To Quebec residents: National/Alamo/Enterprise will not rent you a car in FL without

[Lizard Valley]

I just received this response from National Car Rental after I inquired about needing an International Driving Permit. I specifically stated that I am Canadian. Today is Saturday Feb 16th, 2 days after we have been told that the law will not be enforced.

"If your drivers license is not in English, and you do not have an International Drivers Permit, you will not be able to pick up the vehicle. This is the policy for Enterprise, National, and Alamo; we cannot speak for other agencies. If you have further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us or Customer Care at 1-800-468-3334".

I am not paying an extra 40$ (25 + 15 for passport photos) to have the privilege of renting a car in Florida.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I just received this response from National Car Rental after I inquired about needing an International Driving Permit. I specifically stated that I am Canadian. Today is Saturday Feb 16th, 2 days after we have been told that the law will not be enforced.

"If your drivers license is not in English, and you do not have an International Drivers Permit, you will not be able to pick up the vehicle. This is the policy for Enterprise, National, and Alamo; we cannot speak for other agencies. If you have further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us or Customer Care at 1-800-468-3334".

I am not paying an extra 40$ (25 + 15 for passport photos) to have the privilege of renting a car in Florida.

I suggest you elevate your concern to someone higher in that company. Quebec licenses have always been in French and it never bothered them before. You can also join their pre-registration programs and just use the kiosk to pick up your car. The only person to see your license is the person in the exit booth who won't give you a problem if your name matches what is on the kiosk-printed paperwork.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Lizard Valley]

Thanks Kingbobofthenorth,

They are aware that I'm an Emerald member (also an Alamo Insider), and I have escalated it. I have also told them I have posted this on several forums so that all of the other Quebecers travelling to FL for our spring break next week can cancel their reservations with them.

 

[NJRRK]

Thus has to do with a new FL law, not a corporate decision.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Thus has to do with a new FL law, not a corporate decision.

Yes, but state officials have stated that they're not going to enforce the law and the legislature has indicated they will change that unintended provision once they get back into session.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Jestocost]

Yes, but state officials have stated that they're not going to enforce the law and the legislature has indicated they will change that unintended provision once they get back into session.

BobK/Orlando

Yes, but while the fact that the state has said it is not enforcing the law means that foreign drivers won't be cited for not having the international permit, it does not clarify the legal liability that may fall to a company that rents to a driver with a foreign license and no international permit. Companies are risk averse and don't like uncertainty.

 

[knitdiva]

I sure hope they clear it all up in the near future as our group of 10 people just decided to forget renting cars (mind you it's only 4 cars in the sea of rental cars in the Orlando area) for our upcoming March trip and it has quite a few snowbirds I know rethinking their winter destination for next year. Maybe a slight decrease in the number of rented cars and snowbirds is the plan??
I have been going to Florida a few times a year for the last 35 years. Our French drivers's licence may be in French but the name, address, DOB are easy to find. They are in the same spots as any other licence from the US and the rest of Canada.
On the Quebec licence we have: ''adresse'' instead of ''address'', ''date de naissance'' instead of ''DOB'', ''sexe'' instead of ''sex'', it state my height in metric, ''date d'expiration'' instead of ''expiration date''.
Sorry but it doesn't take any French language knowledge to figure it out.
Now if the licence used a different alphabet, I could see the difficulty.
Quebec doesn't issue any licence in English, I checked and I asked.

So for our next trip we will be using Disney transportation only.

I fail to see the goal of this new law aside from making sure one is not driving without a licence. Even at that, I'm sure any police officer running my licence number can see if it's valid or not.

Anyhow, there's nothing I can do about it but obey if it becomes mandatory.

 

[seashoreCM]

Rental agencies are going to have a field day bamboozling visitors into buying extra insurance, gasoline, toll road privileges, etc. by just saying that you need an international driver's permit.

(If they let you rent the car when you do buy the insurance then they can certainly let you rent the car if you decline the insurance.)

 

[Disneyof3]

I have a english license from Ontario and I have a reservation in March for Dollar and I just called them(airport p/u one) and the girl said "I don't require a special license to p/u my vehicle". She said you can keep your reservation Also my in-laws are in Florida and have been since November 2012 and in there newspaper the other day it said "BIG MISTAKE" regarding the information about the special license and it will not take effect and all police are to ignore the law.

 

[Jestocost]

I sure hope they clear it all up in the near future as our group of 10 people just decided to forget renting cars (mind you it's only 4 cars in the sea of rental cars in the Orlando area) for our upcoming March trip and it has quite a few snowbirds I know rethinking their winter destination for next year. Maybe a slight decrease in the number of rented cars and snowbirds is the plan??
I have been going to Florida a few times a year for the last 35 years. Our French drivers's licence may be in French but the name, address, DOB are easy to find. They are in the same spots as any other licence from the US and the rest of Canada.
On the Quebec licence we have: ''adresse'' instead of ''address'', ''date de naissance'' instead of ''DOB'', ''sexe'' instead of ''sex'', it state my height in metric, ''date d'expiration'' instead of ''expiration date''.
Sorry but it doesn't take any French language knowledge to figure it out.
Now if the licence used a different alphabet, I could see the difficulty.
Quebec doesn't issue any licence in English, I checked and I asked.

So for our next trip we will be using Disney transportation only.

I fail to see the goal of this new law aside from making sure one is not driving without a licence. Even at that, I'm sure any police officer running my licence number can see if it's valid or not.

Anyhow, there's nothing I can do about it but obey if it becomes mandatory.

I once had a gas station attendant in West Virginia ask me how to spell Ohio. I think any assumptions based on what people do and don't know have to take into account that stupidity is perhaps the most plentiful element in the universe.

 

[knitdiva]

Jestocost, I have to agree with you on that one. Well said.

 

[cruisingkat]

I have been going to Florida a few times a year for the last 35 years. Our French drivers's licence may be in French but the name, address, DOB are easy to find. They are in the same spots as any other licence from the US and the rest of Canada.
On the Quebec licence we have: ''adresse'' instead of ''address'', ''date de naissance'' instead of ''DOB'', ''sexe'' instead of ''sex'', it state my height in metric, ''date d'expiration'' instead of ''expiration date''.
Sorry but it doesn't take any French language knowledge to figure it out.
Now if the licence used a different alphabet, I could see the difficulty.
Quebec doesn't issue any licence in English, I checked and I asked.

So for our next trip we will be using Disney transportation only.

I fail to see the goal of this new law aside from making sure one is not driving without a licence. Even at that, I'm sure any police officer running my licence number can see if it's valid or not.

Anyhow, there's nothing I can do about it but obey if it becomes mandatory.

Do Canadian licenses list driving restrictions such as glasses required, no night driving, etc? If so, there is more on a license that needs to be read than what you posted and could cause a delay if you are stopped.
When we were going to rent a car in Spain, we were told that it would be wise to get an IDP (this was before the IDP's had pictures) - in case we got stopped by a policeman who didn't read English - the IDP is a translation of your license and any restrictions in assorted languages.

 

[sympatico]

Also my in-laws are in Florida and have been since November 2012 and in there newspaper the other day it said "BIG MISTAKE" regarding the information about the special license and it will not take effect and all police are to ignore the law.

The police and the rental companies may ignore the law (which is still on the books ) but will the insurance companies or will they use it as a loophole to deny a claim.

 

[Disneyof3]

The new law is suppose to go into effect March 1 2013 regarding english licences are allowed only. Right now it is all out of state licenses. Up until March 1 2013 the police aren't allowed to target out of state licence plates or licenses. I use my own insurance from Canada all the time anyway, I can't see how this will effect a accident. They(Florida Government) have enough on there hands with the uproar that this has caused they want no more.

 

[NJRRK]

I once had a gas station attendant in West Virginia ask me how to spell Ohio. I think any assumptions based on what people do and don't know have to take into account that stupidity is perhaps the most plentiful element in the universe.

Lol. I feel your pain, I lived on Main St. for a while and people asked me how to spell it.

 

[sympatico]

The new law is suppose to go into effect March 1 2013 regarding english licences are allowed only. Right now it is all out of state licenses. Up until March 1 2013 the police aren't allowed to target out of state licence plates or licenses. I use my own insurance from Canada all the time anyway, I can't see how this will effect a accident. They(Florida Government) have enough on there hands with the uproar that this has caused they want no more.

Have you got a website that supports this ?