After investing and immigrating to Greece, clients who settle locally and wish to rent a car often struggle with questions: Can I actually rent a car with a Chinese driver's license? If I rent a car, will the insurance cover me in the event of an accident? Can I use an International Driving Permit (IDP) bought on Taobao? What kind of license do I need to rent a car in Greece?
Everyone says that the international driving permits sold on Taobao are fake, and there is no dispute about this conclusion. The term "International Driving Permit" is just a common name used in China; in reality, it is an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an international certified translation of a national driver's license. The correct way to use it is in conjunction with your domestic driver's license. In Greece, it is valid for 6 months at a time. Those staying longer than 6 months must obtain a local Greek driver's license (this mainly applies to international students and overseas Chinese living and working in Greece).
Athens is likely the strictest place for car rentals in Greece. You can rent a car by presenting an International Driving Permit along with a translation of your domestic license. Some rental agencies may not even require the original domestic license, allowing you to pick up the car just by providing the license number. For a translation of a domestic license, you generally need the original document to pick up the car, though almost no one checks your domestic license.
There is no difference between an International Driving Permit and a translation of a domestic license when it comes to renting a car, but there is a difference regarding insurance claims. Most insurance companies used by rental agencies do not recognize translations of domestic licenses. This means that even if you purchase full coverage, if an accident occurs, the insurance company will not provide compensation. However, insurance companies do recognize International Driving Permits, so there are no obstacles to filing a claim.
Currently, some individual rental agencies on Santorini, Paros, and Mykonos may still allow you to rent a car with a domestic license, but this is only a short-term arrangement. The Greek Ministry of Transport may notify various regions at any time to cancel car rentals that do not use an International Driving Permit. As for whether insurance claims will be honored, please inquire with your rental company in detail. Outside of these three islands, you must use an International Driving Permit to rent a car.