You would have to be named on their policy in order to be insured.

 

What about open driving? Anyone over 25 with a full license is covered?

 

QUOTE (Trevor @ May 22 2008, 01:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What about open driving? Anyone over 25 with a full license is covered?
This is what I was thinking of...I am well over 25 and have a full license...just not a full Irish license.

 

Could you get an international licence ? A few years back I got one to drive in US on holiday, all I had to do was call into AA in town with Irish licence and they issued me an inernational version valid for a few years ( I think ) over the counter. Only cost a few Euro - might be woth looking into as it is just the reverse of what I did.

 

I have just being to the tax office and picked up a form for exchange of driving licence. A D900 form.

And it says - the only people to exchange a licence is a person holding a recognised driving licence - a recognised driving licence is a driving licence issued in a member state of the European Union or of the Europen Economic Arera, or a State declare to be a "recognised state" under the road traffic (licensing of drivers) regulations, 1999. (below)

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/plweb-cgi/f...amp;setCookie=1

I think on the driving over here with a US licence is a grey area - neither illegal or totaly legal?? might be up to individual guards and insurance companies.

Someone on here might know more?

 

QUOTE (80sfan @ May 22 2008, 03:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Could you get an international licence ? A few years back I got one to drive in US on holiday, all I had to do was call into AA in town with Irish licence and they issued me an inernational version valid for a few years ( I think ) over the counter. Only cost a few Euro - might be woth looking into as it is just the reverse of what I did.
The international license does me no good here in ireland unfortunately.

here is the bit on this from the govt website:
If you are not from any of the above countries, (for example, if you are from Canada, the United States or New Zealand), and you hold a national driving licence or an international driving permit from your own country, you may drive in Ireland for the duration of your temporary visit (up to 12 months).

An 'international driving permit' means a valid and property completed international driving permit issued to a visitor under the Convention of 1949 by a competent authority of the State in which you normally reside.

If your stay in Ireland will be more than 12 months and you are not from one of the listed recognised countries/States, you can apply for a driving licence in Ireland. You must first you must complete a driver theory test, apply for a learner driving permit and complete your driving test in Ireland. If you pass your driving test, you will be issued with a full driving licence for use in Ireland.

so basically it looks liek I am legal....but still nto sure of the insuracne implications

 

Sorry to pull away from the original question, but on that note, if I wanted to drive in the US legally I can just get an 'International License'???

Or do I have to apply for the driving test over there anyway?

 

Trevor may be correct on the open drive policy. Its no harm to call the insurance company in question and ask them. Your mate would have to have an open drive policy on the vehicle too of course. I know quite a few americans working with me here and most insurance companys they tried to get insured with here insisted on them completing a driving test first. I don't think they have much faith in you guys since most yanks dont like "stick shift" lol

 

As far as i know my UK licence will cover me in the US I was going to get an International drivers permit and was told "you dont need one"
By the dept of foreign affairs here in ireland and was asking about driving on a UK licence too ans also told no problem
I am landing into JFK international on sunday afternoon and picking a mustang up

I love RWD fun

 

QUOTE (daveb @ May 22 2008, 04:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Trevor may be correct on the open drive policy. Its no harm to call the insurance company in question and ask them. Your mate would have to have an open drive policy on the vehicle too of course. I know quote a few americans working with me here and most insurance companys they tried to get insured with her insisted on them completing a driving test first. I don't think they have much faith in you guys since most yanks dont like "stick shift" lol

Yeah the whole manual transmission thing is idiotic....I learned on a manual and have driven around 500,000 miles in manual cars....but in order to drive here I have to get a whole new license kinda crazy....for your co-workers who want to get a car and insurqnce here GEICO that american company offers international insurance in Ireland and it is less expensive than Irish insurance as well...I will probably go that route if I ever have enough cash to actually buy a car.

 

QUOTE (alphaLaura @ May 22 2008, 04:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Sorry to pull away from the original question, but on that note, if I wanted to drive in the US legally I can just get an 'International License'???

Or do I have to apply for the driving test over there anyway?

Yeah you can just get an international license....and if you are there permanently you can probably convert your irish license without retesting....but if you have to retest it only takes a few weeks at msot to schedule a test and the written test is easy as hell.

 

I think Florida state law says I can drive for 30 days on my Irish license but after that I have to apply for the test. Whoohoo new license!

 

My experience was that no insurance company will recognise the US licence for insurance purpose - even temporarily. You can rent a car no problem - treat you like a tourist. Why they won't recognise the licence is beyond me - but there isn't really any practical alternative - avoid the get it quick schemes on the internet - wholly illegal.

Thought the 6 months was well reduced. Maybe not.

 

QUOTE (alphaLaura @ May 23 2008, 04:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think Florida state law says I can drive for 30 days on my Irish license but after that I have to apply for the test. Whoohoo new license!

Are you living there? Or on a temp visa of some sort? My cousin had a student summer visa for working there - was told that could drive on her Irish licence until visa expired. Check with DMV - they'll sort you.

PS - When I last lived there (2000) you just came ready for the test - perhaps now they book appointments - shouldn't be any backlog like here.

 

I'll be there for a month this year (but we own an apt there - I'm a frequent visitor lets say). I'll just be on a holiday visa so maybe I don't need to take the test at all... I'll ask when I get there! Yeah, my aunt (who lives there 1/2 the year) said you can just queue for the test in the morning and have it by afternoon!