International Driving Permit needed to drive a car in Florida from 1st Jan 2013

securityguy

Indefinitely delayed:

http://www.morznet.com/events/news/french-breathalyser-law-delayed-indefinitely.html

http://expatsradio.com/travel/french-breathalyzer-kit-law-scrapped

tuggy12

From the AA website:

R – USA (Florida) compulsory IDP – 1 January 2013
A law introduced in Florida, USA, on 1 January 2013 requires all persons who hold a licence issued outside of the US to carry an International Driving Permit along with their national driving licence. Without an IDP, a driver is therefore driving without a valid licence. If stopped, law enforcement has the options of:

• Arresting the driver and taking them to jail
• Or giving the driver a citation with a mandatory court appearance

headpin

I always knew that they were mainly ar5seholes in many off the States. This is pretty much a further example of their rather stupid mindset. What the hell do the think an IDP will provide? Idiots!

jackieblack

headpin wrote:

I always knew that they were mainly ar5seholes in many off the States. This is pretty much a further example of their rather stupid mindset.

Really?:huh: This has not been my experience at all.

headpin wrote:

What the hell do the think an IDP will provide? Idiots!

Yes, plainly a poorly thought through piece of legislation, but that is hardly unique to Florida!

sunshinetours

Pig_Inn wrote: »

Its going to be like the French breath test kit, abandonded once the implications became apparent

This is in statute and so is law for non US driving licence holders (not just UK citizens). The problem has been lack of publicity as it was hideen within a bill and now notifying hire companies, travel agents, arilines, and general public is the hard bit.

This won't go away in short term as is in statute books and no real reason for them to change it.

Loads of info and discussion on the Dibb forums on this.

One point is you are advised not to get one more than 3 months before you travel. Don't forget you still need your Uk driving licence (both parts)

EDIT This should be a sticky IMO as many will be unaware

wozwebs

Bit of a pain but only £5.50 for the year of a holiday costing a fair few grand.

jackieblack

wozwebs wrote: »

Bit of a pain but only £5.50 for the year of a holiday costing a fair few grand.

Yes, only £5.50 to obtain an IDP, but potentially alot more serious consequences for anyone unaware of the change in legislation!

It's more of a pain that it's happened but not been publicized, remembering that ignorance is no defence if you are stopped by the police or if you are denied your pre-booked car on arrival at the rental desk.

It is also a pain that if this has slipped in unnoticed in one state, has this also happened in others that we are not aware of?
eg We are flying to the USA at Easter and travelling in/around 7 different states. I've now had to email the DMV in each of these to check that they haven't changed their legislation without us knowing. This has never previously been an issue.

jackieblack

wozwebs wrote: »

Bit of a pain but only £5.50 for the year of a holiday costing a fair few grand.

Yes, only £5.50 to obtain an IDP, but potentially alot more serious consequences for anyone unaware of the change in legislation!

meer53

jackieblack wrote: »

Yes, only £5.50 to obtain an IDP, but potentially alot more serious consequences for anyone unaware of the change in legislation!

It's more of a pain that it's happened but not been publicized, remembering that ignorance is no defence if you are stopped by the police or if you are denied your pre-booked car on arrival at the rental desk.

It is also a pain that if this has slipped in unnoticed in one state, has this also happened in others that we are not aware of?
eg We are flying to the USA at Easter and travelling in/around 7 different states. I've now had to email the DMV in each of these to check that they haven't changed their legislation without us knowing. This has never previously been an issue.

Why not just get an IDP, no need to email anyone then. If it's not needed, no problem, you have one anyway.

jackieblack

Mainly because we haven't got time to faff about having photographs taken and getting copies of documents to post off (with all the inherent potential problems involved in posting such things and them going astray - we keep being told that we need to protect these kind of documents that contain personal information), and then keep repeating this process every year, unless it's really necessary to do so.

Much easier to send a few emails - have received 6 replies and, thus far, none of the states we will be visiting have this requirement

My point is that changes like this, with such serious potential consequences for so many people, should be more widely publicized.

It's not like Florida isn't expecting any tourists to be visiting, after all :cool: