CAA North & East Ontario issues International Driving Permit (IDP) for Canadian drivers traveling outside of Canada.

I used to think the same as Mufti but checking the Canadian Government site (Canadian Tourism Commission), it says that all foreign drivers except the U.S. Nedd an International Driver's Permit (IDP): 'All other visitors to Canada - Applying for the International Driving Permit (IDP) If you are visiting from outside the, you must apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) from the Automobile Association in your country of residence before you leave. This will allow you to drive in Canada and rent a car here. The IDP is a special license for tourists, authorized by UN treaty, which is printed in 10 languages and recognized in over 150 countries around the world.' This is news to me as I thought that an IDP is mainly to allow local police to translate a foreign license as it is useless without your home license. By the way, licensing is a provincial matter so you also need to check the provincial requirements where you will be travelling.

Edited: 11 March 2013, 18:33. I am very surprised to read this.

The Canadian Tourism Commission is not government though. Car Repairing Software Free Download. They are 'Canada's national tourism marketers.'

I've never heard of a Province of BC law about this. Here the permits (not licences) are not issued by the Dept of Motor Vehicles but by BCAA.

Personally, I think the Tourism Commission can say what they wish, they don't represent the law, either do the CAAs in the country, and they may have their reasons for using that language. I got an IDP for driving in Italy about 12 years ago for language differences. I didn't need to show it at the rental car agency. Time for a phone call(s) in the morning. I'll get back to you beentravelling. I am confident that your valid Aust licence will be fine.

But no I won't risk a 6-pack of tinnies on that bet, just in case. Edited: 11 March 2013, 19:14.

The IDP finds his origin in the post WW-II years in Europe, when a lot of foreign troops from a lot of different countries were still stationed there. When traffic accidents occured there used to be a lot of confusion about the validity of the driver's licenses used by the drivers. In 1948 the UN therefore drafted and agreed a treaty to end this confusion and so, in 1949, the IDP was born.

Every foreign army driver got issued this translation of his homeland driver's license. The IDP is still valid today and is still a goverment issued document and is distributed by the Automobil Clubs of all participating countries. Since the introduction of the creditcard-format driver's license in Europe, we are no longer obliged to carry an IDP when visiting Canada as a tourist. When coming over to work and live in Canada it is still mandatory to carry it together with the homeland driver's license for the first six months untill a Canadian driver's license is obtained. The CTC has no idea what their website section on IDP means with regard to 'must apply for.' The staff person referred me to the Federal Government's toll free line.

Motor vehicle licensing jurisdiction is provincial, so not helpful there. I phoned our provincial Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) which licenses and insures vehicles here. They tell me that it is a translation service. Your valid driver's licence is good as a visitor for 6 months before it becomes necessary to get a BC licence. If you go across the line to the US and return, the 6 months begins again. The IDP is a translation service of your current licence.

The translation extends to 10 languages. It is not in law and the ICBC staff person had not heard of any rental car company asking for an IDP from a visitor from an English speaking country. No need to translate English to English. Edited: 12 March 2013, 05:40. I do not think you will need an IDP but was trying to confirm. The OP posted in the Canada forum and did not state which province they were going to. I checked the federal government website for tourist information.

Taylor Swift Serial Killer. The site refers travellers to the CTC site. The CTC is a crown corporation, so yes not actually government. With the recent fiasco in about IDP's, thought it best to say that it is not required. Maybe better to be safe. I would mention that I have also travelled and rented cars in European countries where the official line is that it is required. Never had a problem renting without one and have even had police pull me over without a problem with my license. I have always thought of an IDP as a translation document so have got one when going to a country like Russia where they use the Cyrillic alphabet.

Again I doubt that there will be a problem renting and driving in Canada with an Australian license, just difficult to confirm the official stance.