Does Alamo require an IDP in Palestine?
Alamo in Palestine: 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.
The Palestinian territories drive on the right; an IDP is advised with your licence, and routes cross Israeli checkpoints that affect travel.
In Palestine specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Palestine ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Rental is usually arranged via Israeli or local desks; carry an IDP and passport.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Palestine desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Palestine drives on the right, uses the ILS, 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 Palestine
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the ILS deposit; Palestine drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Palestine Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Checkpoints affect routes and timing.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
- 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 Palestine
There are no toll roads or vignette system in the West Bank; main highways (including Route 60 and 443) are toll-free.
Paid street parking in Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nablus is marked and cheap, often collected by attendants or meters; in dense old-city cores parking is scarce, so use municipal lots to avoid towing.
Speeding, phone use and no-seatbelt fines are issued on the spot by Palestinian or Israeli traffic police depending on the road; rental firms pass on tickets plus an admin fee, and unpaid fines can complicate vehicle return.
Call Palestinian police on 100 (or Israeli police 100 on Israeli-administered highways) and do not move vehicles until documented; a police report is required for any insurance claim, and an Israeli rental car taken into PA-controlled cities is usually uninsured, leaving you liable for all damage.
Full driving guide for Palestine →