Driving back in the US

I am going back to the US for a few days in Dec. I decided it would be more practical for me to rent a car than use taxi's so my question is can I rent a car in the USA with my UK licence? I'm not even sure my US licence is valid anymore. 

im pretty sure you can use your UK licence... that's what British tourists would do!

yup.  my hubs does it all the time.  

watch out for driving on the correct side of the street-it confuses me sometimes when i'm driving up a road with no markings.

yup.  my hubs does it all the time.  

watch out for driving on the correct side of the street-it confuses me sometimes when i'm driving up a road with no markings.

I know! Last time I was there I had to follow a line of traffice so I wouldnt stray to the other side of the street. Duh, I have only been driving 22 years FFS!

Thanks Amy and Otterpop!

No problems renting on a U.K. license at all -- I've done it plenty of times, even back when we had weird licenses the size of a sheet of wallpaper and an expiry date of 2036.   

No problems renting on a U.K. license at all -- I've done it plenty of times, even back when we had weird licenses the size of a sheet of wallpaper and an expiry date of 2036.   

A bit off topic, but my parents still have those wallpaper size drivers licenses that expire in 2017.  Now that they are in the US, I assume their UK licenses are still valid over here.

Rich drives in the US all the time.  He did mention once that he needed both the picture and paper licenses.  Whatever that means.

I've never needed my paper license for renting a car. Just the photo UK license was all that was required (and I just did it a month ago). I would suppose each rental company might be different (I used Alamo last time).  And like Pebbles, I needed traffic to keep me on the right side of the road, especially when I first pulled out of the rental car place..LOL

You most certainly can!

 

He did mention once that he needed both the picture and paper licenses.  Whatever that means.

It's another of those wonderful government changes to the system which never quite worked as people thought it would.     When I first heard they intended to introduce credit-card type licenses I thought "Great, no more giant sheets of paper to carry around."    Then it emerged that they would still be issuing a paper document along with the card.  They call it a "counterpart."  and DVLA states that both parts are actually needed to form the complete license.   

I doubt whether the clerks at most U.S. car rental companies would know about it.  They just see a card with a photograph, details, and "Driving Licence" printed across the top and accept it.   The same probably goes for the average small-town cop or sheriff if he asks to see a license.

The counterpart (the paper bit of the UK license) details any driving convictions you may have acquired.
There's a rough equivalent to that in the US but the driver doesn't keep it, it stays with the DMV and is a centrally kept record.

Why the same thing couldn't be done in the UK, I don't know?  I suppose it's easier for you to see what convictions you might have
if you committed an offense years ago and it's a bit easier for a law enforcement officer to quickly see your convictions but surely the officers
can check these things out via computer system?  Or am I asking too much here?   

Matt

Haha Ricki I can't help you with your question, looks like everyone else has done that. I just had to say when I first read the title I thought you had flipped your lid haha I read it as "Driving back to the US" 

Haha Ricki I can't help you with your question, looks like everyone else has done that. I just had to say when I first read the title I thought you had flipped your lid haha I read it as "Driving back to the US" 

LOL
You are a blond arent you!!!   

Ricki,
Contact your credit card people and find out if they offer any insurance when you rent cars. When you rent in the U.S there are lots of extra hidden insurance charges that will be offered when you are picking up the car. They can be a bit confusing. Some cover the minimum deductible, others vandalism fire and theft. You are given the option of waiving them or paying more than your original quote. they can easily add up too another $20 a day. Some Gold and Platinum cards cover all of those some dont. I have a card that will provide cover for all of those incidentals. It will save you alot of agro if you look into it now.   

Ricki,
Contact your credit card people and find out if they offer any insurance when you rent cars. When you rent in the U.S there are lots of extra hidden insurance charges that will be offered when you are picking up the car. They can be a bit confusing. Some cover the minimum deductible, others vandalism fire and theft. You are given the option of waiving them or paying more than your original quote. they can easily add up too another $20 a day. Some Gold and Platinum cards cover all of those some dont. I have a card that will provide cover for all of those incidentals. It will save you alot of agro if you look into it now.   

That's a great idea! Of course I would have never thought of it.
I'll check into it. Thanks John!!