International Drivers Permit vs. Inter American Permit

[cruthas]

I was wondering if anyone new anything about the International Drivers Permit and the restrictions of in it South America. I did some research and Brazil and Paraguay don't except the IDP only th IAP. If that is the case then I would like to get the Inter American Permit. Any advice would be great.
Thanks

[Dessertstrom]

I have a current IDP issued in Saudi Arabia and it lists Brazil and Paraguay in the list of contracting states. It is not valid in the GCC countries around Saudi .
I think the IDP is not valid in the country of origin which might mean America and South America for you.
Cheers
Ian

[cruthas]

On the AAA IDP sheet I filed on there is a list of countries on the back, Uraguay and Brazil both have messages next to their name and say
(Inter American Driving Permit Only) This worries me some because I would like to moto through both of the countries. Anyone else have any info?

[gatogato]

For Paraguay, I do not think it will matter. I traveled there earlier this year. I had to obtain a tourist visa from the Paraguayan Embassy in Buenos Aires and I do not even think they asked to see my DL.

I have never been to Brazil but I think if you are very unlucky you might run into a customs agent who turns you back because of your DL. Even if that happened you could just go to a more remote crossing and get through.

I am 99% sure that you will not have problems.

BTW: I also made it to Uruguay with a U.S. DL.

[Frank Warner]

The International Drivers Permit (IDP) is simply a translated copy of your drivers licence... it is not itself a licence.

[Wanderer_1]

You dont need a IDP to drive in Brasil. There was a Law of recprocity passed a couple of years ago.

Here is the actual web site where you can find the law and do a Google Translation:

DENATRAN - Departamento Nacional de Trânsito

Principle of Reciprocity:

Angola, Argélia, Austrália, Canadá, Cabo Verde, Cingapura, Colômbia, Coréia do Sul, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Equador, Estados Unidos, Gabão, Gana, Guatemala, Guiné-bissau, Haiti, Holanda, Honduras, Indonésia, Líbia, México, Namíbia, Nicarágua, Nova Zelândia, Panamá, Portugal, Reino Unido (Inglaterra, Irlanda do Norte, Escócia e País de Gales), República Dominicana, São Tomé e Príncipe e Venezuela. Angola, Algeria, Australia, Canada, Cape Verde, Singapore, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, United States, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Holland, Honduras, Indonesia, Libya, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Portugal, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Dominican Republic, Sao Tome and Principe and Venezuela.


RESOLUÇÃO Nº 193, DE 26 DE MAIO DE 2006

Dispõe sobre a Regulamentação do Candidato ou Condutor Estrangeiro

O CONSELHO NACIONAL DE TRÂNSITO – CONTRAN, no uso das atribuições que lhe são conferidas pelo Art. 12, inciso I, da Lei nº 9.503, de 23 de setembro de 1997, que instituiu o Código de Trânsito Brasileiro e, conforme o Decreto nº 4.711, de 29 de maio de 2003, que dispõe sobre a coordenação do Sistema Nacional de Trânsito e,

Hope this helps.. I do suggest that you download and print a copy in Portuguese as not all Brazilian Police are aware of this reciprocity.

[cruthas]

Great,
Thanks a lot for the information. This will be very helpful.

[simongandolfi]

I don't recall any border official asking to see my driving license in 45,000 Ks through the US, Central and South America (BLOG at home ). Cops did a couple of times. A standard UK license worked fine.

[cruthas]

It is not a license it is an International Driving Permit and you are required to show it when you cross borders. I am just interested in knowing if It madatory to a IDP or IAP in order to enter Brazil and Uruguay.

[Wanderer_1]

The short answer is NO. Your license from your country of origin and ownership documents is all that is required to drive / ride in Brasil or Uruguay.

That is provided you have passport / visa and temporary import permits.

[simongandolfi]

I have read in guide books the necessity for an IDP. I rode from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego and back to New York and was never asked for an IDP.
In fact I had my pocket picked in Salta and lost my Brit/EU driving permit and had no problems at any frontier nor with traffic police.

[stickfigure]

This is not an "either-or" question, get both. Ideally a couple copies of each.

Sometimes the local cops will pull you over and threaten to keep your license until you take care of the fine (often involving a long ride to a distant major city - all the better to scare you into paying the mortida). This happened to me yesterday in Panama. Having multiple IDPs means that you can just say "ok", let them keep the $10 piece of paper, and ride on.

I called the guy's bluff just as I usually do ("ok, give me a ticket!") and he just gave me my license back and sent me on my way. If he had kept my license and given me the ticket... I wouldn't have cared.

Jeff

[cruthas]

Thats what I am going to do. I will get both to play it safe and make several copies of each. Thanks for the information. Now all I need a some information on maps and which maps to buy? Does each country have their own road maps that are accurate?

[stickfigure]

Originally Posted by cruthas

Thats what I am going to do. I will get both to play it safe and make several copies of each. Thanks for the information. Now all I need a some information on maps and which maps to buy? Does each country have their own road maps that are accurate?

You don't need copies of both; make copies of {IDP,Passport,title} because nearly every border wants them. They'll want to see the originals too.

I just discovered the Wanderlust Worldmaps from Smellybiker's Wanderlust Worldmap • Index page and highly recommend them for your GPS. They've been great in Central America, I can't believe I didn't have them on the way down.

Jeff