Papers for Taking a Car Abroad

If you fancy the freedom of being able to drive your car abroad then there are a few things you need to consider before you set off. Driving your car or a rental car abroad requires you to have all of the paperwork in order before you go. The paperwork you require can vary from country to country but below is some general advice to help you get things organised. The first thing that you need to remember is your driving licence.

Only drivers will a full licence can drive cars abroad. Provisional licence drivers should wait until they have passed their test and are very comfortable with the roads before attempting to drive abroad. Your full driving licence is both the paper part and the photo card if you have one. Some countries will also require you to have an international driving permit. Not all countries specify that this is essential but some do, so please check before you go. You can apply for an international drivers permit up to three months before you go and it is valid for twelve months. It is also a good idea to keep your passport on you when driving too in case you a requested to show it.

If you are planning on taking your own car abroad then you should ensure that the V5 registration document is in the car before you leave. If you are taking a rental car abroad then you should request a copy of the original V5 registration document If this is not possible then you can use a Vehicle on Hire Certificate which is the only legal document which will be accepted instead of the V5. In addition with rental cars you should get a letter from the owner authorizing you to drive the car abroad. You also need to contact your motor insurance providers to discuss your cover whilst driving in a foreign country.

You will need to obtain an insurance green card, which may or may not already be including in your insurance policy. A green card gives you insurance cover whilst travelling abroad for a certain period of time. You need to let your motor insurance company know the dates of travel and ensure that they do not exceed the period that you are covered for. You may also wish to organise breakdown cover for the countries that you will be travelling through. Whilst this is not compulsory it could be very costly if you break down in abroad and are not covered.

The items covered above are important to have in the car with you at all times whilst driving in a foreign land, however there may be other pieces of paperwork that are required that are not listed here. You should check the specific country details before you leave or you could risk getting a big fine if you have missed something out. Overall driving in a different country should not be a difficult thing to do, however if it is worth making sure that you are prepared before you go with all the papers that you need.

Leave a comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website