I am confused. When I get my IDP do I ask for a 1926, 1949 or 1968 IDP - the countries I am planning on going to covers the lot or do I get one of each?

The last two I’ve had say 1949 on the front

Did you specify which countries you were going to?

OK, I think I have found an answer on the RAC website that I didn’t see before:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/d...ts-and-brexit/

Whilst the article is looking at the impact of Brexit specifically it seems to be that I may have to get multiple IDPs - hooray, just what I wanted - which have different validity lengths.

When you go in to AAA in the US they issue the 1949 version.

I never knew that I could request anything different and I've never had a police officer reject mine.

.............shu

The only time that I had an IDP was around 25-30 years ago and I really cannot remember what colour / size it was let alone the year on the cover. I wonder if the local post office that issues the IDP will have a clue about the years that can be / have to be requested - perhaps time to play devil’s advocate and pay a call.

When there was the threat of a no deal Brexit last October and I was riding down to Spain through France I went into the local post office and was told I would need 2 IDP’s - the 1968 one is apparently not valid for Spain, and needed a 1949 one as well. That was also confirmed on the .gov.uk website. Last time I needed one was in the late 1970’s but I only remember getting just the one, but I did need a bail bond for Spain.

As far as I am aware now there is a “Brexit deal” till 31st December 2020 our full U.K. licences are still valid to use on their own till then, unless we crash out before hand. I haven’t been stopped or asked for my insurance since 1st of February, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a green card certificate will be needed as well

Good old Brexit

Yoy used to be able to get them in any post office but these days it's only some main offices that do them. My last one covered 2017-18 and then, even at the 'specialist' office, they only had one type - the 1949 one. I need to get another one in the next few weeks and, unless Brexit has changed things, I expect it'll be the same.

I did ask when I got the previous one (covering 2015-16) about the other ones but the post office clerk had ever heard of them. It's the AA that issues them (it's their name printed all over the front of it) so maybe you'd be better asking them about the different types first.

This is the current official advice

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-...u-after-brexit

So we should be ok until 1st January next year, at least regarding driving licences.
I think the 90/180 day rule will cause more problems for extended trips especially if they scan and record U.K. citizens passports on entry/exit as they currently do with 3rd country nationals

Yep, it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

The reason for the different IDPs is that some European countries adopted the treaty concerned earlier than the rest of the world. For my journey through central Asia this year I only need the most recent - 1968 - but if I needed one in Europe it would be a combination of all 3.

Yes, it seems like it's a 49'er for Ireland, Malta, Spain or Cyprus, a 26'er for Liechtenstein and a 68'er for everywhere else in Europe. And your UK licence for Morocco (although it'll be a 68'er if you insist).

Whether you'll be advised to get a kind of 'Midnight Express' bail bond for Spain like in the 'good old days' is something I look forward to finding out as the 'negotiations' progress.

But it is going to be the "easiest trade negotiation ever" *

I never had the bail bond for Spain - what was the deal for that?

* - Copyright David "Two Planks" Davies

Bail bond - Used to be that if you had an accident / fell foul of the law in some other way in Spain they'd throw everyone in jail until it was sorted out. Which, if they had to get replies back from the UK, could take some time. The bail bond was supposed to keep you out of jail. Whether it was necessary or whether it worked or whether it was one of those things, like people selling French alcotesters on the dockside at Dover, pandered to your fear of foreigners I've no idea but it was a regular item on checklists. I have a vague memory it only got scrapped about 10-15yrs ago (which probably equates to still normal practice in some rural backwaters)


I have a book of foot in mouth quotes called "I Wish I Hadn't Said That' which contains the following:

'There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside' - David Davis, Oct 16

'Brexit is easy' - Nigel Farage, Sept 16

'The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history' - Liam Fox, July 17

'The day after we vote to leave the EU, we hold all the cards and we can chose the path we want' - Michael Gove, April 16

They're in good company though:

'You ought to get a day job as you'll never make money doing this' - book editor to J.K. Rowling

'You're going nowhere son, go back to drivin' a truck' - Grand Ole Opry manager to Elvis Presley.

At least they only impoverished themselves though.