International driving permit question
My friends who have just bought their first MH have just been to get their IDP's
One for France and one for Spain, the French one is OK but the Spanish one has no group C1 box to be stamped. The problem is their MH is up plated to 3850kgs so technically she won't have proof of holding the correct licence group when in Spain other than her UK licence which they possibly won't accept ?
Anyone know what the facts are about this situation.
Thanks in advance 
Comments
-
I think that's a question for your friends to ask the DVLA , rather than one of us giving an answer which might be wrong.
0 -
I have already suggested that to her. It just seems odd that there must be many folk out there driving MH's in and through Spain over 3500kgs but the IDP has no C1 entitlement box to be stamped. We have looked on the internet and from what we can see Spain has a C1 group in their licence categories.
Even asked the club but was told they can't help with international law ?
Thanks for the reply.
0 -
Thinking about this, the fact the Spanish IDP has no sub groups listed how do caravan owners stand who need the +E entitlement to tow stand ?
0 -
Perhaps it would be useful to research Spanish licence requirements as they could well be different from here in the UK. If your friend has the requisite IDP and UK photocard licence all the information is at hand for any traffic official to see?
David
0 -
"Perhaps it would be useful to research Spanish licence requirements"
We have, see above. From what I can see most EU Licences follow the same format including vehicle categories which is why it seems odd that the French and Spanish IDP's differ.
0 -
The French and Spanish IDP's are of course based on different protocols and you need one of each.
0 -
All current photocard European licences are the same and have the same groups. In fact, it doesn't matter where they were issued. If one moves from one EU country to another there is no need to exchange one's driving licence unless it has expired.
0 -
Which is what I found out after some research, so why are the IDP's different when it comes to listing entitlements ?
0 -
I don't know. Other countries only issue the latest form of IDP (the 1968 version) even though Spain was apparently only signatory to the 1949 agreement and yet their licence holders don't seem to have any problems in Spain. I guess someone in government is just trying to be very clever or overcautious. There is even doubt whether you even need an IDP if you hold a valid current photocard licence issued in the UK, after leaving the EU because all the necessary details are on that licence and they don't change simply because the country is no longer a member of the EU. There is no reason why such a licence will suddenly become invalid just because of a Brexit.
0 -
It's a farce, I went into the Post Office to get one just in case as I'm travelling in just over two weeks time. They did not realise there was more than one version, I was the first customer asking for one, my photocard licence number was copied wrong and because they were unsure which category to stamp, they stamped every one.
It also says on it something along the lines of "you can only drive the categories shown on your licence", so whats the use of it if it refers to your UK licence
I suppose if it helps keep the local Post Office alive then the £5.50 is well spent
0 -
The IDP is nothing more than an official translation of your normal driving licence. That's why it refers to the UK licence and you have to carry both with you.
Any certified translation in the language of the country that you are visiting will do. It doesn't necessarily have to be an IDP, but that's the cheapest way as certified translations are relatively expensive.
0 -
"The IDP is nothing more than an official translation of your normal driving licence. That's why it refers to the UK licence and you have to carry both with you."
Yes I agree with that, but the Spanish one which I asked the question about falls short of this because it doesn't have the sub categories listed so they can be stamped to say they are valid in the case the licence holder.
0 -
I have driven in Australia and New Zealand with a normal UK photo licence, and in Thailand and Bali too. I will risk it in mainland Europe later this year too without any of the various IDPs. I don't think for one minute that I need any sort of IDP but I will write to you from prison if I am wrong.
0 -
I'm hanging on till April 12th in the hope that they can sort this mess out.
0 -
As Lutz says, the EU photocard licences areall virtually identical. I think the IDP recommendations from the Gov should be clarified. Common sense would say, only the paper licences would need a certified translation/IDP as they bear no photo and lots of words.
Photocard licence is self explanatory to any policeman, even an idiot one.
0 -
Just an update on this which may be of use to some of you.
My friends went to a different post office yesterday with her partner to their IDP's she asked the question about the Spanish IDP's not having the sub categories and explained the concerns she had, she also asked the post office staff if they had been issued with official instructions on IDP issuing and they confirmed they had but said it was open to interpretation and they had had a staff meeting and decided that they would stamp the C & D groups if the EU licence card presented shows C1 & D1 entitlement.
So they kindly took her existing IDP and added the stamps in the blank categories
So for now I suggest anyone in the same position ask the question first before parting with your money and if they say they can't do it find another post office who will.
0 -
Thanks ValDa - that was my understanding, and why I wont bother with IDPs now
0
