Does Alamo require an IDP in Taiwan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Alamo in Taiwan: 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.
Taiwan drives on the right and accepts the IDP for short stays; tourists should carry one with their national licence, validated locally if staying longer.
In Taiwan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Taiwan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP; longer stays may need motor-vehicle office registration.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Taiwan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Taiwan drives on the right, uses the TWD, 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 Taiwan
- 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 TWD deposit; Taiwan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Taiwan Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Scooters are everywhere — watch waiting zones at lights.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Electronic (eTag) freeway tolls.
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 Taiwan
National Freeways 1, 3, 3A and 5 use distance-based eTag electronic tolling (ETC) with no cash booths; rental cars carry an eTag and the toll (first 20 km free per day, then about TWD 1.2/km) is settled and billed by the rental company.
City parking uses metered/coupon street bays and attendants who issue paper tickets you pay later (or via apps), plus paid lots; red-line curbs mean no parking/stopping and yellow lines restrict it, with towing and fines for violations.
Speed, red-light and lane cameras issue tickets passed to the rental firm and on to the hirer; fines apply for speeding, no seatbelt and handheld phone use, and Taiwan enforces strict drink-driving limits with heavy penalties.
Stop, photograph the vehicles and scene, and call 110 for police (or 119 for fire/ambulance if injuries); obtain the police accident report and notify the rental agency, as the report is required for insurance.
Full driving guide for Taiwan →