International driving licence??

MazStar

Does anyone know if you need to have an international driving licence for driving abroad? I have a full Irish licence. Countries I'm wondering about are USA and Australia.
Thanks

Bluehair

Was mentioned on here recently if you do a search.

Stephmurph

I'm sure Irish licences are international. I've used mine in the States and the UK. You can always get an official international one from the AA office for a couple of quid. But it doesn't even have your photo on it so I don't see the point of it really.

Gandhi

The Int. license basically just translates the info on your Irish license into a few different languages. If it is all English-speaking countries you are going to then there is really no point.

Presumably you will be renting a car so you can ask the car rental people what the local laws are.

Bri

Stephmurph wrote:

I'm sure Irish licences are international. I've used mine in the States and the UK. You can always get an official international one from the AA office for a couple of quid. But it doesn't even have your photo on it so I don't see the point of it really.

No picture? Mine does. They are very basic but I figure if your gonna need to show it why not have both?

Bluehair

Irish licences are not valid internationally except UK. Be very careful using it in this manner esp in the States as you will find your insurance invalidated because of it.

Get the IDP from the AA it only costs a few quid and you're sorted.

Gandhi

<Bluehair>Irish licences are not valid internationally except UK. Be very careful using it in this manner esp in the States as you will find your insurance invalidated because of it.

Get the IDP from the AA it only costs a few quid and you're sorted.</Bluehair>

They are valid in the States. I was living in the States for two years before I got a US license and was able to use my Irish one to buy, register and insure a car in my own name. They might have tightened up the rules a bit recently, but I doubt you'd have any problem.

Just phone up the car rental place before you go over to check.

Gandhi

Gandhi wrote:

Be very careful using it in this manner esp in the States as you will find your insurance invalidated because of it.

Thats complete nonsense.
Theres no probs with an Irish licence in the states-rental companies accept them and your insurance is valid.

Irish drivers licences are valid in any country I've visited and I've rented a car in all and my co driver even presented an Irish licence to the cops in the states after being chased for speeding and it was grand.
The cop wrote international licence Irish on the ticket.

All we had or ever bring are our full Irish drivers licences.
No problems in Canada,the States,OZ or anywhere in Europe.

i am a lady

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/international_driving_permit.html?search=international+driving+permit

and you can get them at either the aa or the rac...i should know, i work for one of them and issue them on a regular basis...