the1guy

I'm already out of US traveling through EU and will be in Romania in 2 weeks. I was planning on driving through Romania for 6 days, booked a car through Budget at Bucharest Hilton, then was surprised to find out that in their fine print it said that non-EU citizen must have an International Driver's Permit (IDP) to rent a car. Now I'm confused because I'm getting conflicting information from different sources:

- The Lonely Planet guide said I was ok just with a US driver's license
- The Hilton concierge told me that they confirmed with Budget that I was ok w/o IDP.
- My email to Budget office itself has not been answered.
- US Embassy in Romania's website says I need an IDP in Romania

The last obviously carries a lot of weight. But I think what'd carry the most weight would be a Romanian authority definitively and explicitly stating that I do/don't need an IDP. I have not been able to find such info, probably cuz I know 0 Romanian.

Then, my friends who's driven through Romania without one tell me that I just need to have a 100 lei bill handy if I ever get pulled over. I consider myself a pretty good driver, also know how to drive in crazy city conditions, so I'd say my chances of getting pulled over is low. Then, another friend who's a Romanian tells me that if I get unlucky, the cop can take away my driver's license on the spot for such violation.

Normally, I would just take public transit but it looks like their trains are really slow, sometimes no direct route, and I have a pretty tight schedule. Plus, I really wanna drive on the transfagarasan road

Please help.

:D!

I don't know the specific answer to your question, but for $15, 2 photos, and a stamp, you could have saved yourself all this worry. I'm not sure how you can assess your chances of being pulled over if you have never driven there before.

It appears that the NAC will ship an IDP overseas within 2 weeks for $100.

the1guy

Thanks for the reply. I know about getting the IDP through AAA for $15 and two photos - had I known about it while I was in the states, I certainly would have done it. But it's now too late. I'll be there in less than two weeks so I can't wait for them to send it to me.

Good news is that Budget finally replied, 3 days after my email inquiry, that my US driver's license alone was sufficient for them and also for the police. I'll just go with that.

WomBatt

As a US citizen an IDP or a Roumanian driving licence is certainly required in Roumania after you have been in the country 90 days.
And if you have been driving elsewhere in Europe an IDP is certainly required in many countries, with no time allowance.

LondonElite

Almost no country in western Europe requires an IDP. I've driven in virtually every country in Europe and have never used one. Most rental agencies will look at you quizzically if you show them one, in addition to your US or Canadian driving license. Citizenship is relevant neither to your ability to get a US or Canadian driving license, nor to your need for a special permit in a European country.

I cannot specifically speak for Romania, as I have not rented a car there, but for pretty much every other place.

WomBatt

'Almost no country in western Europe requires an IDP' - I did say Europe, where western or westernised Europe starts is now a guess.

Certainly the following countries have the legislation. Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.

LondonElite

I can assure you that I have rented a car in Austria, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain (of the ones you mention), all within the last two years, and have never been asked for either an IDP, or my passport. Anecdotal maybe, but certainly not the case that 'many' require it.

I have also rented (from memory) in the last 12 months: Germany, France, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, and UK.

WomBatt

You were stopped in six countries for traffic offences and were never asked for an IDP? Gosh, you were a lucky fellow.
If you do not want to accept the legislation of the countries which require an IDP, good luck again when the police officer takes against you. A simple google will find I am correct.

LondonElite

I've not been stopped for a traffic offence in any of those countries. Did I mention that I was in my post? No.

My one infraction, a few years ago near Berlin, was probably the friendliest exchange I've ever had with the police. And no, I wasn't asked for an IDP by the policeman, or any of the car rental agencies in the countries I listed above.

bruceba

I have never needed an IDP in any country I have driven in.

HMO

I'm guessing you are an UK citizen because of your nickname. There is a chance of you are except to carry an IDP at continental Europe. I really don't know.

But, if you aren't excepted, the fact you were able to rent a car in Western Europe without an IDP doesn't mean that you don't need to carry one. You must agree with me that counter agents aren't exactly law enforcement officers, and they really don't care if you will or won't have troubles. Even better, if you receive a ticket, they can add an administrative fee in your bill for "processing" the ticket.

In my last trip to France I had my IDP, but at the counter the agent only got my license driver. Maybe because it is easier & faster to figure out the needed information in a single card instead of in a multi-pages booklet...^

LondonElite

I'm not. But citizenship doesn't really matter. I could be a Mexican living in the UK with a Mexican driver's license. Then it would depend on whether the destination country accepts Mexican driver's license for rental cars. I'm not Mexican, so in this case I have no idea.

The wider point is that, within/among European, no IDPs are necessary. And most of the countries in Europe don't require an IDP for licenses from Canada or the US. As I said before, I don't know specifically about Romania, but I was asserting that the typical North American or European doesn't need to worry about this document in many/most cases.

I also don't know what rental agency people should or should not enforce, but I would think that basic training and computer systems make it pretty easy for them to follow the decision tree of whether a renter presenting a certain license requires additionally an IDP or not.

STBCypriot

I had to have an IDP when driving in Bulgaria. BTW, I do not recommend driving in Bulgaria; I was terrorized by someone in a BMW driving there - that's the only time I've ever feared for my life.

WomBatt

LondonElite continues with consistent and appalling advice with 'The wider point is that, within/among European, no IDPs are necessary.'
Why are you insistent on giving this advice and your complete lack of understanding of the simple points being made?
'I also don't know what rental agency people should or should not enforce' - quite right, you do not. No rental agency is obliged to check on your failure to be legally carrying an IDP.'
Give it up, stop suggesting people should break a country's law.

LondonElite

You're very good at making sweeping statements like "...suggesting people should break a country's law," but slightly less good at actually reading what has been posted.

I don't recall advocating that people break a country's law . Please show me where I've done that. I'm also not giving people advice on what they should do. This is an internet bulletin board, not the State Department website. Everyone should inform themselves.

My point, and it seems painful to have to spell it out so blatantly, is that a holder of a US driving license will not require an IDP in most countries of what you want to call Europe. For the third or fourth time, I don't know whether Romania falls into this category or not, but the wider advice is that these documents are not necessary.