This morning I have been to the post office to buy a new International Driving Permit (IDP), which will be required for driving in many countries from 1st January 2021. The IDP comes in different guises, depending on where you wish to drive or ride. In addition I have been on the phone organising a ‘Green Card’ from my Insurance Broker.
After Christmas we will hopefully spend time with the family, who are based in Toulouse in Southern France. For the trip down I will not need an IDP, as the French authorities do not require it. However, if we pop into Andorra for a bit of skiing with the children, then I will need an IDP version number 1949. Hence my visit to the post office this morning.
Later in the year, I may well wish to repeat a lovely ride on my BMW S1000RR from Santander in Spain, through the Pyrenees, including Andorra again, and into France. My IDP vs 1949 obviously will be fine for Andorra, but I will need a different one (version 1968) for Spain!
I will also need an Insurance Green Card for all parts of both trips. It is not just Europe and Andorra, if you are venturing out of the country on your bike after January 2021 you need to carefully check all of the documentation that you will require. Whilst you are at it, it is also advisable to check your travel insurance, if you have separate cover over and above your riding insurance, as some may not cover repatriation or cancellation due to Coronavirus.
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