dchambe

Hi,

Making a trip the UK very soon and have found that I need to rent a car when I arrive. Last time I drove in the UK was 1994. I still have my paper driving licence and need to know if it still useable with the change to card style photo licences per EU directive. My other option is obviously to get a International Permit from AAA and use that and my US licence to rent a car. What have others done?

Thanks,

fatbrit

Your US license works just fine. You don't need an "International Permit". Check to see if your US credit card covers the CDW -- some do, some don't.

chicagojlo

Just be prepared for the idiot at the desk who has a breakdown trying to fathom that a Brit might be driving in the UK with a US licence. Good luck is all I have to say...

dchambe

Thanks. According to Enterprise an International Permit is required though for all non EU license holders.

rew1000

I've rented several times from Hertz with a US license, and had no problems whatsover (so far as insurance goes, I don't have a US credit card, but have used http://www.travelguard.com/ for CDW at a fraction of the price of buying it from Hertz - $9/day I think, and again, declining CDW was never an issue). Also, I *believe* your non-photocard UK license would be valid as a backup plan. There's certainly no need or method to change the address to a non-UK address, and the old license didn't expire until age 70.

fatbrit

Then Enterprise are idiots. The 'International Permit" is an official translation of your license. I know the spelling's a bit odd, Americans can't use the present perfect or form a conditional correctly, and they have a weird affinity to the subjunctive in certain places -- but I'm sure they don't need a translation! Never had a problem -- but not used Enterprise either.

lisag8070

The old style is still usable...unless any of the details have changed, then they want you to get a new photo style one...

But just to be on the safe side I'd check with the car hire company....even though the DVLA says you can still use it...you might get an idiot at the desk who refuses it...

jumping doris

I still have the old paper one and it has my old UK address on it. When I rang the DVLC and asked them how I went about changing my address they told me I couldn't.
They said I couldn't have a UK licence with a foreign address, which makes sense, but I have no other address to put on it.

Everyone I know has just used their US licence in the UK and Europe. If you think about it...who gets an international permit before they fly off on their holidays, we all just use the one from the country we live in.

Britdrinker

Last time I tried to to rent a car in the UK - using a UK photolicence - they made such a fuss about some piece of paper that's supposed to accompany it that I just pulled out my US one and drove straight off. I only keep the UK one valid because it has a full-size motorcycle permit which I use from time to time around the world.

lisag8070

Good point...I mean the car hires places must deal with all nationalities,

so why not a Brit with a US driving licence...I bet that confuses the crap out of them...

wtkp0u

I can't find it yet but I think there's usually a residence requirement in the small print when using a UK license to rent a UK car from the USA. That said I've done it before, and also used my US license. Either way in answer to the OP I've never needed an international permit.

(Ever shown an international permit in the US? Hilariously baffling.)

HoosierDaddy

I used to work for ERAC in California and Scotland. I'm certainly not an idiot (nor were most people I worked with) and I always took the International Permit to be the one you can obtain from AAA in the U.S. before you go. Granted, this was in the late 90's but it can be found here....

Who knows if you need this or not, but go ahead and get it just in case

I would actually recommend these guys:
Nova

One price which includes the CDW, all taxes, etc. Used them thrice before with no bother (they use other companies - Alamo, EuropCar, etc) and no International Permit

valis

<smug>The UK Driving Licence is a two part document. The paper part makes it quite clear.</smug>

Jerseygirl

Why do you say that? I've never had a problem using my US license...I've never heard of anyone having a problem.

TimFountain

Seconded, I use my US DL a couple of times a year in the UK and have never had a problem. I have rented from Enterprise and have never had an International DL either. Since my UK one is not valid, as the address is incorrect and I have lost the paper bit, I don't even bother to take it with me...

- Tim