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International Driving Permit IDP


adhple

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References to the other forum discussions about IDPs can be found in the link Keith has provided above.

 

A caveat about this issue. When I spoke to staff in my local Post Office branch it was apparent that the type of IDP (1949 or 1968) that would be provided would depend on what the applicant said regarding when he/she would be going abroad and where he/she would be going.

 

If an applicant just says they will be going to Spain, an IDP 1949 will be issued. If an applicant just says they will be going to France, an IDP 1968 will be issued. But if the applicant happens to be a UK motorcaravanner who will be travelling through France to Spain, an IDP 1968 AND an IDP 1949 would be required.

 

The real potential snag is if (in the above example) the motorcaravanner just obtains an IDP 1949 (for Spain) before there’s any requirement for an IDP (ie. before a ‘no deal’ Brexit occurs) and then ’needs’ an IDP 1968 afterwards to drive back to the UK through France, as it’s not possible to obtain IDPs without visting a UK Post Office branch that issues them.

 

(Obviously, if a ‘no deal’ Brexit does not occur, there should be no need to obtain an IDP if a UK motorist will be travelling within the EU.)

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adhple - 2019-02-19 10:15 AM

 

I see the Government has said we should get a International Driving Permit should we wish to drive in EU and another different one for Spain.

 

 

Don't forget Lichtenstein, if visiting the principality you will require a 1926 IDP in addition to any other you may hold.

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The 1968 IDP applies to these EU countries

 

Austria

 

Belgium

 

Bulgaria

 

Croatia

 

Czech Republic

 

Denmark

 

Estonia

 

Finland

 

France

 

Germany

 

Greece

 

Hungary

 

Italy

 

Latvia

 

Lithuania

 

Luxembourg

 

Netherlands

 

Norway

 

Poland

 

Portugal

 

Romania

 

Slovakia

 

Slovenia

 

Sweden

 

 

The 1949 IDP applies to thse EU countries

 

Cyprus

 

Iceland

 

Ireland

 

Malta

 

Spain

 

 

The 1926 IDP applies to

 

Liechtenstein.

 

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thebishbus - 2019-02-20 7:59 AM

 

And Andorra is doing very well financially not being in the EU.

Brian B.

 

Andora – size 468 square kilometres, population approx 77,000 people (about half the population of Norwich), annual tourist numbers approx 10.2 million ( !), official currency the Euro, ‘elected’ reigning monarch is the President of France (currently Macron), reliant for defence on Spain and France, economy reliant on tourism and its tax haven status, is not a member of the European Union but enjoys a special relationship with it, such as being treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

 

Be careful what you wish for.

 

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Derek Uzzell - 2019-02-20 7:33 AM

 

That’s because Switzerland and Andorra are not EU countries...

 

Correct, they are not EU countries, but will you need an IDP to drive in them post a no deal BREXIT? To state the obvious, it is necessary to drive through IDP requiring countries to reach either, but what will be required on arrival? Andorra can be reached via France (IDP 68) or Spain (IDP 49). Perhaps I am over-anticipating problems, but at the moment there is no guidance / reassurance.

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My understanding for Switzerland is

 

"People from abroad may drive in Switzerland for private purposes for up to a year as long as they are old enough to drive in Switzerland (e.g. 18 years old to drive a passenger car) and hold a valid national driving licence. If the permitted vehicle categories are not listed in the Roman alphabet on the foreign licence, an international licence is required."

 

So a UK driving licence would be fine and no IDP required.

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spospe - 2019-02-20 11:57 AM

 

Derek Uzzell - 2019-02-20 7:33 AM

 

That’s because Switzerland and Andorra are not EU countries...

 

Correct, they are not EU countries, but will you need an IDP to drive in them post a no deal BREXIT? To state the obvious, it is necessary to drive through IDP requiring countries to reach either, but what will be required on arrival? Andorra can be reached via France (IDP 68) or Spain (IDP 49). Perhaps I am over-anticipating problems, but at the moment there is no guidance / reassurance.

 

This FleetNews webpage lists the countries that aceept a 1926, 1949 or 1968 IDP.

 

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/fleet-industry-news/2019/01/21/brexit-international-driving-permit-warning-for-fleets

 

Apparently a 1968 IDP would be valid for both Andorra and Switzerland. So, if you wanted to be ’safe’ regarding those two countries, a 1968 IDP would be the one to get.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just purchased IDP 1949 for Spain. The PO counter assistant did not authorise categorie C on the permit as it is not authorised on my driving licence (the old pink one), but category C1, which allows driving a vehicle up to 7500te. is. There is no category C1 on the 1949 permit.

 

I am driving a 4.5te van.

 

Does anyone know if I need Cat C authorised on the permit, which seems to allow driving anything over 3.5te without the upper limit of 7500te.

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This Wikipedia entry relates to the IDP

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit

 

It will be seen that, although there is a direct correlation between the current driving-licence ‘categories’ and the IDP 1968 (that includes the C1 and C1E categories), that is not the case for the IDP 1949 nor for the IDP 1926.

 

For an IDP 1949, licence Class B is defined as

 

Motor vehicles used for the transport of passengers and comprising, in addition to the driver's seat, at most eight seats, or those used for the transport of goods and having a permissible maximum weight not exceeding 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer.

 

while licence Class C is defined as

 

Motor vehicles used for the transport of goods and of which the permissible maximum weight exceeds 3,500 kg (7,700 lbs). Vehicles in this category may be coupled with a light trailer.

 

If those definitions are semantically/grammatically correct, any motor vehicle with up to eight seats used for the transport of PASSENGERS (not for the transport of GOODS) should be in Class B irrespective of the vehicle’s weight, and only GOODS VEHICLES with a permissible maximum weight exceeding 3500kg should be in Class C. (There’s also the matter of whether, if a motorhome were to be towing a car or ‘heavy’ trailer, Class E should be marked on an IDP 1949.)

 

Suggest you go back to the Post Office from which you got your IDP 1949 and ask them to confirm what their instruction document says they should do regarding translating current licence entitlements (like C1 and C1E) on to ‘old’ IDPs like the 1949 version.

 

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My understanding was that the holder of a Portuguese drving-licence was permitted to drive a motorhome with a Maximum Authorised Mass of 4250kg on a “B” driving-licence. This came up here in 2016

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Hitch-in-getting-van-weight-uprated/41401/

 

and I mentioned it in my posting of 11 April 2016 7:46 AM in that discussion.

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That makes sense as your ‘pink’ UK driving-licence specifically identifies the sub-categories of entitlements that you have.

 

The Wikipedia IDP entry shows that the 1968 convention was updated in 2011 and I came across a document on-line discussing a revision of the 1949 convention. However, I don’t think this was followed through.

 

 

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