Does Alamo require an IDP in Malta?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Alamo in Malta: 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.
Malta drives on the left, a legacy of British rule; visitors can use a valid foreign licence, with an IDP advised for non-Latin-script holders.
In Malta specifically, malta lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Alamo still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. An IDP helps non-EU and non-Latin-script drivers at Maltese desks.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Malta desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Malta drives on the left, uses the EUR, and sets a minimum driving age of 18; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the Alamo counter in Malta
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the EUR deposit; Malta drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Malta Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Seatbelts mandatory; phone use banned.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Narrow roads and aggressive local driving.
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 Malta
Malta has no toll motorways. The only road-use charge is the Valletta CVA congestion fee inside the walled city, roughly EUR 0.82/hour (first 30 minutes free) weekdays 08:00-18:00, billed automatically by plate.
Curb colours govern parking: white means free public, blue is residents-only 18:00-08:00, green is residents-only 24h, and yellow means no parking. Paid meters give 1-2 hours; illegally parked cars risk clamping or towing by LESA wardens.
Camera and LESA radar speeding fines are about EUR 34.94 for up to 15 km/h over and EUR 74.94 above that; mobile-phone and seatbelt offences also carry fixed penalties. Rental firms pass camera fines to the renter, often with an admin fee.
Call 112 for police and ambulance. Do not move the vehicles until police arrive if there are injuries or a dispute; a police report is needed for any insurance claim, and rental firms require it.
Full driving guide for Malta →