REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

As an American citizen your passport and driver`s license are all you need to drive in Belgium, and in most European countries. Foreigners on a short-term visit may rent a car and drive with a valid foreign driver`s license for up to 6 months in Belgium.

If your domestic driver`s license is printed with non-Roman Alphabet (Arabic, Japanese, Cyrillic etc), an International Driving Permit (IDP/IDL) or an official translation in English is required when you drive in Belgium. Please note that an International Driving Permit (often referred to as an International Driving License) does not replace the requirement for a regular driver`s license. And you must carry your current overseas driver`s license, IDP or translation with you all the time when driving in Belgium.

Tips

Some Belgian car rental companies require you to have a photo ID license. If your foreign license does not have a photo ID, you should get an IDP before traveling to Belgium if you intend to rent a car. UK drivers with the new-style photo card license will need both the paper counterpart and photo card. UK license holders who have a paper license only will also need an official photo for identification when driving in Belgium.