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Do I need a driving license to become an Au Pair?

Most families are looking for an Au Pair with a driving licence. Taking children to school or to their activities in the afternoon is one of the obligations of an Au Pair.
 
If you want to be an Au Pair in the United States you will need to have a license and lots of driving experience in order to be able to work.
 

We have gathered all the necessary information regarding this topic.
This is one of the most common Au Pair questions on our website.Though it is not an official requirement of the Au Pair program, some families mention the driving license as a mandatory criteria for their future Au Pair.

It depends on the host country and the Host Family. A family might not have access to public transportation and needs someone to drive the kids to school and to other activities. 

A driving license seems to be mandatory in the USA. Is this correct?

The Au Pair program in the USA has different requirements for participation. Most of the families there are looking for an Au Pair who can drive. It is very common for Au Pairs in the USA to drive to shops, pick up the kids from school or drive to the language class. This is one of the reasons why most Au Pair agencies in the USA are asking the candidates to have a valid driving license. 
 
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Au pairing in the US? Sounds like a plan! AuPair.com provides you with all the details regarding the Au Pair program in the US. How does it work? Find out

If a Host Family doesn’t require the Au Pair to have a driving license, they need to check if the local agency is ready to accept this case and continue the process. If a case of contract termination occurs, the chance to find a new Host Family without a driving licence is rather small. 

Is it enough to have a national driver's license or is it necessary to have an international one?

Since the international Driver's License is a valid document in all countries that signed the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, and it's recognized in many countries that are not signatories to the Convention, you may be required to have an international driver's license to drive in some countries.
 
The International Driver's License contains identifiable information regarding the Licensee. The purpose of this additional information is to assist law enforcement officials in the event of an emergency or any other issue that may arise on the road involving the licensee. The insurance company also requires it to cover damage to the vehicle in the event of accidents.
 
An international driver's license allows a person to drive a private motor vehicle in another nation, however this license must be accompanied by a valid license from your home country.

Is it mandatory for Au Pairs to have an insurance to drive a car?

Yes, in the United States, Au Pairs need car insurance to drive. Every state in the United States has different laws but all of them have minimum auto insurance rules. Most states require some form of insurance to protect other drivers on the road. Your sponsor agency should tell you, depending on the state, if both the vehicle and the driver need to be insured.

How can you get an international driver's license?

The requirements for acquiring an international driver's license can vary, however most requirements are common among all countries.
 
The first and most important thing is to have your country's driver's license. The rest will be some photographs, a valid passport, and depending on the host country, you will have to pay a fee for the acquisition of this document.
 
* When you are asking for information about the visa at the host country's embassy, take advantage of the opportunity and ask for information about the type of driver's license you need for that country.
 
Also remember to make the arrangements in advance, given that, depending on the country, the application may take a few weeks.

On AuPair.com you can find a Host Family that matches your criteria. As long as both the Au Pair and the Host Family find common ground for cooperation, there will be no additional Au Pair requirements.

In general terms:

  • You don’t need to have a driving license to become an Au Pair, but it is a great advantage to be a driver.
  • You can still be placed in an American Host Family as long as both the Host Family and two local agencies agree on the placement.
  • You can find an American Host Family at AuPair.com and contact the local agency afterwards.
For more information about the Au Pair program, check our Au Pair WIKI and popular questions.

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