Does Alamo require an IDP in Georgia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Alamo in Georgia: 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.
Georgia drives on the right under the 1968 Vienna Convention and uses its own script, so an IDP is advised to translate your licence.
In Georgia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Georgia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Tbilisi desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Georgia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Georgia drives on the right, uses the GEL, 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 Georgia
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the GEL deposit; Georgia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Georgia Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on at all times.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Assertive driving on mountain roads.
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 Georgia
Georgia has no toll roads, vignettes or road taxes on any main tourist route, so foreign-registered and rental cars drive the national highways toll-free. Budget only for fuel and parking.
Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and Gori run paid zones requiring payment via municipal app (Tbilisi Parking), website or pay-box, with a 50 GEL fine for unpaid parking; passes range from a 20 GEL daily up to 800 GEL annual. Read signs carefully, as cars in prohibited spots are towed.
Speed cameras are widespread and fines are issued by plate (e.g. roughly 50 GEL for moderate speeding, up to 200 GEL for over 50 km/h above the limit), plus fines for phone use and no seatbelt; rental firms forward camera fines to the renter. Most fines are paid online or at banks, not cash on the spot.
Dial 112 for police and ambulance; do not move the vehicles and wait for the patrol police to attend and produce a report, which the rental company and insurer will require. A police report is effectively mandatory for any claim.
Full driving guide for Georgia →