Does Alamo require an IDP in Poland?
Alamo in Poland: 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.
Poland drives on the right with year-round daytime headlights; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP alongside their licence.
In Poland specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Poland ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Warsaw and Kraków desks request an IDP for non-EU licences.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Poland desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Poland drives on the right, uses the PLN, 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 Poland
- 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 PLN deposit; Poland drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Poland Alamo renters should know
- Headlights on day and night, all year.
- 0.02% alcohol limit.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- Electronic tolls (e-TOLL) on expressways.
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 Poland
Only A-designated motorways carry e-TOLL charges; all S-class expressways are toll-free. Foreign cars must register their plate in the e-TOLL PL app (or use an OBU) before driving tolled sections, or face fines of at least PLN 500 from roadside enforcement.
Major cities run paid street zones (Strefa Płatnego Parkowania) typically PLN 4-8/hour on weekdays, paid at meters or via apps (mPay, moBiLET). Illegal-parking fines run roughly PLN 100-800 and towing is common in centres.
Since 2022 fines are steep: speeding can reach PLN 2,500-5,000 for serious overages, phone use and no-seatbelt are ticketed, and police can issue on-the-spot mandate fines. Rental firms pass camera fines to the renter with a fee.
Call 112 (single emergency number; 997 police direct). For injuries you must call police; for minor damage drivers may settle amicably with a signed European accident statement and exchange of insurance details.
Full driving guide for Poland →