Car hire rules if you're from Australia

Hi good and wonderful people,

Do you need an international licence to drive in the states,. or any special permit or anything or if we have a licence here, can we just drive there?

Thanks, Kitty

PS.. Who%26#39;se getting braver by the minute and now thinking of hiring a car for a few days to see the sights and make good use of our %26#39;go card%26#39;

But still very scared and apprehensive and we%26#39;re not even there yet :-(

Car hire rules if you're from Australia

I%26#39;ve rented cars in the US without an International licence; your Australian Licence will be fine.

Car hire rules if you're from Australia

Hi, We hired a car in the USA %26amp; had no problems, you do not require an international licence. We used avis, made sure we took the full insurance coverage %26amp; also had a GPS - WHICH IS A MUST! It%26#39;s a little daunting at first but in a few hours you will get use to the way they drive. I would recomend that you don%26#39;t pick your car up as soon as you arrive, I would wait untill the next day. We just came back last week from our driving holiday through California, %26amp; are already planning the next trip. The roads are very well maintained much better than most of ours. Have a great holiday.

As the above have said, no international drivers license required these days. GPS really worthwhile. Give yourself a chance to rest after your long flight, give yourself plenty of time to get from A to B, avoid peak travel times, relax, if you miss a turn off just get off at the next one, the GPS will recalibrate and point you in the right direction. Remember the passenger is always on the sidewalk side and the driver on the middle of the road side. Get the passenger to help you when you are coming up to intersections etc by calling what lane you want to turn into e.g far right

Relax and enjoy, it really is easier than you think!

Don%26#39;t just rely on the GPS, make sure you have a good map as well so you have a good idea about where you need to go. A work collegue was stuck in LA because her GPS wouldn%26#39;t work, %26amp; she didn%26#39;t know how to get back to the car rental depot.

Good point Ellenwillow!

Thanks everybody for all your encouragement and good advice, I think we%26#39;ll just have to %26#39;brave it%26#39; and we%26#39;ll certainly take a few days to get to know the lay of the land etc...

Thanks so much again for everything; you guys are the greatest!

Cheers, Kitty

I agree with the others that I belive the rule is that you don%26#39;t need an international licence, but I know of someone who was driving through a country town in the US, go pulled over and fined for not having an intl licence. I think it%26#39;s just a matter of some of the police not being up to date with all the rules. That being said, if you%26#39;re only driving around touristy areas I reckon you%26#39;ll be fine.

Actually, I got pulled up on a back road in New Mexico last year %26amp; they didn%26#39;t ask for an International licence; my Australian licence was fine. I did have to show my passport though, but I think that could have been because of the location to the Mexican border.

Don%26#39;t understand the need for GPS myself - not anywhere. Didnt we all manage just fine without the things for many years? If you%26#39;ve got a map, a brain and a sense of adventure you%26#39;ll do just fine!

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