued drivers licence for just about every country in the world is all you need.... no one needs a international drivers permit. I suspect it is a way to get you to spend money for something you dont need. He will not need need any such permit....relax and dont get ripped off again. Whoever sold you that meaningless document took you to the cleaners

The ultimate expert on everything has spoken once again :rolleyes:

incorrectly as usual

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Smokeyham Great Review Rare

Smokeyham

Posted
Posted

 

In the past 40 years of renting a car in every country in europe and some that dont exist anymore like Yugoslavia, I have never ever needed an international Drivers licence...ever I agree that it is today a source of revenue for who sells them.

 

The U.S. State Department website (under the Travel and Transportation section) states https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html

 

 

"International Driving Permits (IDPs): An internationaldriving permit (IDP) issued in the United States by the American AutomobileAssociation (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) isrequired of short-term visitors who drive in Japan. You must obtain an IDPissued in your country of residence prior to arriving in Japan. The U.S.Embassy or its consulates do not issue IDPs. IDPs issued via the Internetand/or by other organizations are not valid in Japan."

 

Have you had a different experience in Japan, where you did not have to produce one?

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Floridiana

Floridiana

Posted
Posted
The U.S. State Department website (under the Travel and Transportation section) states https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html

 

 

"International Driving Permits (IDPs): An internationaldriving permit (IDP) issued in the United States by the American AutomobileAssociation (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) isrequired of short-term visitors who drive in Japan. You must obtain an IDPissued in your country of residence prior to arriving in Japan. The U.S.Embassy or its consulates do not issue IDPs. IDPs issued via the Internetand/or by other organizations are not valid in Japan."

 

Have you had a different experience in Japan, where you did not have to produce one?

 

I don't know whether rental agencies in Japan want to see the international permit. In Europe we were never asked for it. However, in some European countries the police might ask for it if you happen to have an unfortunate encounter with them. At AAA it costs $30 and you can indicate the start date. It's only valid for a year.

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ShopperfiendTO

ShopperfiendTO

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just because you weren't stopped doesn't mean that it's not required.

 

Car rental agencies probably don't ask to see the IDP because it's not their problem that you can't drive the car that you rented from them.

 

On our recent trip to Spain, we rented our car and got our IDP for it. The car rental company didn't ask to see the IDP but we know that it is required for Spain. We didn't want to risk the headaches, fines and penalties that might apply if we were stopped randomly and checked and did not have it on us.

 

IMHO the IDP is a rip-off in that it is valid for only a year rather than until the driver's licence expires (because it's really just translating your driver's licence in a uniform manner for the foreign country to understand), but what can you do.

 

As to OP's issue, the son has an IDP; he just doesn't have it on him (yet). I'd send it electronically and courier to follow-up. Hopefully it is a non-issue for the time he has only the electronic copy.

 

Edit: It seems that the original copy of the IDP is required by car rental agencies:

https://www.japan-experience.com/car-rental/common-questions/driving-licence

https://www.otsinternational.jp/otsrentacar/en/guide/license/

Edited by ShopperfiendTO
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