Does Alamo require an IDP in Pakistan?
Alamo in Pakistan: 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.
Pakistan drives on the left; an IDP is commonly requested for foreign drivers, though dense traffic means many visitors hire a car with a driver.
In Pakistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Pakistan 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 desks ask for an IDP; chauffeured hire is common.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Pakistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Pakistan drives on the left, uses the PKR, 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 Pakistan
- 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 PKR deposit; Pakistan drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Pakistan Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Heavy mixed traffic — drive defensively.
- 0.0% practical alcohol tolerance.
- 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 Pakistan
Motorways (M-1, M-2, M-3 etc.) use the electronic M-Tag system run by the National Highway Authority; since 2025 vehicles without a tag or with low balance pay a surcharge of up to 50% on top of the toll. A car on the M-2 Islamabad-Lahore route costs around PKR 1,200-1,800; tourists are usually driven by a rental's tagged vehicle or pay cash at hybrid lanes where available.
Urban parking is mostly attended paid lots and kerbside collectors charging PKR 20-50 for cars (often more at malls), with little metering. In Islamabad's planned sectors parking is freer and orderly, whereas Lahore and Karachi see aggressive ticket-touts and tow-away/wheel-clamping in no-parking zones.
Motorway and highway fines rose sharply (a 200% increase announced for highways), with on-the-spot tickets for speeding, no seatbelt and phone use, and FIRs for serious motorway violations. City traffic police take cash or issue challans; rental companies recover fines and any impound costs from the renter's deposit.
Dial 15 for police (or 1122 for the Rescue ambulance service in Punjab and other provinces); in injury or serious crashes do not move the vehicle and wait for police, as an FIR may be filed. Crowds gather fast and informal settlements are common, so notify the rental firm and your insurer immediately and avoid admitting fault.
Full driving guide for Pakistan →