Driving License

(Also to be found with keywords Driving licence and Driving)

Many host families look for an au pair with a driving license because it is helpful to have an au pair who can drive when taking care of tasks such as bringing the children to various appointments and picking them up. 

Even when the au pair has a driving license, it is also important that the au pair has enough driving experience to safely and confidently drive the children where they need to go.

Tips for host families

If the au pair is required to drive, you need to consider the following:

  • Clarify if the au pair has driving experience. Many au pairs do have a driving licence, but they have not driven extensively after passing their driving test.
  • The driving licence or an international driving permit might only be valid in the host country for a certain time period. Please enquire about the provisions concerning this subject at your local police station and ask if maybe the au pair has to take an additional test.
  • Clarify with your insurance who will bear the damages which might be caused by the au pair.
  • You might want to pay for some driving lessons so that your au pair gets acquainted with the highway code in your country. If the au pair comes from a country where a car is driven on the other side of the road than in your country, it is advisable that the au pair takes driving lessons before they drive your car.

Tips for au pairs

As an au pair, you should enquire early enough if your driving licence is also valid in your host country or if you can get an international driving permit. Please ask the competent authorities.

Au pairs in America (USA)

If you would like to work as an au pair in the USA, you should in any case have a driving licence and sufficient driving experience. When you apply to one of the authorized au pair agencies in the USA, you will be asked if you have an entry in the central index of traffic offenders.