Need to obtain an International Driving Permit for Spain in the next 30 days.

[DBath]

I'm a US citizen living in Hua Hin and I need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) for my trip to Spain ASAP. I've checked with Avis in Spain and will need the IDP to rent a car, which is critical, so I can transport my luggage from Madrid to Pamplona one week after I arrive there. I only have one month, but at the moment I only have a US driver's license issued out of Illinois.

 

As I see it, my options are:

1. Apply through AAA or AATA in the US via express mail, so I can get the IDP back in time before I have to leave Hua Hin for Bangkok (middle of July). The problem I'm having with this approach is AAA and AATA only accept a check as payment and I'm not sure if there is a way for me to get a certified check from Bangkok Bank in Hua Hin. The last time I had to get a certified check issued I had to go to BKK to get it.

2. Apply for a drivers license here in Hua Hin, then get an IDP from here shortly after.

 

Would prefer to get the IDP off my US driver's license, but I'm not sure I can make it work as I have no check stock from my US bank with me (BofA or Chase Bank). Everything I've read indicates only IDP's issued by AAA or AATA (for US IDP) are safe/valid for use in other countries.

 

If I try to get Thai DL, then an IDP here in Hua Hin, I'm not sure if I'll have time.

 

I'm going to contact the AAA and AATA later today to see if they can offer any advice regarding the check method of payment. I've also scheduled a meeting with my account who is also my agent here in Hua Hin to see if it's possible for me to get a Thai license in time.

 

By tomorrow, I should know which alternative is possible or not possible. Am hoping some of you here have other thoughts or experiences that might help, thanks!

[Salerno]

10 minutes ago, DBath said:

If I try to get Thai DL, then an IDP here in Hua Hin, I'm not sure if I'll have time.

 

You won't as I understand it. Based on the above you will only get a 2 year Thai licence; from memory, you need a 5 year licence to get an IDP.

[Smokin Joe]

If you don't already have a Thai License getting a Thai IDP is not an option. Your first Thai license will be a 2 year "provisional" license and a Thai IDP will only be issued if you have a 5 year license.

 

I have a US bank with checking account and wrote a check for someone in a similar situation so they could get their IDP from AAA. You might ask any American friends in Hua Hin if they have a US checking account.

[impulse]

Who even writes checks any more?  Especially on a US bank account to pay for something in Hua Hin.

 

Surely, there's a digital payment method available.   They can't be that far back in the stone age.

 

15-20 years ago when I did write checks, I quit ordering them from the bank and started printing my own on blank stock sold specifically for that purpose.  It was a PITA to set up the dedicated (cheap) software program, but I never ran out of checks.

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by impulse

[theoldgit]

Did Avis quote their T&C's?

 

Do I need to bring my driving licence with me?

Yes. All drivers must bring all parts of their valid driving licence with them. They must bring both their driving licence and either an international driving licence or an official Spanish translation, by a notary, of their driving licence if:          Could you get a translation?:

a driving licence was issued in Europe and you are renting in a country outside Europe

Or a driving licence was issued in a non-European country, and you are renting outside that country This could be an issue

Or a driving licence was issued in a non-roman alphabet like Arabic, Greek, Russian, Hebrew or Japanese. Thai driving licences are in English

Is there a minimum length I must have held my licence for?

Yes. All drivers must have held their licences for at least one year. If a licence does not show the driver has held it for the minimum period, then they must provide evidence, such as:

Previous driving licences

Or a letter from their driving licence authority stating that they have held it for this minimum period.

[DBath]

6 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

You won't as I understand it. Based on the above you will only get a 2 year Thai licence; from memory, you need a 5 year licence to get an IDP.

I did not know this, thanks. At immigration today, I was told I should go to Cha-Am licensing office as they are sometimes willing to convert the license from your home country (US in my case) to the 5 year Thai one, but I need to research this more. 

[DBath]

6 hours ago, Smokin Joe said:

If you don't already have a Thai License getting a Thai IDP is not an option. Your first Thai license will be a 2 year "provisional" license and a Thai IDP will only be issued if you have a 5 year license.

 

I have a US bank with checking account and wrote a check for someone in a similar situation so they could get their IDP from AAA. You might ask any American friends in Hua Hin if they have a US checking account.

I know is going to sound pathetic, but I don't know anyone from the US here in Hua Hin that I could ask to do this, if I did I would though - it's a great idea.

[DBath]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

Who even writes checks any more?  Especially on a US bank account to pay for something in Hua Hin.

 

Surely, there's a digital payment method available.   They can't be that far back in the stone age.

 

15-20 years ago when I did write checks, I quit ordering them from the bank and started printing my own on blank stock sold specifically for that purpose.  It was a PITA to set up the dedicated (cheap) software program, but I never ran out of checks.

 

Agree, I thought the same, "how can they be that archaic to not consider any other forms of payment". I also can't believe I was so dumb as to not bring any checks with me to Thailand, just in case.

[DBath]

5 hours ago, theoldgit said:

Did Avis quote their T&C's?

 

Do I need to bring my driving licence with me?

Yes. All drivers must bring all parts of their valid driving licence with them. They must bring both their driving licence and either an international driving licence or an official Spanish translation, by a notary, of their driving licence if:          Could you get a translation?:

a driving licence was issued in Europe and you are renting in a country outside Europe

Or a driving licence was issued in a non-European country, and you are renting outside that country This could be an issue

Or a driving licence was issued in a non-roman alphabet like Arabic, Greek, Russian, Hebrew or Japanese. Thai driving licences are in English

Is there a minimum length I must have held my licence for?

Yes. All drivers must have held their licences for at least one year. If a licence does not show the driver has held it for the minimum period, then they must provide evidence, such as:

Previous driving licences

Or a letter from their driving licence authority stating that they have held it for this minimum period.

They didn't quote their T's & C's, but the woman I spoke to also didn't seem to have much on the ball, so I'm not so sure she even referenced them. I've read several passages from people who've been refused rentals for not having the proper IDP and other documentation, and it usually seems to be with those who're trying to rent from the bigger players, like Hertz and Avis. I have President's Club status with both Hertz and Avis, but not sure that will matter. If I've read and properly understood the T&C's you provided, it looks like getting a notarized version of my US drivers license translated into Spanish could be an option, correct? If so, is there anywhere in Thailand I can go to get this kind of notarization or would I be better off trying to get that done in Spain when I get there?

[theoldgit]

43 minutes ago, DBath said:

If I've read and properly understood the T&C's you provided, it looks like getting a notarized version of my US drivers license translated into Spanish could be an option, correct? If so, is there anywhere in Thailand I can go to get this kind of notarization or would I be better off trying to get that done in Spain when I get there?

it certainly looks like a notorised translation is acceptable, however there are no actual notoriety’s here in Thailand, lawyers normally carry out the role or the actual person who does the translation.

Of course that’s all well and good until it’s not acceptable to the operative at the rental desk.

I’ve rented cars from Avis in Europe just using my Thai license, though not in Spain. 

[mikebike]

There are indeed accredited Notaries in Thailand. Not all lawyers are notaries. Ask for credentials.

[DBath]

3 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

it certainly looks like a notorised translation is acceptable, however there are no actual notoriety’s here in Thailand, lawyers normally carry out the role or the actual person who does the translation.

Of course that’s all well and good until it’s not acceptable to the operative at the rental desk.

I’ve rented cars from Avis in Europe just using my Thai license, though not in Spain. 

Yes, I’ve seen where sometimes it just depends on who you encounter behind the service desk. Sometimes you can even show them a copy of their own T&C’s and get, “well, those T&C’s don’t apply at this location…”. 

[DBath]

4 minutes ago, mikebike said:

There are indeed accredited Notaries in Thailand. Not all lawyers are notaries. Ask for credentials.

I have to meet with my accountant/agent tomorrow and her brother is an attorney, maybe he can help me. 

[DBath]

8 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

You won't as I understand it. Based on the above you will only get a 2 year Thai licence; from memory, you need a 5 year licence to get an IDP.

I was at immigration today to get the proof of residency for this and to sell a vehicle and the woman there told me I could try going to the license office in Cha-Am as they will sometimes convert your hone country license into a 5-year, but that seems a little fishy to me and will probably end up being a wild goose chase. 

[kynikoi]

Go to the AAA site and download the form and everything you need fill it all out.

 

Send it to a friend or family member in the United States let them enclose a check and then mail it off to the address that is on the website.

 

I had to think about doing it this way some years back for trip to New Zealand but ended up not doing it anyway.

 

It's a very slow process and I doubt that you will have enough time before your trip but I think that's the only way that you can send a check and I believe it does need to be a check.

[Salerno]

13 minutes ago, DBath said:

... but that seems a little fishy to me and will probably end up being a wild goose chase. 

 

Does sound iffy. Although, I do believe I've read a couple of report of people somehow managing to get 5 years straight up. Worth a shot given your predicament, depending how much you really need to drive yourself in Spain, might be worth talking to an agent, throwing money at problems does seem to make them go away in a lot of cases.

[DBath]

26 minutes ago, kynikoi said:

Go to the AAA site and download the form and everything you need fill it all out.

 

Send it to a friend or family member in the United States let them enclose a check and then mail it off to the address that is on the website.

 

I had to think about doing it this way some years back for trip to New Zealand but ended up not doing it anyway.

 

It's a very slow process and I doubt that you will have enough time before your trip but I think that's the only way that you can send a check and I believe it does need to be a check.

I’m going to get on the phone with AAA and AATA tonight and see if I can work something out via express mail. I have about 1 month, so maybe I can get a BofA or Chase check expressed to me here that I can add to the application I’ve already filled out and is ready to go, then pay the $85 int’l shipping fee (I think only AATA has this as an option). And yes, according to both AAA and AATA’s websites, they both will only take a check.  
 

My fallback is to see if I can get my agent to help me get a Thai license and IDP somehow, but that may become a very expensive option.

[DBath]

19 minutes ago, Salerno said:

 

Does sound iffy. Although, I do believe I've read a couple of report of people somehow managing to get 5 years straight up. Worth a shot given your predicament, depending how much you really need to drive yourself in Spain, might be worth talking to an agent, throwing money at problems does seem to make them go away in a lot of cases.

Thanks, maybe I will check into that option. I’m meeting with my accountant/agent tomorrow, so perhaps she can help, she’s normally pretty reasonable, cost-wise.