Does Alamo require an IDP in North Macedonia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Alamo in North Macedonia: 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.
North Macedonia drives on the right with Cyrillic signage, so an IDP is advised to translate your licence for desks and police.
In North Macedonia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in North Macedonia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Skopje desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Alamo runs a global network; at its North Macedonia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. North Macedonia drives on the right, uses the MKD, 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 North Macedonia
- 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 MKD deposit; North Macedonia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in North Macedonia Alamo renters should know
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; zero for new drivers.
- Toll motorways between major cities.
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 North Macedonia
There is no vignette; motorways (A1 Skopje-Greece, A2 toward Albania) use staffed toll booths charging roughly 0.70-1.60 EUR per section by vehicle class. Pay in Macedonian denars, euros or by card at the booth.
Skopje has paid blue/green zone street parking with kiosks and SMS payment; illegally parked cars in zone areas are wheel-clamped or towed. Always park in the direction of traffic.
Police issue on-the-spot fines (payable in cash) for speeding, no seatbelt and phone use; headlights must be on day and night or you risk a fine. Rental companies pass camera/speed fines to the renter's card plus an admin fee.
Dial the single European number 112 (or police 192). For any injury or damage that cannot be settled amicably you must call the police and obtain a report; do not move the vehicles until police authorise it.
Full driving guide for North Macedonia →