Does Alamo require an IDP in Uzbekistan?
Alamo in Uzbekistan: 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.
Uzbekistan drives on the right under the 1968 Vienna Convention; an IDP is advised to translate non-Latin-script licences for desks and police.
In Uzbekistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Uzbekistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Alamo will typically ask for it at the counter. Tashkent desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Alamo runs a global network; at its Uzbekistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Uzbekistan drives on the right, uses the UZS, 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 Uzbekistan
- 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 UZS deposit; Uzbekistan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Uzbekistan Alamo renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Headlights on outside cities.
- 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 Uzbekistan
Most highways are toll-free, though a few city-bypass and new express routes charge small cash tolls of a few thousand som (well under a euro); Uzbekistan is only now developing dedicated toll motorways and tunnels. There is no national vignette.
Parking in Tashkent is limited and can be costly, with paid attendant lots at malls and commercial centres collecting cash; there are no widely used colour-coded zones. Read signs carefully, as illegally parked cars are towed in central districts.
Speeding fines scale with how far over the limit you are, and police levy on-the-spot penalties for phone use and no seatbelt; insist on a receipt. Camera fines and any unpaid penalties are typically charged back through the rental company's deposit.
Dial 112 (unified emergency) or 102 for police; reporting a crash to the traffic police is mandatory and you must leave vehicles in place until officers document the scene. Get the official report for any insurance or rental claim.
Full driving guide for Uzbekistan →