Do I need an international driving permit to rent a car in Ireland?
For most visitors, no. A full licence in English, from the US, Canada, the UK or the EU, is accepted for visits of up to twelve months, and rental desks rent on it every day. An International Driving Permit is a translation booklet, not a licence: you need one alongside your licence if the licence itself is not in English. The Road Safety Authority's guidance treats licences from outside the EU cautiously, so a permit from home is cheap insurance against a strict desk. AAA issues them in the US. Bring the licence itself regardless: a permit on its own is worth nothing, and a photograph of a licence is not a licence.
Useful pages: Driving in Ireland: the full guide · An Ireland road trip · Dublin · County Kerry · Scenic drives in Ireland · Killarney · Healthcare and emergencies · Plan your journey · Northern Ireland
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