International drivers license needed?

[kathyb]

Hi, apologies if this is addressed elsewhere but I did not see it in the Driving in Italy thread. I seem to remember that when we went to Tuscany in 2005 we got international drivers licenses - we are renting a car. Is this necessary? Can anyone on here share your experience? I'm American with a US drivers license.

thanks! Kathy

 

[joe]

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I always get one, even if my national license is supposedly recognized as "international".

 

[kathyb]

Thank you!

 

[JMichael]

Like Joe, I always get one. Even had one the last time we went and used only trains. I figured it would come in handy if we decided on the spur of the moment to rent. AAA makes it easy since they'll do the photos too.

 

[Karen Frerichs]

Get one! As mentioned, it is easy and not expensive at AAA, and we were each required to have one by the rental car agency.

 

[ellen]

The car agencies now mention that it is required, even if they don't always ask to see it. It's easy and inexpensive, even though the odds of needing to show it (an accident or other road issue) are very, very low, I think that this is one expense that falls in the "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it" category.

 

[Alpinista]

Got stopped in a random traffic check a few years back and they asked for the driver's IDP. Also told by a hotel that we stayed at this year that they required an IDP to let us check out the motor scooters they had on site (not that an IDP gives you certification to operate a scooter and not sure why they wouldn't just use a passport for identification, but that was their requirement).

 

[kcalnyc]

I saw someone turned away at Hertz in Sicily for not having one.