I am an American living in Italy and I already have an Italian driver's licence, but now my American driver's license is expired. I want to be able to drive in the US when I go back to visit, but since I don't have an American address anymore I don't think that I can renew my old American license. Does anyone know if I will now have to use my Italian driver's license to drive when I go back to the States accompanied by an International Drivers license or is there some loophole for expats living abroad?

Hi Andreina and welcome.

Unfortunately there is no loophole. You will need to go to ACI and get a translation for the US. I have friends who have done this and they said it was quite simple although it costs about 25 euro for the little piece of paper.

You know, now that I think about it, if you still have your old US license, maybe you can get away with just having your Italian and your US license together as basically they say the same thing so no need for translations (also since you speak English you can explain it to the police. The only question is if you rent a car if that would be allowed?

I had two licenses for years, one from NY State, the other Italian. It simplified identification when renting cars on trips to the States, cashing checks, etc.

But then I started getting Jury Notices at my parent's address. I notified NY State that I was no longer a resident.

As Cristina mentioned, you can get the ACI certificate which is similar to the AAA international driver's translation license. Not as well known but I haven't had any problems with it. It doesn't quite flash as a US license with rental car agencies, takes a few more minutes to fill out the rental agreements but it is accepted.

Rita

Andreina, I renewed my US license by internet, saying I was temporarily overseas, came back in the mail in about a month with a 4 yr extention... just for the 'rent a car' convenience.

Sort of a lie, but for some reason, I just had a hard time giving it up! Google DMV for your state.

After spending 19 of the last 24 years abroad, we've bumped up against this problem a couple of times. One key is to renew by mail within the grace period. My wife always kept hers renewed without a problem. I, on the other hand, let it expire and waited too long to renew it. My only recourse was to wait until returning on leave and reapply for my license. However California sent me a little slip of paper stating the license was still good until I returned home, plus 30 days grace period to get a new license. I used that slip with expired license for 10 years.

Thanks for the help! Why didn't I find this fantastic site sooner? Anyway, unfortunately after your license expires you can only renew in person in my ex-home state, so...I guess I will be going for the ACI certificate. Does anyone know how long it takes to process? I only ask because Italian beaurocracy is so notoriously slow...if I apply now do you think that I will have it by the end of July (when I leave for the States)?

Since you already have an Italian driver's license, you can go to your local ACI office and for a fee, they will issue the International Permit. Takes about three days and costs about €25.

OR, you can do it yourself. Head over to the Motorizazione Italiano in your province with a copy of your Italian license and two photos. You'll fill out two forms. One is the request for the International permit, the second is the bollitino to pay. You pay the bollitino at the Post Office, return to the Motorizazione with the paid receipt. I paid €10 in total, and the nice man gave me the International permit booklet on the spot.

Rita

quote:

I renewed my US license by internet, saying I was temporarily overseas, came back in the mail in about a month with a 4 yr extention... just for the 'rent a car' convenience.

I second this advice, if you find your state's DMV online you can renew by mail or online BEFORE your U.S. exprires, I think you can renew as long as a year. That will give you time to head back to the U.S. in need be. I used to wear contacts (they want to do an another eye check) so I cannot renew online but my husband did and he has a brand spanking new license for the next 4 years.

I am goingthrough the same exact thing. By law you should get an IDP from ACI. If you do not want to get one, bring your old license and your Italian one and then if you get stopped show both and explain. I am pretty sure there would be no problem since you could show the actual info in both languages and they could look you uip in the computer (the info is there forever)

Oh, nice to find this thread, I don't have to post a new one.

I am facing this same type of thing.

My US license expired some time back and in some months upcoming, I will be back in the States for a time. I was hoping to at least be ok by having my valid Italian license while I get on the ball and drive myself to the DMV upon my arrival to renew my US license. I see from posts here that it should be fine, if by any chance stopped, show both licenses and explain the situation. And it makes sense.

I won't be needing to rent a car in the US (as I'll be able to borrow a family members in which whose I am on their insurance), but only to at least drive myself to the DMV to renew as I can't do it online.

Based on Cristina's post here:
http://expattalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/8580080744/m/4220063705
I sure would prefer to avoid that route. (the money, more red tape work, and especially I don't want to leave my precious patente anywhere)
I may try what Rita recommended going to the Motorizzazione, as it sounds easier, cheaper and you don't have to leave your patente behind to potentially be lost.

I had an IDP for my US license, but I found, when I drove in other countries, and yes, was stopped just out of curiosity of the officer, I just showed them my US license and they didn't care to see the IDP. I am guessing that in the States, if I show the expired US one, with the valid Italian one, as I am on the way to renew the US one, I should be fine.

I was thinking, even despite all the money and studying and such for this Italian patente, I am actually glad that Italy does not honor US licenses being turned in like they do with other countries, even countries that don't have the same language, figure that one out!
I am glad because in this way, we are able to keep both our US and Italian licenses ultimately. Just like the double passport.
I would have been sort of hesitant to turn in my US license. And to get it back in the States, you would have to turn in the Italian one. Yuck.

Well, so, did anyone ever go the Motorizzazione route for the IDP/certificate that Rita was mentioning above?

I'll most likely try it if I feel up to it and will let the forum know.

Ciao!

quote:

I am guessing that in the States, if I show the expired US one, with the valid Italian one, as I am on the way to renew the US one, I should be fine.

Just don't try this in Georgia. Remember the Canadian lady who was jailed overnight (maybe longer) for some minor traffic infraction?

Two helpful links:

http://www.aci.it/index.php?id=440

http://www.infrastrutturetrasporti.it/page/standard/site.php?p=cm&o=vd&id=2037

Total of 38,24€ doing it at the Motorizzazione.

modTT746.pdf (34 Kb, 0 downloads) Mod TT 746

Question, does anyone know if an international drivers license is requried in the US or not. A few Italians we know have gone to the states on vacation recently and none of them as far as I know got one. They just assumed they could use their Italian license.

If you don't have a US address it might be useful to have one, you can do this by going to one of the private mailbox rental places. We use the UPS store, they also forward our mail as it collects to us in Italy only charging for the cost of the mail.

quote:

Question, does anyone know if an international drivers license is requried in the US or not.

Yes. See http://expattalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/8580080744/...220063705#4220063705

If you want to save money forget the IDL from Italy and just have a relative or friend bring you to the MVD to renew your US license.

Oh sure thing, based on the scenario given, that's the most logical. But the catch is that, can't really depend on someone being around.
But yeah, could use the almost $55 for other things, like gee, license renewal. Should really set something up for someone to drive me. It's kind of a long distanct too.
If it happens that no one is around, just then have to risk the drive solo.
Oh wait, probably can bus it.

PS, Gil, received the patente just recently in case you might have missed the other recent thread I started. It was actually only 2 months time from beginning the driving school.

Well anyway.

Pardon for exhuming an old thread but my wife is back in the States and is trying to get an Alabama license today. She previously had a New Mexico license. We were thinking about the next renewal, and she visits Alabama to see family- no connection to New Mexico anymore, so she decided to switch. At first we thought we could renew by mail as we used to in the military, but the states appear to have tightened up on these- only for military abroad, or if you have a letter from an employer abroad.

As for the ACI international license, I saw where Rita was able to use it to rent a car in the US with some finagling. Does anyone else have experience using it to rent a car in US? Just wondering how common it is to have problems with the ACI IDP.

When I rented a car in the US in 2006, I was asked to show my license and since my CA state license expired I used my Italian license and the clerk immediately asked for my IDP. I pulled it out and he was happy. He called it an IDP by the way so they are on the same page.

Somewhere on the forum (or maybe it is on SlowTalk) explaining in detail about getting the IDP (the next American who complains about spending 15$ and spending 5 minutes to do it in the U.S: should be klunked over the head with a tennis racket!)

Thanks Cristina! The rental car was the only niggling worry I still had about the IDP. Getting that would save me a trip back to Alabama to renew. Even if I can get a free hop for the trans-atlantic leg, getting from Philly to Birmingham would cost me.

Oh, I found this explanation on getting a Patente Internazionale from the Motorizzazione Civile:
http://www.motorizzazionevercelli.191.it/Patente_internazionale.htm

Bill, here is my post from SlowTalk explaining what I needed to do IDP for the U.S.

Thanks again Cristina!

How long is the International Permit valid for? If I remember correctly, when I got one for my US driver's license it was only good for several months. It would be nice if the one you get here would cover several US trips. I go back several times a year. In February I will take my first trip back with my Italian driver's license.

Another question on driving in the US with your US driver's license when you are no longer a US resident: If you were to get in an accident, do you think it is possible that the insurance would not cover you saying you are using a US driver's license under false pretenses? That has always been my concern/fear in keeping my US license current and using it when I am there.

Monica