[danish_c]

Originally Posted by reverse_gear

I don't think it is country specific. The RTO generally uses the visa you submit to issue the IDP. But the IDP itself is nothing but a confirmation of your license and translation into a number of different languages.

Thanks yes, thats what I had seen earlier. Except this new IDP (Gurgaon RTO) has a field that says "Applied for country:" and there's one country listed on my IDP ! :(

And the RTO says I need to get one for for each country (unless its Schengen territory)--- which makes NO SENSE!

[ajayr]

Hi friends,

Does anybody have an experience in Bangalore (specifically Rajaji Nagar RTO) in applying for an IDP to travel to a visa-free country?

I have an upcoming trip to Bali that offers visa-free entry to Indians for tourism.

1) Would the RTO recognise that a visa is not needed or would they insist on a visa?
2) Would the IDP issued by them have the destination country printed (and would the IDP be valid only in that country?)

Thanks,
Ajay.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by ajayr

Hi friends,

Does anybody have an experience in Bangalore (specifically Rajaji Nagar RTO) in applying for an IDP to travel to a visa-free country?

Hi, suggest you call Auto Asso of South India (AASI) and check with them. They MAY push you to use their services but are usually very polite and knowledgeable even if you are just asking for information. I took a life membership, as I require an IDP every year and AASI issues over-the-counter if you have the requisite papers.

[itwasntme]

Guys, I may be visiting the US in May and planning to get an IDP. Wanted to know the following:

1. May go on a driving holiday with a cousin's car starting across California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon & Washington. Are their state-specific licensing issues I need to be aware of?
2. Do I need an compulsorily need an IDP to rent a car (just in case I need to).

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

2. Do I need an compulsorily need an IDP to rent a car (just in case I need to).

I visit every other month and use my Indian driving license. Never been denied until I showed my new Chennai license. It looks like a joke, bad picture and poorly cut and laminated. Enterprise denied me a car in Houston in Feb but I have a color xerox of my previous license version whose original I had left in a rental in New Jersey in March 2018. I then got a car at Avis no issues at all. Even enterprise has never blinked till this last trip in Feb and it is only due to the shoddy job of the Chennai rto. They have now started issuing smart cards but this wasn't there when I applied for a reissue in Dec last year.
I am not sure if you can drive your cousins car without purchasing insurance in your name and for that you need to be a resident with a SSN. Will be safer for you and your cousin to take a rental with insurance that you purchase for the rental duration.

[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Guys, I may be visiting the US in May and planning to get an IDP. Wanted to know the following:

1. May go on a driving holiday with a cousin's car starting across California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon & Washington. Are their state-specific licensing issues I need to be aware of?
2. Do I need an compulsorily need an IDP to rent a car (just in case I need to).

AFAIK, the rules vary across states. California does not need an IDP, your regular license will do just fine.

Check your cousin's insurance policy. Generally, if you are going to be driving the car just a few times, it should cover you.

[funkyp]

Guys I am due to visit Spain in May for a holiday and would like to drive between a couple of cities. Most of the online forums report that Spain has a mandatory requirement for a IDP. Those of you who have been be Spain and driven there in the last 1 yr, pls share your experience.

On the IDP itself - My license has been issued in Bangalore. Its a card based format in English, but not the Chip card. I am currently in Mumbai. Can I apply for the IDP here?

Originally Posted by girish.purswani

Hi Folks,

I am visiting belgium, netherlands and spain for tourist purposes in august and needed to make an IDP to enable me to drive there. While my local friends there have told me that an IDP is not really required and the car rental companies accept an Indian License, I have read up about people facing issues by local cops in-case of any violations/accidents and not having an IDP. Can someone throw some light on this ?

Originally Posted by ayushagarwal26

Thanks! I've used the Indian DL in USA / UK and some other countries before without an IDP - but Spain specifically asks for an IDV even though Indian DLs are now in English / have a photo and a chip, so getting one just in case.

Girish/Ayush - Pls help. Did you finally end up getting the IDP or drove in Spain using the Indian license only?

[girish.purswani]

Originally Posted by funkyp

Girish/Ayush - Pls help. Did you finally end up getting the IDP or drove in Spain using the Indian license only?

So I got the IDP booklet (1 year validity) and drove in Spain. However, I wasn't asked for it while hiring the car. What I understood from people there was that it is an important part in-case you meet with an accident and the cop doesn't understand English.

[rajathv8]

I plan to visit Texas for Work on L1 Visa for a period of 20 days. My license is in English and is clear and legible. Name and other details match my passport.
Can I drive in Texas with my Indian Driving License?

I checked the Texas DMV and Texas Dep of Public Safety Website and ended up at the Driving Privilege Reciprocity page that says:

Noncommercial licenses:
The state’s recognition of driving privilege reciprocity is governed by the following international agreements coordinated and signed by the federal government. To see a list of countries for each agreement, click the link provided.

1943 Inter-American Convention on the Regulation of Inter-American Automotive Traffic (PDF)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreement and countries
Per U.S. State Department consideration: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Yugoslavia.

India does not feature in the above docs.

Anyone here who has been able to hire and drive in Texas using Indian Driving License?

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Anyone here who has been able to hire and drive in Texas using Indian Driving License?

Indian smart card DL (not the bookish kind) is accepted by most rental car agencies across the US; I doubt Texas would be any different. Also, check with your credit card if they offer insurance cover (partially), some do.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Anyone here who has been able to hire and drive in Texas using Indian Driving License?

I have driven in Houston multiple times on my India DL issued in 2000. It does not have the smart chip. I lost the original in a car rental return in New Jersey last year and got a cartoonish replacement and continue to get cars with a color xerox of the year 2000 issued one as that is more professional looking than the one I received last year. It is up for renewal next year and I will then be getting the now introduced smart chip card based license which will have wider worldwide acceptance.

[adi.mariner]

Hello. My Driving License is issued from Mumbai in 2004 and is handwritten/book type. The address mentioned (Flat Number) does not exist anymore because the Building was redeveloped. My Passport has the New address mentioned. What should I do to get an IDP?
Thank you.

[rajathv8]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Can I drive in Texas with my Indian Driving License?

Answering my own question.
I did not face any issue with getting the rental car after Hertz inspected my DL. I did not come across a situation where I had to furnish my license after this.
I have the card license without the chip.

[Sunrock]

Hi,
I am travelling to europe next month, is IDP necessary and if so, can IDP raised at a different RTO, as my License was issued at my native which is a bit far away.

[LipDog43]

Originally Posted by rajathv8

Answering my own question.
I did not face any issue with getting the rental car after Hertz inspected my DL. I did not come across a situation where I had to furnish my license after this.
I have the card license without the chip.

Hey, I will be renting for a couple of days in Texas. I understand that IDP is not required. However, the name on my license is written differently. Instead of the usual (FirstName LastName) format, it is written as (LastNameInitial FirstName). Will this be an issue?