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Drive in Belgium with U.S. Driving License?
lets just say.....that everyone that I know drive with their home country drivers license; which none of them are EU members. It doesnt hurt to get one but I know that if they get one here they will have to turn in their US liscence to get an international one and it has to be translated. If they don't want to take the chance (never seen a cop pull over anyone in an entire year!) then get it done in the US.
Ask your insurance company. If they have a prang (remember, driving conditions are quite different here from the US), then they need to be in order for the insurance company to pay out.
Hi,
if I remember correct, they will need the International one as the US ones are only documents, issued by a state and not by a Federal authority. Have a look on Tripadvisor.com and their recommendations.
Re to give them your car - may be it would be easier / hassleless for both parties with a rental cars? I borrowed my car ages ago, but took an omnium insurace with 0 EUR coverage on my own - and had my friends pay the difference for the 4 weeks ..but we all slept well with this solution.
http://belgium.usembassy.gov/drivers-licenses.html
Basically, you're legally allowed to drive in Belgium for as long as you're legally allowed to stay in the country. After one year, you're required to trade in your US license for a Belgian one (assuming you have residence here), which takes about 2-3 months for the commune to validate with the state that issued the license. No need to translate anything, it's just a simple trade and costs ~€15.
As the embassy states, some rental companies might require an International Driving Permit, but you can just call them to check. I know Europcar didn't a few years ago...
@dani
Where can I get more information about trading in the US license for a Belgian one?
The link you provided only talks about Tourists and renewing your US drivers license.
It seems the process has changed a tiny bit since I exchanged mine; they just want a bit more paperwork (shocking):
http://belgium.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/non-eu-driving-l...
When I exchanged mine, I just went to the gemeentehuis with 2 passport photos and my Florida driving license (which they kept). You must be registered as a resident with the commune, though; otherwise the exchange isn't possible. They sent it back to Florida for verification, which took about 3 months, then I received a letter to come retrieve my Belgian license.
I would assume with this new certificate of authenticity requirement from the embassy that the verification process is no longer needed and an exchange can be done in a few weeks, rather than months.
When we exchanged our Maryland driver's licenses in Tervuren, the Gemeente Huis had us take our licenses to the police for authentification. The police copied the license and had us come back the next day for the letter verifying they were real. We got our Belgian licenses and International licenses the same day we brought the letter from the police into the Gemeente Huis. The whole thing took 3 stops (gemeentehuis, police, gemeentehuis) over the course of 2 days.
Well, you can certainly get an " international licence" in the U.S. before traveling, same day, for $10 USD at any AAA (automotive club) in the U.S. when you walk in and bring 1 passport photo. It is just a paper that has your american driver's license info but with the fields (like name, DOB, etc) translated in a bunch of languages (Standard format). This is what you do when you come vacation in Europe and plan on renting a car. No need to "trade" for a local one unless you are staying over 3 months in the same city.
I also came to Belgium about a year and a half ago. I used my American drivers license for the first 3 months I was here, after that I registered as a resident and went to the Gemeente Huis to get my drivers license where they told me to go to the police station to exchange my California driver's license for a Belgian one. I was living in a very small city and did not know how to handle my license so they sent it out to Brussels then sent it back to the station. I was told it could take up to 3 months but only needed 1 week and a half in my case where I got a temporary drivers license while I waited for my permanent card. I had to go back to the Gemeente Huis with a passport photo and in 1 month I received my permanent Belgian Drivers license.
I just bought a house in another city and I am trying to find out if anybody knows if I have to change my address or register with their Police station as well.
I actually have a question related to the topic -- I've been residing in Brussels for the past year and did not yet exchange my US driver's licence. Haven't been stopped yet (knock on wood!) and I bought and registered the car, so far without any problems. I would be happy to exchange the licence, but my issue is -- how will I drive in the US? I go back frequently, I drive either my own car there or I rent (depending on location), and when I asked a lawyer friend in my home state, he told me it would actually be ILLEGAL for me, as the resident of my state, to drive there on a foreign driver's licence. So it seems like a catch 22... I have to break the rules, either in Belgium or the US. Anyone has a similar experience?
