# Driving in EU post-Brexit



## Canalsman (Sep 20, 2018)

Came upon this information today ...

International Driving Permits and Brexit | RAC Drive

I'm going to be in France on B-day so what do I do about my licence if I require an International Driving Permit that's only available in the UK from 1st February?


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## Pauljenny (Sep 20, 2018)

I love the word " MAY ".
.

We MAY all be dragged from our British registered motors,  after B. Day.. ( Or Bidet ,as the French will call it.)
We MAY be forced to eat tripe, garlic, snails ,frog legs with sauerkraut, before being beaten with stale baguettes and have bread sticks stuffed up every bodily orifice..

I'm an old man, life holds no terrors for me.
.
Until I read an official notice,with the word MUST and WILL , only in it, I'll ignore all warning messages that come attached to hints to buy insurance.


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## barryd (Sep 20, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> Came upon this information today ...
> 
> International Driving Permits and Brexit | RAC Drive
> 
> I'm going to be in France on B-day so what do I do about my licence if I require an International Driving Permit that's only available in the UK from 1st February?



I shouldnt worry.  If we leave without a deal you will likely never get to the ferry port anyway.  Probably best to stay where you are to avoid the Mad Max Dystopian landscape back home that David Davis talked about when nobody had even considered it.


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## Moonraker 2 (Sep 20, 2018)

Jays said:


> Is this a political thread?
> Or can we carry on the discussion on britexit?



If you can provide some detailed facts of a brite exit I would love to see them.


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## Canalsman (Sep 20, 2018)

It is not a political thread.

I posted the information to inform rather than to trigger debate.


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## Pauljenny (Sep 20, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> It is not a political thread.
> 
> I posted the information to inform rather than to trigger debate.



Thanks, Chris. I've been informed that the RAC would use any subterfuge to nudge us into buying insurance from them.
I'm informed, and tiptoeing out before the playground fighting begins


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## Weston (Sep 20, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> I'm going to be in France on B-day so what do I do about my licence if I require an International Driving Permit that's only available in the UK from 1st February?



You can get an IDP now, just visit a relevant Post Office, at the moment not all can issue them or apply via the RAC. IDP's are already required in many countries outside of the EU. If there is no deal covering these then in theory on day one you could be stopped in Europe and potentially get an on the spot fine. If it were me I would be tempted to spend the £5.50, a week or two before you go and get an IDP.


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## Canalsman (Sep 20, 2018)

According to the RAC it is not possible to obtain the relevant IDP in the UK at present. Presumably since there is no requirement.

The IDP required by the majority of EU countries is not issued by the Post Office or the RAC ...


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## trevskoda (Sep 20, 2018)

I am going to get a irish passport and maybe buy a house over border,if i do you can use my address,forgot to say i collect fivers for a hobby.:wave:


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## carol (Sep 20, 2018)

I may be in France on B day - do I care? Not a jot! I'll make sure the van is well stocked and just sit the whole fiasco out ...


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## Fazerloz (Sep 20, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> According to the RAC it is not possible to obtain the relevant IDP in the UK at present. Presumably since there is no requirement.
> 
> The IDP required by the majority of EU countries is not issued by the Post Office or the RAC ...



This might be worth a look. 

UK | International Driving Permit | Official $26.9 | Free Shipping


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## Herman (Sep 20, 2018)

I find it strange that we did not need these before to drive through non EC countries in europe but now we are going to be a non EC country we will need one to travel in europe. It's like those french emission zone discs we were all encouraged to buy before we traveled to France, strangely I did not see a single french van with one in it's windscreen.:rolleyes2:


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## Canalsman (Sep 20, 2018)

Apparently there are some reciprocal arrangements in place for non-EU countries.

Alternatively people just drove in ignorance ...


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## Weston (Sep 20, 2018)

Look here: International Driving Permit | Post Office

The 1929/1949/1968 refers to the year, in which conventions were agreed, they have been around for a long time. Different countries signed up or updated conventions as time progressed. Basically an IDP is a translation of your licence so that the police etc abroad can see what you can drive in a format they understand. 

The RAC currently issue them, as IDP's are only from selected Post Offices but in February they will be available in all, so I guess the RAC has decided that as most people will be local to a Post Office they can get one from they will issue a lot less and it will no longer be cost effective.


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## Fazerloz (Sep 20, 2018)

Weston said:


> Look here: International Driving Permit | Post Office
> 
> The 1929/1949/1968 refers to the year, in which conventions were agreed, they have been around for a long time. Different countries signed up or updated conventions as time progressed. Basically an IDP is a translation of your licence so that the police etc abroad can see what you can drive in a format they understand.
> 
> The RAC currently issue them, as IDP's are only from selected Post Offices but in February they will be available in all, so I guess the RAC has decided that as most people will be local to a Post Office they can get one from they will issue a lot less and it will no longer be cost effective.



The Gov is stopping the AA and RAC issuing IDPs. The 1968 IDP is not available from the PO at this time to the best of my knowledge only the 1929 and 1948. If you look at the forms there is no place to apply for the 1968.


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## Canalsman (Sep 21, 2018)

Fazerloz said:


> The Gov is stopping the AA and RAC issuing IDPs. The 1968 IDP is not available from the PO at this time to the best of my knowledge only the 1929 and 1948. If you look at the forms there is no place to apply for the 1968.



This is correct and is the problem I referred to earlier.

The 1968 IDP will only be available from 1st February at Post Offices.


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## tidewatcher (Sep 21, 2018)

*Idp*

Got one from the post office three years ago to cover hire car in USA. Simple enough and even (just) managed to use it as photo ID on a flight to Ireland when my passport was being renewed and I still only had a paper driving licence. Only just worked though.....


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## maingate (Sep 21, 2018)

I have needed a few IDP's over the years. Easy to obtain but rarely checked.

I have also needed to exchange Currency as I passed through various European Countries and show my Passport at each countries Border. It was hell ... pure Hell .... at least some people imagine it will be soon. :lol-049:


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## Nabsim (Sep 21, 2018)

I have had to show passport anyway while we were in ha ha. Weird how they could see what I looked like with a full face helmet on but they certainly looked like they could. Do they not still do passport checks on ferries? Uk never opted in for the bit that meant we didn’t need a passport di we so no change there then 

Funnily enough I seem to recall I always had to get a green card that served to translate everything into different languages and I always got mine from my insurance company. No change there then either

I shall be across the Chanel on B day or whatever you call it and won’t be worrying too much, we managed to get a lot of Brits off the beaches once before when things turned bad and I am sure we can do it again.


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## antiquesam (Sep 21, 2018)

***** said:


> I was just wondering, how many of us here have actually had an International Driving Permit? I had one years ago when I went to Turkey And also in my early trucking days. It was never checked!



It was the norm in my earlier years to have to carry an IDP and a green card (which some insurance company's charged for and others didn't), but like having to carry vehicle documents, and CMR's for commercial goods, no one ever asks for them even if you are stopped. A bit like spare spectacles, bulbs and fire extinguishers.


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## antiquesam (Sep 21, 2018)

maingate said:


> I have needed a few IDP's over the years. Easy to obtain but rarely checked.
> 
> I have also needed to exchange Currency as I passed through various European Countries and show my Passport at each countries Border. It was hell ... pure Hell .... at least some people imagine it will be soon. :lol-049:



Once into the Schengen area you should not need to show a passport, hence every illegal immigrant can tour Europe at will once they've smuggled themselves into Europe.


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## shaunr68 (Sep 21, 2018)

***** said:


> I was just wondering, how many of us here have actually had an International Driving Permit? I had one years ago when I went to Turkey And also in my early trucking days. It was never checked!


I had one to drive in Russia 4 years ago.  A country that is famous for its beurocracy, as a legacy of the communist era. I had to visit the Russian Consulate in London to have my fingerprints and iris scans taken in order to get a 30 day tourist visa.  On entering the country passports are checked, visas checked, driving licence, V5, vehicle VIN and engine numbers checked, various forms completed including temporary import docs for the MH.  Pet passports checked and vehicle thoroughly inspected inside and out.  While in the country we had to have our visas stamped by the authorities to confirm we were where the visa application said we'd be.  On leaving the country the whole palaver is repeated - 2 hours of document checks and inspections to make sure everything was in order before being allowed to drive over the border into Estonia.

At no point did they even bother to ask for an International Driving Permit!  I felt a bit cheated having paid for one.  I think the talk of requiring an IDP to drive in Europe is just more Brexit scaremongering tbh.


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## colinm (Sep 21, 2018)

***** said:


> I was just wondering, how many of us here have actually had an International Driving Permit? I had one years ago when I went to Turkey And also in my early trucking days. It was never checked!




I had one 30 years ago for a round the world trip, can't remember if it was ever checked



tidewatcher said:


> Got one from the post office three years ago to cover hire car in USA. Simple enough and even (just) managed to use it as photo ID on a flight to Ireland when my passport was being renewed and I still only had a paper driving licence. Only just worked though.....




I've never had a IDP for driving in the US, it wasn't until I checked up after reading this thread I realised I might need one in some states.


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## Polar Bear (Sep 21, 2018)

POI Admin said:


> According to the RAC it is not possible to obtain the relevant IDP in the UK at present. Presumably since there is no requirement.
> 
> The IDP required by the majority of EU countries is not issued by the Post Office or the RAC ...



Is The International Driver's License of ITCA | Global | Apply Online Now any help?


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## Fazerloz (Sep 21, 2018)

Polar Bear said:


> Is The International Driver's License of ITCA | Global | Apply Online Now any help?



You could well be fine with it, but legally no. It would depend on how pedantic the cop was.
From their site
[FONT=avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496]ITCA IDD must be differentiated from the government issued International Driver Permit IDP or International driving license IDL. IDP/IDL is valid in all countries that have signed the UN, [/FONT][FONT=avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496]1968[/FONT][FONT=avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496] Conventions on Road Traffic and is recognized in many countries that are not signatories to the Convention. You may be required to have an international driver's license to drive in some countries. Most foreign car rental agencies may require you to have one to rent a car. However; ITCA IDD is unofficial ID card and booklet that provide a translation of your driver's license that is meant to help you surpass the languages barriers. It is your responsibility to check with your destination country relevant authorities on what documents are needed to drive.[/FONT]


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## Canalsman (Sep 21, 2018)

Driving in the EU if there's no Brexit deal - GOV.UK

This is the government's official statement.

An extract:

_The 1949 convention IDP lasts for 12 months. After 28 March 2019 in the EU, a UK issued 1949 IDP would be recognised in Ireland, Spain, Malta and Cyprus.

The 1968 convention IDP is valid for 3 years, or for however long your driving licence is valid, if that date is earlier. The UK ratified the 1968 convention on 28 March 2018, as a part of our EU exit preparations. The 1968 convention will come into force for the UK on 28 March 2019. After 28 March 2019, a UK issued 1968 convention IDP would be recognised in all other EU countries, plus Norway and Switzerland._

So this confirms that the 1968 convention version is not in effect till 29 March 2019.

I agree that at present the IDP is probably checked infrequently if you are driving somewhere that requires it.

However given the possibly acrimonious departure from the EU I wouldn't be at all surprised if EU police forces would as a consequence focus on the need to have such ...


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## GWAYGWAY (Sep 21, 2018)

I do not know why you worry about the driving licence thing, it has always been that theUK licence was valid in the UK as was every other country in Europe.
First thing  We Probably will not Leave unless Lord Rothschild says we will. The MPs will stop it.
NEXT THING is not driving licence , but the need for the CARNET de PASSAGE, we needed to have one for EVERY lorry and trailer in the fleet.  They cost a bloody fortune to pay the insurance to pay the duty  should the vehicle NOT be stamped in and out of every customs pos the lorry went through.   You did not need one for a car, but caravans did as did all commercial vehicle.  We had to deposit about  a hundred thousand  pound guarantee with the AA and Ispent my time checking validity and  getting replacements when the pages ran out. They were   A pain in the butt.  I had to drivetoLa guanquera??? Once with a replacement when Franco’s  finest impounded an artic for not having enough pages to carry on. There were four left but they said it wasn’t enough. Bit like having to have 6 months on a passport for a week away.
That should be your worry, if they good bloody over the duty business, 70%overtotal value for the unit and the same for the trailer.


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