Legally, if you hold a UK license, you must use that in the UK, it is illegal under those circumstances to use the license from another country and the car rental companies do understand this as evidenced by the extract in my earlier post. The reference to "living in the UK" has to do with the inability of car companies to check whether a driver lives in the UK or overseas hence it's a difficult law to enforce - UK license holders who move overseas are expected to exchange their UK license for one from the country they have moved to, within twelve months, plus, UK license cannot accommodate foreign addresses.

I see. Presumably when you collect the car it is obvious that you are British, and therefor likely to have a UK licence, even though you are hiring the car on a foreign one.

Your email guy seems to be suggesting that he's actually going to rent the car based on your UK licence - otherwise why would he ask for the counterpart?

Goodbye!

You're very defensive - I'm just asking....

All misinformation, an IDL is a recognized translation of a foreign license. But since its inception per a United Nations agreement, most countries have now included an English translation on their respective licenses. Therefore negating the need to have an IDL. The countries, very few, which don't accept a foreign license are not signatories,of the UN agreement. An IDL is not acceptable by itself, once again it is only a English translation of a foreign license as it clearly states on the inside cover. It must be accompanied by a current foreign license. All countries have different rules of use, the US for instance, in most states require a valid state license if the visitor remains over 21 days in that state.

But maybe what your missing is we are talking about international driving permits.. NOT international driving licenses.

There are many countries in the world that demand an IDP not merely an english language license.. The link I showed above shows many. Africa especially has lots of countries that demand one.

For what it's worth went for my bike licence in Chiang Mai ( hold OZ car licence ) but have ridden bikes for years, was told it would take approx 4 hours took just on 8 hours...... only did colour and reaction test ( perception test has gone ) was in class room by 9 am 2 different speakers lots of video....did the theory test questions, there that were not even in the book they gave me before the test. Passed...Practical is a walk in the park to say the least.

My thai partner spoke to one of the thai instructers about why it was taking so long he told her there had been so many accidents this last year they were told make the theory more difficult.......it was it's all in thai but that's ok we are in their country..

DON'T EXPECT TO COMPLETE ALL THE TEST IN THE 4 HOURS THEY STATE ON THE INFORMATION FORM IT WILL NOT HAPPEN i WAS AT THE TEST CENTRE BY 7.50AM AND THERE WERE AT LEAST 35 PEOPLE THEREV ALREADY.

The separtment of roads and transport at Hang dong the only place in CM where they do licences...was ok but very very drawn out day....

time to leave this site is crazy

Does anyone here know if we can get an International drivers permit here in Hang Dong , and is it recognised in the USA? I have a Thai drivers licence and the missus seems to think it "should" be ok. But they can be famous last words here.