Does Alamo require an IDP in Vietnam?

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.

Expressways use BOT toll stations; cars pay roughly VND 150,000-200,000 (about USD 6-8) per 100km, and the three e-tag providers (VETC, ePass, VietMap) are now interoperable nationwide, though many booths still take cash. A rental car should ideally have an e-tag fitted, as some expressway lanes are becoming barrier-free electronic-only.

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City use guarded paid lots (gui xe) at hotels, malls and street attendants who issue a ticket for a small fee; do not leave a car unattended on the street. Pavement and red-curb parking is routinely ticketed or clamped in the central districts.

2025-2026 reforms raised fines sharply: phone use while driving is now VND 4-6 million, and extreme/reckless driving can reach VND 50 million (about USD 1,900); alcohol limit is effectively zero. Police can fine on the spot, and rental firms pass camera (phat nguoi) fines back to the renter's card.

Stop immediately, do not move the vehicles, and call police on 113 (ambulance 115); leaving the scene of an injury crash is a serious offence. Wait for police to produce a report for your insurer/rental firm, and expect to be detained until fault is settled, especially in injury cases.