I am travelling to US soon for about 2 months. Can i use my Australian Driver Licence at all?? But i am not going to rent a car i'd probably use my friend's car. Anyone has similar experience??
Driving Requirements In US As A Tourist
chengjianer on 01/01/2016 - 22:42
Comments
Thanks!
Whilst your Aussie licence MAY be accepted, it is a good idea to have both your aussie licence and an international driving permit, which is a translation of your aussie licence into several languages and legally recognised by a list of participating countries including USA and is valid for one year. It's simple and cheap to obtain, just go into the office of your local RAC/RACV/RACQ/AANT with a passport photo and your regular licence. Check their website for cost.
Translate your Australian drivers license from English to English? Right.
I got state side at least once a year and have done so for a decade now, no need for an IDP.
Rental car places will accept your Australian license without issue, so will the police.I realise 'translating' a licence from English to English is dumb.
However, there can be repercussions involving travel insurance for not getting that dumb bit of paper if something goes wrong. Most obviously for car rental excess, where the travel insurance PDS usually says that if you do not hold a valid drivers licence in the country you are within they will not offer cover. It's not unlikely that they'll put up a fight if you crash and solely rely on your aussie licence. You'd probably win, but it'd be a PITA. Regardless, OP said hire cars aren't an issue so that point is moot.
However, if OP is borrowing his friends car, he may need to buy personal insurance to cover himself driving that since my understanding is that in the US you insure yourself not the car. Such insurance may also contain a clause similar to ones used by travel insurance companies.
Do what you like OP, for the sake of a stupid $20 translation of the aussie licence would for me would be worth it for peace of mind.
As Drew pointed out to your original post, at $20 transaltion will not mean anything, even to the valid points you have now added in your second point.
A good example is that car rental companies in the US accept Australian drivers licenses, unless they do not contain a photo. Given no state has issued these for decades, the old need for an international license is gone. Now if the OP was travelling to a country that does not have english as their primary language an international licence would be wise.
BUT your point here is VERY valid, and hopefully the OP will read this CAREFULLY
However, if OP is borrowing his friends car, he may need to buy personal insurance to cover himself driving that since my understanding is that in the US you insure yourself not the car. Such insurance may also contain a clause similar to ones used by travel insurance companies.
US car insurance goes with the car, not the driver.
However like here, to get cheaper insurance you can put restrictions on the cover, like not insuring drivers uder 30, which then means the car isnt insured.
PLUS the CTP component of our car insurance, which is mandatory here in Australia is treated differently in the US and is different in each US state, and in many States would NOT be adequate to cover the first days legal costs. That also goes for basic rental car insurance.
The OP would be wise to check his friends cover. 1 for his friends sake, and 2 for his own sake.
USA car insurance is so variable and can be even for residents totally inadequate, so its wise to check carefully.
From this website (good advice for both friends to check)
https://www.esurance.com/info/car/myth-car-insurance-follows…
Before you lend your car to a friend or anyone else:
Check your policy or contact your insurer to get the specifics on the terms, conditions, and any restrictions.
Make sure that your friend has a valid drivers license. It's also wise to double check whether or not your friend has car insurance. (After all, you don't want to be liable in case an accident occurs.)
Verify that your registration and insurance information are in your glove box.
If you habitually lend your car to a non-resident relative or friend, or if your friend will be borrowing your car for an extended period of time (say a few weeks), consider adding him or her as an additional driver. Your insurer might consider the habitual borrower of your car to be a regular user of the vehicle, and if an accident occurs and your friend isn't listed as an additional driver on your policy, your insurer could deny coverage on the claim.Is it really that cheap?? $20 for an International Driving Licence??
On the contrary. For the US, your Aussie license is the ONLY thing that will be accepted. A paper booklet containing your photo that the RACV issued to you will not interest a car hire agency or a law enforcement officer in the slightest.
http://canberra.usembassy.gov/resources/all-faqs/travel.html…
Practically speaking, I have never needed one while in the US, and when I did approach NRMA about it, they stated that I was wasting my time applying for one.
No idea about the laws. but i know you need to get use to drive on the other side of the seat. Would find it challenging.
TRUE!
Just use your Aussie licence. International licences are worthless and not accepted. I have hired dozens of cars there with my Au licence, but if you drive a mate's car make sure it is insured for other drivers. And be careful, the rules are different (e.G. you can turn right through a red light).
(e.G. you can turn right through a red light)
No wonder i saw some cars ran red lights when i was walking past a intersection. At that time i was thinking, oh no, so many bad drivers in US, to be specific, it was in Denver Colorado. haha..
I don't believe this is in every state though. It's a great idea but be very careful to watch for pedestrians as well as oncoming cars!
what ever you drive MAKE SURE YOU ARE FULLY INSURED
Thanks for the advice!
I know it's come up a lot but this a thousand times! I've had rental companies both try to over sell and under sell me insurance. It's over 2 years now since I rented a car in the US but make sure you read up and remember that your travel insurance, if it says auto cover, probably only covers the excess on other insurance policies.
drove for a month on my aussie license, never had a problem at car rentals… never got pulled over tho by a cop, so not much to advise.
driving on right is easy, but if u have a co pilot to keep an eye when u turn left etc, its great cos i twice went down the wrong side… one i had to go over the mediem strip.. was funny, the other was doing a burn out in back end of kentucky… some farmer was coming down road in tractor…
i twice went down the wrong side
That's the scary and challenging part for me. Lucky for you on the other lane the cars weren't driving fast…
Why on this earth we cannot drive on only one side of the road, being either left or right?!?!?!! Less accidents.
yep, some countries with common borders require changing
Be careful what you wish for,
Look at which ones should change to make your life simpler
http://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/list-of-left-driving-count…
Guess what, its us in the minority, so would it be simpler for you?
yeh most of the world is right hand drive…
i lived in samoa, where they changed from right to left over new years 6/7 years ago…. they banned alcohol for 2 days, for people to get used to it sober. mind you the roads are pretty lame
Make sure you know how to do a 4 way stop as well : http://www.vdriveusa.com/resources/how-a-4-way-stop-works.ph…
The US rental car places say that is a common accident for overseas Aussies.
Filling up with petrol (gas) with your credit card also requires zip code. You can try adding a 0 to the end which sometimes works. Otherwise you have to pay inside first.
The US police don't care about your Australian license. The only people who care are at the US DMV (and maybe the insurance might as an out if there was some kind of claim - ie "driver must be licensed in the US").
I just get a prepaid card when there just for fuel.
Saves the hassle of going inside to prepay
Make sure you know how to do a 4 way stop as well
Thanks for the advice, stupid road rule though, should have learnt from us. Just a simple "Give Way" or a "Two Way Stop" haha.
A few years back on a work visit to California one of my workmates was pulled over by the police. He handed over his AU licence and they were more than happy to accept that and issue him a fine (speeding, he's an idiot). :)
International drivers licenses are 100% unnecessary for the USA. If you ever get pulled over by an officer in the US, or rent a car, they will completely ignore it and ask for your government issued license, and possibly your passport. To law enforcement, an international drivers license is not worth the paper it is written on, literally.
Source: I am friends with a LE officer in the USA.
If you ever get pulled over by an officer in the US, or rent a car, they will completely ignore it and ask for your government issued license, and possibly your passport.
+1 to this. We've hired a car in the US on a number of occasions and have only ever needed our Aussie licences to show the rental company. However, we were stopped by Border Patrol agents on our way back to Tucson after visiting Tombstone, as they have patrols and checkpoints north of - as well as actually on - the US-Mexico border. They weren't the least bit interested in our licences but DID want to see our passports (which we always carried with us when driving for ID purposes, just in case).
Yeah I got a fine in 2014 for speeding I think I was 84 in a 70 zone (but sighted for me 75mph)
cost $70 and I went on my way, no issues with just my AU drivers licence.Don't try and leave the country and not paying the fine. it ended up costing me $200USD when I got home and it went to court and a warrant was issued for my arrest.
all sorted now though well I hope so cause I am going back in March and would hate to be arrested at the airport lol.
I think you just need your local license, unrestricted in English, if it's not then you will need to get an international driver license to show what kind of license you have and any restriction. I checked out their DMV website and I think that's all it said, probably best to check with the local authority where you're staying as state to state is different. I will be renting a car when I go in April, so all you need is insurance in case of any prang but I think the Australian license is ok. Have fun