I remember someone once said "get an international driver's license and drive in the states, the tickets you get won't be counted at all!"

I think it's a myth, but can anyone concur with some more info?

 

Going from general rules that are applied in just about every country I have visited......

The international license has to be linked to a license from one of the participating countries. The international license is not valid in the country of the license that you used to obtain the international license (i.e. if you use your US license to get the international one issued - the international one would not be valid in the US). Assuming you have a license from another country (for example UK) as well as the US license, you could get the international license issued in the UK based on the UK license, but it would still be an offence (technically) to use the international license in the US if you had a valid US license as well (though they have to be able to find this information out somehow).

Another point is that MOST countries have a limit on the length of time that you can use an international license. In Japan for example, I was allowed to use an international license for a maximum of one year from the date I became resident in Japan, after that time I had to get a Japanese license.

So in summary, if you are a US citizen, living in the US, with a valid US license, I don't think that you would LEGALLY be allowed to drive on an international license.

 

Is an Internet urban myth...

http://www.snopes2.com/inboxer/scams/license.htm

 

Not only are they useless for preventing points in the U.S., I have never been to a foreign country that required anything other than my good old state issued drivers license to legally drive.

 

My friend got pulled over in his SUV registered under his brother's name, and my friend gave the cop his International license from a foreign country.

So, he thought, the hell with the ticket, since MVA can't add points to his international license, he just left it to collect dust somewhere. Weeks later, a suspension notice came, the license being suspended was the person who registered the vehicle - his brother.

Morale of the story, they can always get you on something Unless you get a rental with your international license