International Driving License

Hi all

is there any way to get an International Driving License in the UK when you have a US license? I didn't bring one with me from the US (maybe that was a mistake) and now I unexpectedly need to rent a car from Enterprise at Glasgow airport next week. The online reservation page says that I will need to provide an international driving license. Argh! What do I do? Do you know from experience if this is essential?

Thanks for any help/info!
Ness

I would think your USA drivers license would surfice.....

As long as you have a valid US driver's license, and been in the UK for less then 12 months, you should be ok, but obviously it is really up to car rental company as to what they accept, though I have never had an issue with using my US drivers license to rent a car.

Normally you would have to get an IDL from your local country, because they would be the only ones to validate and authenticate your US driver's license.

Your US driver's license is fine, without anything additional.  I rented a car in Feb. on my US license and I'd been in the UK over a year.  (I know it's illegal to drive.. blah blah blah).  Anyway, they didn't ask how long I'd been in the UK or anything.. just to fork over my CA license.

I've never heard of a car rental company here insisting on an IDP if you have a valid U.S. license.  If one does, I'd just move along to the next company.....

P.S.  Just a thought:

The online reservation page says that I will need to provide an international driving license.

Maybe they don't actually mean an International Driving Permit in the official sense.  Maybe they just mean "a license from another country."   I'd ask them to clarify.

We rented a car for 3 weeks from London and then Bath and just showed our US licenses. No problem. It was National who we rented from.

Hi all

is there any way to get an International Driving License in the UK when you have a US license? I didn't bring one with me from the US (maybe that was a mistake) and now I unexpectedly need to rent a car from Enterprise at Glasgow airport next week. The online reservation page says that I will need to provide an international driving license. Argh! What do I do? Do you know from experience if this is essential?

Thanks for any help/info!
Ness

I've also seen that on Enterprise's online reservation page.  I've hired cars several times from them.  Only once was I asked for "an international driving permit".  I told the girl I didn't need one, as I had hired from there several times before without any problems, showing just my NY driver's license, my passport, and 2 utility bills (as proof of UK address).  She accepted that with no problems. 

Thanks very much, everyone. I guess I'll just 'risk' it and just talk to them in case they ask. Thanks for reminding me of taking bills to prove my address -hadn't thought of that!

Thanks again
Ness