You should check with each European country that you plan to drive in to find out what their requirements are regarding the documents you must carry with you when operating a vehicle. Generally a valid US driver's license and an international driving permit (IDP) are what is needed but this can vary by country, as can minimum age requirements, so check with the countries you are going to visit. Most have tourist websites set up or an Embassy site on which you can read about their requirements for driving in that country.

For example you mentioned Barcelona, Spain and Switzerland as two places in Europe you would like to drive while in Europe. Here is what information we have found about driving in these areas with a US license.

The US Embassy stated that US citizens visiting Spain who want to drive in Spain must obtain an international driving permit (IDP) prior to their arrival in Spain. An international driving permit translates your state issued driver’s license into 10 languages (including Spanish) so you can show it to officials in foreign countries to help them interpret your driver’s license. The IDP is not valid by itself and must be carried with your valid State driver’s license.

The Embassy also states that US citizens who are residents of Spain must obtain a valid Spanish driver’s license. At this time, there is no agreement between the United States and Spain for the validation of a U.S. driver’s license; therefore, holders of a U.S. license must attend a Spanish driving school and take the Spanish exam. You can find more information on the Spanish Minister of the Interior’s website. It would not appear this information would pertain to you since you are only planning to drive in Barcelona, Spain during the time you are there for a business trip.

The minimum age to drive in Spain is 18 and 21 to rent a car. From what we have read most rental car companies will require that you have held a valid driver's license for minimum of 2 years. You also will need to find out about other country specific laws such as in Spain, and some other European countries, you are required to carry reflective (fluorescent) safety jackets for every person in the vehicle. In the event of breakdown, emergency or stopping for any other situation, the safety jacket must be worn by the driver before getting out of the vehicle. The jacket must conform to EU Regulations.

The US Embassy for Switzerland notes that you may drive in Switzerland with your valid U.S. license for up to one year after your arrival; then you must obtain a Swiss permit. Swiss driver's licenses are only issued on the basis of valid US licenses. The minimum age for driving or learning to drive is 18. To rent a car, you must be at least 20 years old and have held your license for 1 year.

Liability insurance on motor vehicles is compulsory in Switzerland and must be provided by a Swiss insurance company which if you rent a vehicle there you normally can obtain from the rental agency. Highways in Switzerland require a toll sticker, a rental car may already have this attached to it otherwise you must buy it or may receive a fine.

It would be advised to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) before traveling to Europe and keep it with your valid driver's license so that you are able to drive in Spain, Switzerland and other European Countries. The IDP is required by some countries and not other but because it is a translation of your license it good to have on hand to show to law enforcement in countries where English is not their primary language.

You can obtain an IDP from the American Automobile Association (AAA) or American Automobile Touring Alliance, the only 2 authorized distributors of IDPs in the US. An IDP is not valid in an individual's county of residence, so you could not use it in place of a valid State license here in the US. Tips on driving abroad mentioned by the US State Department of Travel include:

• Obtain a IDP
• Carry both your IDP and state driver's license with you at all times. Many countries have different driving rules. Try obtaining a copy of the foreign country's rules before driving in their country. You may be able to obtain information from the foreign embassy of the county (i.e. Thailand) or from the foreign government tourism office.
• Check the county's minimum and maximum driving ages.
• Certain countries require road permits, instead of tolls and will fine those driving without a permit.
• Make sure you have liability insurance or other necessary insurance on the vehicle you are driving (renting).

When you return from Europe, give your auto policy a tune-up by getting an auto insurance quote here with us.