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Subject Topic: Driving in France and Spain Post Reply Post New Topic
31/12/2019 at 10:38am
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Lunar Quasar 544
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Apologies if this has already been covered. We are driving through France into Spain at the end of January. I have found out that an IDP will not be required but a friend mentioned last year that we should have a translation of our licenses into French and Spanish. Can anyone advise please?


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31/12/2019 at 10:44am
 Location: Lancashire
 Outfit: Leisuredrive VW T6 campervan
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We never have, in 20 years of driving in Europe. Doesn't mean we are right, though. Neither have we been asked to show them.

We both bought IDP's for France last year just in case and for the ease and cheapness of doing so.


31/12/2019 at 10:51am
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Lunar Quasar 544
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Thanks Franbee. We too have been driving in France and Spain for over 20 years without translations. As you say, that doesn't mean we were right!


31/12/2019 at 10:59am
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If you have a photocard driving licence and your insurance certificate which has EU translations on the reverse, you are OK.


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via mobile 31/12/2019 at 5:22pm
 Location: Shropshire
 Outfit: Bailey Phoenix GT 75
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If you have the photo license, they are Eu format. The iDP may be required after brexit transitions are finished.

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DS-There's more to life than football!!!


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via mobile 31/12/2019 at 5:32pm
 Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
 Outfit: Ace Supreme Twinstar Disco 3
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This is a new one on me. Why not ask your friend from where he got the information. Would then be easy enough to check.
DaveS1


31/12/2019 at 5:48pm
 Location: Dartford Kent
 Outfit: VW T6 conversion
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The only country mentioned on the Foreign Office website is Brazil. The IDP acts as a translation, but won’t be needed, at least until Jan 2021 (unless the Govt does something excessively stupid).
Have a good trip - I always think of it as pre-holiday anxiety.


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31/12/2019 at 6:17pm
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A complete load of nonsense.Many of us living in France are still on UK licences because the French won’t allow us to apply until they know if it is a legal requirement to change.


01/1/2020 at 11:44am
 Location: london
 Outfit: Elddis marquis majestic 185
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An IDP for Spain only lasts 12 months unlike many countries in Europe which are for 3 years.
An IDP for say France has a section covering anybody with a C1 license (over 3500t) however an IDP for Spain does not have a C1 category
If you drive the heavier unit over 3500t you cannot drive it in Spain unless you have a separate heavy goods certificate, so the guy in the post office told me.
Crazy I know!

-------------
Basa


14/1/2020 at 12:57am
 Location: Derbyshire
 Outfit: Autocruise Pulse campervan
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We have four trips planned to various bits of Europe between April and October; I shall check with my insurers in March but expect to be back to the delights of Green Card and IDP, and a late decision on the EHIC card. Whatever happens, the cynic in me says it will cost more.

-------------
Ireland to Croatia, 165 nights in 3 years.



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