Interesting.

But what I can't see, is what the document permits or licenses you to drive. So it is in effect not a licence IMO.

Note I have used both spellings and the word permit here, which is where all the differences come in.

From mine (and others) perspective there appears to be an IDP (International Drivers Permit). This acts as a translation for the licence you carry from your home nation.

What you appear to have is something that was mentioned in the trhead about an inter-american license/permit whereby there is a secondary agreement between all those countries.

Had a google, as you do, and the AAA would appear to only list an IDP on its site.

Wikipedia, yes I know is not always 100% right, quotes the "Regulation inter-american automotive traffic" I can see in your picture ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intern...Driving_Permit )

So, IMO. It is all just semantics, and for some reason the inter-american IDP has for some reason got the word "license" and not "permit" on it

As license means to give permission I believe it is a left over from the 1943 agreement it is based upon.

Page 17 International Driving License
 

BruceP,
since the discussion was centered around the legal existence or non existence of an International Driving License. I did not photograph all pages of the document. Here I present page 17 indicating the vehicles/moto I am authorized to drive.

All one has to do is check the various Embassy web sites or South American car rental agencies to discover the need for an International Driving License or an International driving Permit to accompany your valid State of the USA or country driving license. This topic is covered on TripAdvisor in detail.

In Buenos Aires for example it was explained to me by the federal police that my Arizona driving license with motorcycle endorsement was fine for driving in the Province of Buenos Aires, but anywhere else in the country requires a standard State driving license for one of the 50 states of the USA or a standard country license plus and International driving License or International Driving Permit.

Each country posts driving license requirements for tourists on their web site. Most South American countries require an International driving License as I have posted this thread plus a standard State (US) or country driving license.

Page 17 International driving License photo3071 allows me to drive car and Moto

I also have a valid International Driving Permit Photo7073

but it is not valid in some South American countries as demonstrated by photo7074
which presents the list of countries where the International driving Permit
is valid.

The International Driving Permit also allows me to drive cars and motorcycles.

chris, you certainly have a distain for South American police. Do you feel that way about all South Americans? After all, the police are people too.

As a final note to chris , your altering of your driving license releases any motorcycle/vehicle insurance you might have from covering your potential liabilities - as all insurance is prefaced upon the insured having a valid driving license. And, believe me they will request your driving license and check its' authenticity before paying any claim. If your are not properly licensed, your insurance company will not bail yo out of jail and you will be charged with an offense. What does photo shop have to do with driver licenses, you are not suggesting fraud are you?

In most South American countries- as indicated on their Embassy web sites, you also need a valid International Driving License or an International Driving Permit. Once you have presented your valid State or country license to the agency (like AAA in the USA) that issues your International Driving License (valid for 1 year only) it can be renewed by mail - by sending photos and current copy of your present State or country driving license.

I finally applied for and passed the test for an Argentine driving License that is good throughout Argentina without an additional International Driving License.

Remember, neither the International Driving License - commonly called the Pan American License nor the International Driving Permit are valid without an accompanying State or country driving license.

xfiltrate eat , drink and don't photoshop your documents

Geeeezz xfiltrate - you are arguing against your own argument.

Why would a license need the backing of a proper license . The obvious answer is that it isn't really a proper license, but merely a certified translation of a proper legal license.

AND just because you got through a particular border twenty times doesn't mean that everyone will get through. I didn't. End of argument.

Also, for you as an acclaimed stickler for obeying all relevant laws to be essentially saying it is OK to drive without a valid license in your possession seems a bit out of character, especially when it is only petty semantics you are relying on to prove a point. Pan American License is just an irrelevant diversion even if the OP could even get hold of one. Regardless of how it was expressed, the actual scenario of no official license and only an international driving PERMIT isn't going to work in all cases and all situations.
DO NO HARM.

Not a "stand alone" document
 

Tony Lee, please read my posts, this thread I never argued that the International Driving License - which you claimed to be the product of a scam or the International Permit were "stand alone" documents.

Perhaps the problem is you did not understand what I meant by "stand alone document". What that means in this context is to be valid the IDL or IDP must be accompanied by a standard license.

I never claimed in this thread or anywhere else that the IDL or IDP were valid on their own without an accompanying standard driving license. If you believe I did please put my quote in your next post, so I can see it.

Can you not at least acknowledge the legal existence of the IDL and the IDP that one or the other is a requirement for driving in many South American countries? Seems you are avoiding your original argument. I presented photos of my International Driving License and documented that I purchased it through the American Automobile Association in Arizona. And theft my IDL was not a scam as indicated by you.

What I suggested to the man from Belgium who lost his standard driving license, was to contact the issuing office of his International Driving License and request a photocopy of his standard license - as that was required to obtain the IDL.
And use the printed out copy until the replacement of his standard license arrives from Belgium.

And, I further suggested that with a copy of his standard driving license and his IDL he might get through the border even if asked for a DL, which I was not on 4 occasions.

xfiltrate

My sincere and humble apologies for not differentiating the difference between and IDL and an IDP. The main reason is that I clearly smile a lot and thought they were one and the same.

I never showed the following licence/permit, but thought the image would be helpful in some way. Interestingly licence can also be spelt license.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7c42854dd4.jpg

The first time you mention my name: wtf!

The second time you mention my name: As I'm sure you read everything that everyone writes very closely, I'm sure you spotted that I wrote I carry a real up to date current drivers licence/license/permit, so your line of discussion is futile.

Having a copy/doctored document to give to a corrupt polisman in South America or anywhere (I've shown these documents to dubious looking "officials" in Russia/Central Asia and Africa too) and when they wanted to "confiscate" said document for "crimes committed" until a "fine" is paid, they were "disappointed" when I told them they could keep them. Admittedly I didn't say "I have plenty more where they came from".


http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...psf0724876.jpg

Exhibit A: Bent copper with nice hat. On road between Almaty and Kyrgyzstan border, Kazakhstan, summer 2012

I think I met him ......
:-)

Wow, so you managed to get both an IDL and IDP ? Sounds like you wasted your money on at least one of them.

What would be of interest though, is if you can explain why if we all go to the AAA site we see IDP listed, but *not* IDL.

I accept these are two separate documents, but am curious as to why only the IDP seems to be available.

I am also curious as to why when most of the world was knocking seven shades of sh1t out of each other in 1943 that someone thought ti was a good idea to go and negotiate a drinving permi^H^H^H^H licence^H^Hse with a bunch of South America countires.

BruceP, thanks for your questions.

Early on I made it quite clear that neither the IDP or the IDL were stand alone documents. Neither cost me a cent because I am a Premier member, and have been for many years, of the AAA and receive both IDP and IDL for no charge - including the photos being taken at the AAA office.

As to your question why on the AAA web site IDP is listed , but not IDL - my best guess would be just as demonstrated by various posts here, there might be a misleading conclusion as to the meaning of the word "License" after the words "International Driving." Some might consider it is a "License" complete without the need to be accompanied by a Driving license issued by a State of the United States or a country. Therefore, there has probably been a sea change regarding the use of the word "License". I certainly never made that mistake, for it was explained to me years ago that a valid State of country license had to accompy the IDP or IDL. Various embassies still request IDL along with another valid driving license already explained here and in my previous posts this thread.

To respond to your WWII question, the Axis powers were making in roads into South America, especially the Germans, and the Allies might have been trying to strengthen relationships with South American neighbors. Maybe, all our spies in South America needed driving licenses for insurance purposes? Who Knows?

xfiltrate