Do I need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Italy with my Brazilian driver's license?
If you are planning a trip to Italy and considering renting a car, it is essential to ensure you have all the necessary documents. However, the rules can seem a little confusing.
For example, the Consulate General of Brazil in Rome states that travelers “must obtain an International Driving Permit before leaving Brazil”. However, it also informs that “tourists can also use their valid Brazilian driver's license if accompanied by a sworn translation into Italian”.
So what do you really need?
According to Italy's official rules, Brazilian citizens (and other visitors from outside the European Union) essentially have two options. “Unless your national driving license was issued by an EU/EFTA member state, it must be accompanied either by an International Driving Permit, to be obtained before departure, or by a sworn translation into Italian,” according to information provided in English by the ACI Automobile Association (Automobile Club of Italy).
You may have heard that travelers don't need to worry about obtaining any of these documents for a trip to Italy, and some people will say that they have driven on Italian roads many times without being asked to show a PID.
However, not having the necessary document when requested can be problematic and expensive. Car rental companies may ask you to present both your Brazilian driver's license and your PID when collecting the vehicle.
Most importantly, if you are stopped by the police in Italy (it is not necessary to be committing an offence; random roadside checks are common) or are involved in a car accident and do not have the PID when requested, you may receive a fine of up to 1.634 euros (approximately R$9.836), and the vehicle may be seized and detained for up to 3 months.
Experiences can vary greatly depending on where you are in Italy, as the police in each Italian region or city tend to have different priorities and often interpret and enforce rules differently.
Regarding the cost of the PID, it is established by the Detran of each state in Brazil, ranging from R$80 to more than R$400. To obtain more accurate information, it is recommended to consult the Detran responsible for issuing your CNH.
A Brazilian driver's license is valid in Italy for one year from the date of arrival in the country, as recorded in the passport.
As for the documentation required to obtain the PID, you will need:
- Identification document with nationality registration (copy and original).
- Proof of payment of the service fee (DUDA), which varies from 70 to 600 reais, depending on the state (copy and original).
- Copy and original of a passport valid for at least six months, only if the destination country requires the passport as a prerequisite.
Issuance of the PID is relatively quick, normally taking ten days after the request. It is valid for 3 years and is accepted in more than 100 countries. Furthermore, the document's information is written in nine languages: Portuguese, German, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, English, Japanese and Russian.
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