Driving Licence and IDP Requirements to Rent a Car in Europe (2026 Guide)

To rent a car in Europe you generally need a full, valid driving licence you have held for at least one to two years, a passport, and a payment card in the main driver's name. Whether you also need an International Driving Permit (IDP) depends on where your licence was issued and what alphabet it is printed in.

EU and EEA licences, and UK licences after Brexit, are accepted across Europe without an IDP. Visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia and other non-EU countries are usually advised to carry an IDP alongside their home licence, and anyone whose licence is not written in the Latin alphabet almost always needs one. Here is the honest, practical breakdown so you know exactly what to bring before you book.

What counts as a valid driving licence

A rental agency is lending you a vehicle worth tens of thousands of euros, so the licence check at the counter is strict. To be accepted, your licence normally must be:

• Full and permanent, not a learner, provisional or probationary permit.
• Valid and in date for the whole rental period, with no suspensions or endorsements that bar driving.
• Issued for the category of vehicle you are renting (a standard car licence is category B).
• Held for the minimum period the agency requires, usually one to two years.

When do you need an International Driving Permit (IDP)?

The IDP is a multilingual translation of your national licence, issued in two formats under the 1949 Geneva Convention and the more widely recognised 1968 Vienna Convention. It is cheap, issued by your home country's motoring authority, and valid for one to three years. Crucially, it has no standing on its own: you must carry it together with your original licence. Whether you need one comes down to where your licence is from.

EU and EEA licences

If your licence was issued in any EU or EEA country, it is valid to rent and drive throughout the bloc with no IDP, no translation and no extra paperwork. One standard pink EU card is all you carry.

UK licences after Brexit

A UK photocard driving licence remains valid to rent and drive across the EU and EEA for tourism and short trips. You do not need an IDP for a standard holiday. Carry the photocard itself; the old paper counterpart is no longer issued and is not required.

US, Canada, Australia and other non-EU licences

If your licence is printed in English and uses the Latin alphabet, many agencies will accept it alone for short tourist rentals. But the rule varies by country: Italy and Spain, for example, legally require non-EU drivers to carry an IDP, and police or agencies can turn you away without one. Because an IDP costs very little and takes minutes to obtain at home, carrying one is the safe choice for any non-EU visitor. You cannot usually buy a valid IDP once you have already arrived in Europe.

Non-Latin-alphabet licences

If your licence is written only in a non-Latin script, such as Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew or Japanese, the counter staff cannot read it, so an IDP (or an official certified translation) is required in practice everywhere in Europe. Treat it as mandatory and arrange it before you travel.

North Africa: Morocco and Tunisia

If you are renting in North Africa, carry an IDP alongside your national licence. Morocco and Tunisia widely expect foreign drivers to hold one, and it removes any ambiguity at the counter or at a checkpoint. Local agencies there are used to international visitors, but the IDP is the document that keeps the process smooth.

Quick reference: which licence, which document

How long must you have held your licence?

Most agencies in Europe ask that you have held a full licence for at least one year; some require two, and premium or larger vehicles often set a higher bar. There is usually a minimum driver age of 21, and drivers under 25 commonly pay a young-driver surcharge. These rules are set by each agency, so the exact number matters, especially if you passed your test recently. If you have held your licence for less than a year, check carefully before paying.

The original, not a photocopy or an app

This is where travellers most often get caught out. Agencies require the physical, original plastic licence at pick-up. A photo on your phone, a scan, a photocopy or a digital wallet version is almost never accepted, even in countries that are rolling out mobile driving licences at home. The same goes for your IDP: bring the original booklet, not a copy. If you lose or forget the physical licence, no amount of digital proof will usually get you the keys.

Passport and secondary ID

Foreign renters should also bring:

• A valid passport (or national ID card for EU citizens) to confirm identity.
• A credit or debit card in the main driver's name to cover the security deposit; many agencies require a credit card specifically and will not hold a deposit on a debit or prepaid card.
• Occasionally a second proof of identity or address, and sometimes proof of your return or onward travel.

How to check an agency's exact rules before you book

Because the specifics, the minimum licence age, the years held, whether an IDP is demanded, and which cards are accepted for the deposit, are set agency by agency, the single best way to avoid being turned away is to confirm them in writing before you pay, not at the counter. A transparent marketplace makes that easy.

DRIVO lets you rent directly from trusted independent and local agencies across Europe and North Africa, with the rental price and DRIVO's own service fee both shown up front before you pay. You can see the security deposit and what the agency's insurance covers before you book, and insurance is arranged directly with the agency under its own terms, so DRIVO does not sell insurance or a protection add-on. Confirmation is instant, cancellation is free up to 48 hours before pick-up with the service fee refunded too, and listings and support come in five languages, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic, with WhatsApp and in-app concierge help. If you are unsure whether your licence or IDP will be accepted, you can check with DRIVO's concierge support over WhatsApp or in the app before any money changes hands, which is exactly how you avoid an expensive surprise on arrival.