Travellers heading to Florida on a fly-drive holiday are being advised by motoring associations to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) with them as some car hire companies are refusing to hire out cars if visitors can't produce one. 

This is despite news that a law, which came into force in January 2013, forcing all visitors to Florida to carry an IDP has reportedly now been suspended.

"It is an absurd Mickey Mouse law that could see hapeless British travellers left with their luggage at the airport and could make a nonesense of a fly-drive holiday, " said an AA spokesman, quoted in the Daily Mail. "The unknown is what might happen if a UK driver without an IDP is involved in a crash because lawyers will point out that the law has been infringed regardless of whether enforcement has been deferred or not."

The AA says the fastest way to obtain an IDP is through a designated Post Office. Drivers need to present both parts of their driving licence, their passport and a passport-sized photograph and the IDP will be issued over the counter. An IDP costs £5.50.

Alternatively, an IDP can be obtained by post by visiting www.theaa.com/idp