Thought I'd contribute, again as with others above, my experiences mean jack. It's just that I've travelled though multiple borders in South America many times in the past year; all the way from Ushuaia to Santa Marta. I was never asked for any drivers licence at any borders, ever.

When stopped in country (very rarely: being on a bike you can hide behind large vehicles and it's easy to avoid eye contact when riding in the ditch/on the verge when undertaking stationary traffic being hassled by el commandante importante = fat bloke in a uniform fishing for a bribe = justifying his existence on the planet = increasing the hole in the ozone layer through his flatulence).

The one or twice I was stopped, I either did the usual no fumar espanol or showed him my colour photocopy of my expired drivers licence (laminated) or expired actual drivers license. On one occasion the matey actually had 2 brain cells to rub together and spotted that date on licence was prior to the actually date. I did have a new real current DL that I was able to flash at said copper.

I also carried a real international DL, albeit one that had expired (Uk ones only valid for 1 year) and had been (by magic?) extended with a biro squiggle and a stamp (from my local library? From when I last climbed the Eiffel Tower?), but it was never available as it doesn't fit in my mugger wallet in my jacket pocket and stuffed if I was getting off by bike in order to access my important documents, hidden on my person, just to satisfy some plod.

Summary to the OP:
1. Don't sweat it
2. Don't stop at road blocks
3. Learn how to use photo editing software
4. If 1 to 3 above fail, use bs or revert to the dumb gringo No fumar espanol. Remember to smile profusely. If you do, they think you really are stupido.

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TBS.com

All very good, but you just muddied the water again by calling the IDP and IDL :-)

And the difference between "permit" and "licence" appears to be the root of the argument/discussion.

But yes, I echo all your points and the OP should not sweat it. We were never asked for our licence or IDP at borders from CA to SA.

The only times we had to produce our licences was at police stops, and buying insurance.

In Chile I happily showed the real one to police as they are

a) not stupid
b) not corrupt

Everywhere else it was a copy.

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

Geeeezz xfiltrate - you are arguing against your own argument.

Why would a license need the backing of a proper license . The obvious answer is that it isn't really a proper license, but merely a certified translation of a proper legal license.

AND just because you got through a particular border twenty times doesn't mean that everyone will get through. I didn't. End of argument.

Also, for you as an acclaimed stickler for obeying all relevant laws to be essentially saying it is OK to drive without a valid license in your possession seems a bit out of character, especially when it is only petty semantics you are relying on to prove a point. Pan American License is just an irrelevant diversion even if the OP could even get hold of one. Regardless of how it was expressed, the actual scenario of no official license and only an international driving PERMIT isn't going to work in all cases and all situations.
DO NO HARM.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

Tony Lee, please read my posts, this thread I never argued that the International Driving License - which you claimed to be the product of a scam or the International Permit were "stand alone" documents.

Perhaps the problem is you did not understand what I meant by "stand alone document". What that means in this context is to be valid the IDL or IDP must be accompanied by a standard license.

I never claimed in this thread or anywhere else that the IDL or IDP were valid on their own without an accompanying standard driving license. If you believe I did please put my quote in your next post, so I can see it.

Can you not at least acknowledge the legal existence of the IDL and the IDP that one or the other is a requirement for driving in many South American countries? Seems you are avoiding your original argument. I presented photos of my International Driving License and documented that I purchased it through the American Automobile Association in Arizona. And theft my IDL was not a scam as indicated by you.

What I suggested to the man from Belgium who lost his standard driving license, was to contact the issuing office of his International Driving License and request a photocopy of his standard license - as that was required to obtain the IDL.
And use the printed out copy until the replacement of his standard license arrives from Belgium.

And, I further suggested that with a copy of his standard driving license and his IDL he might get through the border even if asked for a DL, which I was not on 4 occasions.

xfiltrate

My sincere and humble apologies for not differentiating the difference between and IDL and an IDP. The main reason is that I clearly smile a lot and thought they were one and the same.

I never showed the following licence/permit, but thought the image would be helpful in some way. Interestingly licence can also be spelt license.

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TBS.com