Does Alamo require an IDP in Eritrea?
Alamo in Eritrea: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation when the licence is in a non-Latin alphabet, and suggests one for all international renters. Leisure-focused brand popular for airport pickups.
Eritrea drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence, and travel permits are needed to leave Asmara.
In Eritrea specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Eritrea ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive is limited; an IDP, passport and travel permits are advised.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Eritrea desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Eritrea drives on the right, uses the ERN, and sets a minimum driving age of 18, so an IDP is the document that removes any doubt at the counter.
What to bring to the Alamo counter in Eritrea
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the ERN deposit; Eritrea drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Eritrea Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Travel permits required outside Asmara.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Alamo's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Alamo's standard minimum rental age in the US is 21 (18 in Michigan and New York where state law requires it); renters aged 21-24 pay a "young/youthful driver" surcharge that averages about $25 per day but varies by location (for example roughly $13/day in Michigan and $20/day in New York), and under-25 renters may be restricted to certain car classes.
A major credit card in the primary renter's name is required at most locations; debit/check cards bearing a Visa, Mastercard or Discover logo are accepted at airport locations only with a ticketed return travel itinerary (Discover not accepted in Canada), and the name/address on the card and license must match, with a hold placed at pickup that reduces available funds.
Additional authorized drivers typically cost about $15 per day each (around $5/day in New York), and every additional driver must also meet the minimum-age and license requirements; some promotions or contracted/corporate rates waive the fee. Alamo requires each driver to hold a valid, unexpired driver's license; the license must have been issued before the rental and held for the qualifying period, with locations commonly expecting it to have been held for at least 1 year.
Vehicles rented in the US may typically be driven throughout the US and Canada but cannot be taken into Mexico; vehicles rented in Canada may be driven in Canada and the US. Cross-border and one-way rentals must be disclosed and authorized at the counter, and one-way availability and drop fees vary by location.
Alamo states an International Driving Permit cannot be used on its own and the home-country license must always be presented; an IDP is recommended (not required) when the license uses Roman/English letters, but is required when the license is in a non-Roman alphabet (e.g. Russian, Japanese, Arabic), with a typed professional translation as a substitute if no IDP is available.
Once you collect the keys in Eritrea
Eritrea has no toll roads, vignette or electronic toll system, so no toll charges apply to tourists.
Parking in Asmara is mostly free, on-street and informal with no colour-coded paid zones; central areas can be congested, so use hotel or guarded lots where available.
Speeding, phone use and seatbelt violations draw fines often settled in cash at checkpoints; photography of roads and infrastructure is restricted and can cause detention, so avoid it.
Stop, do not move the vehicles, and report to the police immediately; a police report is mandatory for any rental or insurance claim and leaving the scene is illegal.
Full driving guide for Eritrea →