Using your driving licence abroad or in other countries




If you intend to drive a vehicle abroad, you need to understand your obligations regarding the documents you may need in addition to your GB driving licence. You may for example also need to obtain an International Driving Permit in order to drive legally in some countries.

What is an International Driving Permit?

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a document that translates the content of your UK driving licence into several languages so that the information it contains can be interpreted correctly by the authorities of the country you visit.

Do I need an International Driving Permit?

This will depend on the country you visit. Your GB driving licence will cover you to drive in the 17 member states of the European Community/European Economic Area (EC/EEA). To find out if you need an IDP for the country you intend to visit you can contact either the embassy of the country concerned, it's tourist board, your hire vehicle provider or a motoring organisation such as the AA or RAC.

To obtain an IDP you will have to be over 18 years of age and have a full GB driving licence. There will be a charge for the IDP (eg. currently £5.50 from the Post Office) and it will be valid for 1 year.

Will I need any other documents when I am driving abroad?

It is always wise to check well in advance with the relevant embassy, tourist board or your hire provider as to what additional documents you may need. Obtaining any travel documents can sometimes take several weeks and it is wise to check well in advance.

If you have had a car accident and would like some free help and advice please call us on 02392 484 244 and one of our UK based advisors will be happy to help.


No need to claim on your insurance

Anyone who has been involved in a road accident has the right to choose who repairs their vehicle. If you were responsible for the accident you were involved in, the company that insures your vehicle would normally deal with your accident claim.

However if you were not at-fault for the accident, you can choose to either claim on your own insurance policy or make a claim independently of your insurer. To find out more call 02392 484 244 and we will be happy to help.

We and our partners help thousands of people make independent accident claims. Our service enables motorists to get the help and assistance they need to resolve their accident related issues, with the costs being recovered directly from the at-fault driver on your behalf.

No excess to pay

Unfortunately even if an accident was not your fault, your insurer will almost certainly require you to pay your excess before any repair is started on your car.

This money should of course be recovered by an insurer at a later date, but with our service - you do not have to pay it at all.

By using our independent claims service, you are not making a claim on your insurance policy and so you will have no excess to pay.

Receive a comparable replacement hire vehicle

Not all insurance policies will include a replacement hire-car for you to use if yours is damaged and unroadworthy. In fact it is typically an 'optional extra' on your policy.

Other policies may offer a 'courtesy car' but this is often just a 'basic' saloon or hatchback which may not be suitable for your needs.

Car Call and its partners will provide a comparable replacement vehicle as part of our service. This means we will endeavour to supply a hire-vehicle that similar to your own in terms of its type, make and engine size.

So whether you drive a small hatchback or a prestige sports car, we will look to provide a similar hire-vehicle that suits your needs.

Manufacturer approved vehicle repairs

If you have been involved in a car accident, the last thing you want to have to worry about is the quality of the repairs to your car. We have a UK wide network of partner approved Accident Repair Centres available to all of our customers.

Many of our accident repair centres are have manufacturer approvals for specific brands, so if you require a manufacturer approved repair centre, simply tell your personal claim handler and they will ensure your vehicle goes to an approved repairer.

Want you vehicle repaired by a specific garage? No problem, we can alternatively use a repairer that you specify.

Legal Assistance

Our partner solicitors provide legal assistance as part of our service. They specialise in motor claims related issues, so you can be assured of the best possible advice and assistance.

They issues they can assist you with include:

  • Recovery of the cost of the replacement hire-vehicle
  • Recovery of the cost of uplifting your damaged vehicle
  • Recovery of all repair costs
  • Recovery of the cost of damaged of personal items
  • Seeking financial compensation for an injury