Does Alamo require an IDP in Iran?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Alamo in Iran: 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.
Iran drives on the right and accepts the 1949 Geneva IDP; tourists should carry it with their national licence and passport.
In Iran specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Iran ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Tehran desks ask for an IDP; self-drive is uncommon for tourists.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Iran desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Iran drives on the right, uses the IRR, 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 Iran
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the IRR deposit; Iran drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Iran Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right amid heavy city traffic.
- Zero alcohol — alcohol is prohibited.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Speed cameras on highways.
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 Iran
Major intercity freeways (e.g. Tehran-Qom, Tehran-Karaj) are tolled, increasingly via automated free-flow camera systems billed to the vehicle owner; urban congestion-charge zones in Tehran also require a paid permit. Tolls are inexpensive in foreign-currency terms but a rental will pass them on.
Big-city parking is scarce and chaotic; Tehran uses paid zones and app/SMS-based payment in central districts, and cars parked in restricted areas are ticketed or towed. Use guarded car parks where possible, especially in central Tehran.
Speeding, phone use and no seatbelt are camera- and patrol-enforced with fines, and the odd/even and traffic-zone violations are charged automatically; fines are typically settled through the rental company or online rather than cash to an officer. Penalties for serious offences can escalate quickly.
Contact the police immediately for any accident, even a minor fender-bender, and do not move the vehicles until officers document the scene; the road-police emergency number is 110. A police report is mandatory for insurance, and without a licence translation insurance coverage can be void.