We’ll start simple, as you can probably guess what you’ll need to take yourself, aside from your usual day-to-day stuff, make sure you take with you your passport (with more than six months validity left on it), your driving licence and an International Driving Permit, if required – more on that later.
Get that document wallet ready because you’ll need quite a few proofs here, starting with proof of ownership of the vehicle – don’t worry if you’ve hired from an excellent organisation such as GOAT Roadtrip, as we’ll provide you with a copy of the V5C or VE103 document which you’ll need instead. You’ll also need proof of your MOT, if the vehicle is over 3 years old and proof of your vehicle insurance and if necessary, your Green Card, which we’ll seamlessly transition onto next…
Since August 2021, the rules surrounded Green Cards have changed slightly, so even if you’ve been away before and think you’re on top of everything, keep reading anyway.
You now do not need a Green Card if you are travelling in the following areas and countries:
If you’re travelling anywhere else in Europe, then you will still need a Green Card.
Separate Green Cards are required for cars, motorhomes and anything being towed by a motorised vehicle, including caravans, and trailers. Be sure to ticket Category A (car) for Green Cards relating to a car, campervan or motorhome.
You don’t need an International Driving Permit to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, if you have a photocard driving licence issued in the UK. If your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, or is a paper licence, then you still may need an International Driving Permit (otherwise known as an IDP).
In general, there are three different types of IDP’s, which depend on the country you’re driving in. These are:
You need to apply for more than one of these if you are travelling through several countries. You can find out more information and check out each country’s type of IDP here.
Make sure you do your research into the requirements of driving in each of the countries you are visiting. At the very least, you should make sure that you have a high-vis vest, warning triangle, headlamp converters and a UK sticker.
Now that we’ve successfully “taken back control” of things since Brexit, it’s important that you cover up or remove any old GB stickers that you may have on your vehicle. A UK sticker must be clearly displayed on the rear of your vehicle if your number plate has the Union Jack on it, a Euro symbol, a national flag of any of the British Isles, or no flag at all. To keep it simple – put a UK sticker on the back of your vehicle regardless to be on the safe side.
