Going to Florida? Read this!

[ajm1961]

Starting January 1, 2013, non-residents must have an International Driver's License to drive in Florida! And the only place to get one is from the CAA at a cost of $25 plus photos! Apparently the reason for this is to ensure the license is in English - so I guess an Ontario license is illegible?! Smells like a rip off to me... (or a badly decaying Mouse...)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/14/florida-license.html

[SWFan]

I just got back from Florida two weeks ago, and used my Ontario driver's license to rent a car. So not sure how much they are actually enforcing this.

[az]

every little bit to balance budget...why not

some do stay there for a long time though, wait till they ask you to change plates too.

[ajm1961]

I just got back from Florida two weeks ago, and used my Ontario driver's license to rent a car. So not sure how much they are actually enforcing this.

That's good to know - maybe there's a transition phase - this really wasn't well advertised. We didn't see it on any of the travel sites, and our booking agent didn't mention it either.

[Stussi613]

Here an update...

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/florida-won-t-immediately-enforce-international-driver-s-licence-rule-officials-1.1156483

[Greatwhite]

My wife's parents bought a condo down there this year.. They've been down since October.... Hopefully they get arrested for driving illegally.  I don't think I'll be forwarding this news down to them.  mouah ha ha ha

[Stussi613]

My wife's parents bought a condo down there this year.. They've been down since October.... Hopefully they get arrested for driving illegally.  I don't think I'll be forwarding this news down to them.  mouah ha ha ha

lmao!

[sas]

Oh my gosh thanks for the laugh, needed that.

[charlie]

Oh my gosh thanks for the laugh, needed that.

X2 - much needed

[Nerine]

hahahaha too funny

But on a serious note...wow...don't they WANT people to come down there and spend tons of cash?? but I guess if you are there for a long period of time you should get a license!  I know that they do that in other states if you are driving for a certain period of time ...

[Greatwhite]

Speaking as someone who has driven in Florida before - I suspect that this whole thing started with a "young" person with political ties getting fed up at the old farts driving down there.  There's a lot of "snow birds" and perhaps this is a way to TRY to get most of them off the road.

It really is ridiculous down there.  People are SO SLOWWW to react to a green light at an intersection that they have made the lights about 3x longer than they are up here.  But that's not enough still, as you only ever get 2 or 3 cars through the intersection at a time. 

These snowbirds are not spending tons of cash either.  They are going to dinner at happy hours when food is free with the purchase of a drink.  My inlaws have a set of restaurants they cycle through because every night has a different special somewhere else.  I think in a week, they spend $40 on restaurants, and that's 5 dinners for 2.... (they eat at home 2 nights)

Yes, there are young families going down still... And yes, they spend a lot of money -- but there's far more old farts ALL WINTER...

[Nerine]

wow...I want to do that I'd love to eat dinner free when you buy a drink!!!!

[ajm1961]

I'm not sure driving in Ottawa is any better... people routinely driving on the left hand lane not passing anyone, people texting while driving  not following the flow of traffic or leaving way too much car space in front of them, people making illegal turns into roundabouts...
and to say this become worse as we all become old farts?!

ARGHHHH....

In the meantime Florida, deal with my Ontario driver's license - it's in English... eh?

[Nerine]

Yeahhh driving in Ottawa is just as bad I was at the St Laurent mall last week, and in the LEFT turn lane. while the car next to me was in the RIGHT turn lane, she decided to turn left as I was going. I laid on the horn...she swerved right then SWERVED BACK INTO ME!! AHHHH I kept honking and gave her the SERIOUSLY? gesture (not a bad one just an AHH WHY!)

and yeah my license is also in english...I just saw on the news they aren't enforcing it...

[markw]

I was just there Wednesday, and rented a car...no problem. I do really think it will be relaxed or exempted for Canadians eventually. But again, without getting political here...when Quebec refuses to display any English on their licence, it is difficult for authorities anywhere outside of Canada to realize what it is. I remember, several years ago, when we lived in Quebec, I was almost refused a rental car in one of the southern states( not Florida), because the agent couldn't confirm it was even a drivers licence I presented. It might has well been my health care card, because if you don't know any French, how can you tell. Even most European countries, and now the E.U. Have some English on their licences. They can't delineate the new law in Florida to isolate Quebec, so they just label any foreign visitor.

[lucius]

I just got my Ontario license renewed and it's bilingual.  

Personally, since there's no road test involved, I would not have any problems getting an International Driver's License.

http://www.caa.ca/travel-documents/idp/

[markw]

If Quebec has done that, then that is a positive step. Never did make much sense before.
Thanks for passing that on.

[lucius]

If Quebec has done that, then that is a positive step. Never did make much sense before.
Thanks for passing that on.

Sorry, I should clarify that it's an Ontario license.

[dpatte]

It turns out that it was another sign of typical American provincialism - they 'forgot about' Canada when they passed the law.

Looks like they are now considering changing it, now that someone down there remembered that Canada is the largest supplier of foreign tourists to Florida.