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#Post#: 94275--------------------------------------------------
IDP necessary?
By: MrChips Date: October 16, 2025, 4:31 am
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I'm travelling to Spain next week and intending to hire a car a
few days after arrival.
I'm still on a paper UK driving licence (no photocard) and the
guidance online seems slightly vague as to whether I'd need to
get an IDP in order to drive there.
HTML https://www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit
It seems clear an IDP isn't required for Spain if I have a
photocard licence. However the general EU guidance says I "may"
need one if I hold a paper licence. The specific Spain guidance
says no IDP needed (but that I should check with with hire
company - can't do this as rental not booked yet).
Does anyone have any experience with this with which they can
can enlighten me?
#Post#: 94288--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: andy_foster Date: October 16, 2025, 6:02 am
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So, you're planning on renting a car in Spain, you don't have a
photocard and the guidance says that you might need one
(legally).
It doesn't matter whether or not you legally need an IDP to
drive in Spain if the rental car company won't rent you a car
without one.
Effectively, your question is a compound question consisting of
whether you legally need an IDP and whether or not the as yet
undetermined hire car company will rent you a car without one.
I say wing it. If you get there and can't get a car, it doesn't
affect us.
#Post#: 94291--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: MrChips Date: October 16, 2025, 6:27 am
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That's the conclusion I was leaning towards, i.e. erring on the
side of caution (in the absence of anyone with particular
experience of expertise in this area confirming it would not be
required). Not having booked the car yet, I'm in the position
of being able to bypass hire firms who demand an IDP if it isn't
a universal requirement.
#Post#: 94295--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: Stedman Date: October 16, 2025, 6:34 am
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I think Andy might be being sarcastic. It seems to me to be
risky to be reliant on the hire company's desk being happy with
a paper licence regardless of what their head office / customer
service desk / website says.
#Post#: 94297--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: 666 Date: October 16, 2025, 6:40 am
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[quote author=Stedman link=topic=8417.msg94295#msg94295
date=1760614451]
I think Andy might be being sarcastic. It seems to me to be
risky to be reliant on the hire company's desk being happy with
a paper licence regardless of what their head office / customer
service desk / website says.
[/quote]
I agree. For £5.50 it's not worth the risk.
#Post#: 94298--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: MrChips Date: October 16, 2025, 6:46 am
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Sorry if it wasn't clear - I was agreeing with Andy's sarcasm!
It's not worth the risk if I can't get sufficient confirmation
it won't potentially be needed (either by police or rental
firm).
#Post#: 94521--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: roythebus Date: October 17, 2025, 11:55 am
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there can't be mny left out there with paper licences! Surely
you must be approaching the age where you will have to get a new
licence, and that will have to be the plastic version. That will
cover you in EU countries for car hire.
#Post#: 94552--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: MrChips Date: October 17, 2025, 4:29 pm
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Still over 4 million paper licences out there according to a
google search.
Don't need to change it for a photocard until I reach 70 which
is still almost three decades away!
#Post#: 94608--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: PallasAthena Date: October 18, 2025, 7:59 am
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[quote author=MrChips link=topic=8417.msg94552#msg94552
date=1760736548]
Still over 4 million paper licences out there according to a
google search.
Don't need to change it for a photocard until I reach 70 which
is still almost three decades away!
[/quote]
Only if you never change address between now and when you reach
age 70. If you change address you have to surrender the paper
licence and will get a photocard in replacement with your new
address (or if you change your name, eg on marriage).
I read somewhere (can't remember where) that about 10% of the
licences currently in existence are still paper licences but
ageing and changes of address/name must be steadily reducing
that.
#Post#: 96619--------------------------------------------------
Re: IDP necessary?
By: MrChips Date: November 3, 2025, 8:43 am
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Quick update/resolution to this one.
Hired the car on 25 October. The member of staff in the rental
office initially claimed that a lack of photocard licence would
prohibit me from being able to hire the vehicle. Luckily I'd
emailed their head office in advance to get written confirmation
that my paper licence would be acceptable and upon showing him
this he relented. He did ask if I had an International Permit
which I showed him - not sure if it would have been a deal
breaker or not if I had not had it, but I was glad I did.
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