Before you travel to Billund and rent a car, be sure to apply for an international driver’s license (IDL) or international driver’s document (IDD).  Denmark is among the countries that accepts and recognizes the IDL or IDD as an official document. Additionally, most rental car companies in Copenhagen may refer to your international license to identify you.  It is also helpful to use when obtaining rental car insurance.

Although an international driver’s license is not required when you rent a car in Copenhagen, it is an advantage to have one if you plan on driving into remote regions or other countries.  If you are staying in the city and rent a car to venture into the countryside or cities that are not far from Copenhagen, all you need is your passport and your domestic driver’s license.
According to the IDL Service, it will take less than 24 hours to process your application. The only requirement is that you submit a scanned copy of your valid driver’s license from your home country along with the application.  The scanned image needs to include your photo, your license and your signature.

The international driver’s license is the legitimate translation of your regular domestic license.  Vacationers and business travelers in the United States and Canada who need to rent a car to drive into areas where little to no English is spoken need to maintain a valid IDL or IDD.  Websites online, such as IDL Service, make it easy to apply for and renew your international driver’s document at your convenience.

In 1949, the United Nations created an official document to aid people who travel and drive in countries that may have been previously inaccessible due to language barriers.  Called the Road Traffic Agreement, it allows anyone with a valid driver’s license to legally drive in another country.  After you submit your application and scanned image of your domestic or national license, the service you use will translate it into nine languages including French, Portuguese, Russian, German, Arabic, Spanish, Japanese, English and Chinese.  There is a special barcode in the back that, when scanned, allows officials and police officers to read the license in the other languages.

After you have rented your car and planned your itinerary, remember to have both the international driver’s license and your regular license with you at all times.  Although the IDD and IDL are created from your domestic license, it is still necessary to carry and present both licenses to officials if requested.

Renting a car at the Billund Airport or in the downtown area is not difficult.

Once you have obtained your IDL and IDD, you will be ready for longer trips away from Copenhagen. Think of the international driver’s license as a little extra insurance purchased in advance of renting a car.