International Drivers License
 

Does one need an international drivers license to rent in Germany?

Where is your driving license from?

If you have a EU driving license, then you will most probably not need one. In any case, I recommend to cross-check with your rental company. They might have different rules (i.e. tighter) than the legal requirement.

License from US, Hertz, Dusseldorf, drop in Toulousse.

If less than half year in Germany, no problem. Just use your US license...

Thanks for the info.

Excuse me, but this is utterly wrong and you mix up two different issues:

(1) As a new resident, you are allowed to make use of a foreign (non EU) license in Germany for a period of six months after taking residence in Germany without getting a German license

(2) As a visitor (without residence in Germany) you can make use of your foreign (non EU) license as long as you wish. However, you either need a translation of your foreign license into German language or an international driving license. You are only excused if you license was issued in Andorra, Hongkong, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Switzerland and amazingly Senegal.

http://www.bmvbs.de/dokumente/-,302....l/dokument.htm

Even more confused now. this is from the link that was provided. and under that the annex of the convention on road traffic. So it seems that a US drivers license, which has all the info required by the convention on road traffic should be valid. Would be interested if anyone was denied a rental with only a US drivers license.

Your driving licence is valid for a temporary stay in the Federal Republic of Germany

If you possess a valid national or international driving licence you may drive vehicles of those categories for which your licence was issued. Any conditions and restrictions placed on your driving licence also apply when driving in Germany.

Your driving licence is valid even if you have not yet reached the German minimum age for the category concerned. Be sure to have your licence on you when driving.

For international driving licences no translation is required.

You will need a translation to accompany your national driving licence if

* your national licence was not issued by a member state of the EU or a member of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) or
* your licence is in a language other than German or
* your licence does not comply with the Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968 (Annex 6). Contact the relevant authorities in the country of issue to find out whether this is the case.


This is the info from Annex 6:

4. The following particulars appear on the driving permit; they shall b e
preceded or followed by the numbers 1 to 11.
1. Surname
2. First names 1/
3. Date and place of birth 2/
4. Address 3/
5. Authority issuing the permit
6. Date and place of issue of the permit
7. Date of expiry of the validity of the permit 4/
8. Number of the permit
9. Signature and/or stamp or seal of the authority issuing the permit
10. Holder's signature 5/
11. Category or categories of vehicle and any sub-categories for w hich the
permit is valid with indication of the date of issue of the pe rmit and
the dates of expiry of the validity for each of those categories.
In addition, the holder's photograph shall be affixed to the driving p ermit.
It shall be a matter for domestic legislation to determine any additiona l
particulars to be included in the driving permit as well as the format and th e
material on which the driving permit is printed.
5. The categories of vehicles for which the driving

From the Hertz web site:

"For all Non-European Union renters, it is highly recommended your national driver's license must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP)."

Again this doesnt answer the question of is it required?

Of course, a US license is valid. You are permitted to drive a car holding a US license and you do not need to pass a German driving test (this would be the logical consequence without international treaties - as US permit cannot grant you entitlements abroad ipso iure). However, there are cer tain further prerequisits.

This is not the issue at stake question. They will certainly rent the car to you, this is their business. The question is what happens if the highway police wants the check you license


You need a translation because your license was neither issued in an EU memberstate nor it is in German language. However, an International Driving Permit got for 20 bucks in a day or so will do the trick. Simply get it and you do not have to bother any longer and you are on the fully safe side.

Ah sorry. I did some different investigation a couple of month ago for a friend who is both US and German citizen and resident (spending 360 days in the US (minus travel to outside US and Germany) and 5 days in Germany). He would have to give up his US license in order to get the German one and the other way round. So the rule seems to be that he is okay here (Germany) with his US license as long as he isn't here for a longer period than half a year (never the case)...

I had assumed that this would apply also for any other US citizen...

As a US license holder, you are ok as long as you do not take residence. Your license is valid, however, you officially require a translation or an international driving permit.

Considering the case of a US salesman travelling from hotel to hotel you can be good for ever.

However, as soon as you take residence (residence is defined in sec. 7 StVG) you have half a year during which you can still use your US issued license (with a translation or international driving permit).

After this grace period you need to apply for a German license which can be quite painful even for some US citizens. Depending on the state your license comes from, you either need to take a full driving test, a theoretical drving test or no driving test. The most infamous examples are New York and California licenses, you need to pass a full driving test.

There's one additional exception that agl120854 referred to. If your license is issued in accordance with the Convention on Road Traffic of 8 November 1968. The US is a signatory to that convention, and some US states issue licenses that comply with the information/numbering scheme defined in that conventions.

However, nonetheless, I agree with your general advice--getting an International Driving Permit is a good idea.

I don't think you can.

The FeV define Wohnsitz based on the number of days per year living in the country:
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fe...221410998.html

The magic word is "wohnt". For a native speaker and a lawyer this does not mean "stay", "lodges" or "transits"....

How would a US citizen spend 185 days or more a year in Germany without an Aufenthaltserlaubnis?