Does Avis require an IDP in Andorra?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Andorra: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation where the national licence is not in the Roman alphabet or where local rules call for one. Long-established global brand operating in 165+ countries.
This Pyrenean micro-state drives on the right and most visitors arrive on an EU licence, so an IDP is rarely demanded — though non-Latin-script holders should carry one.
In Andorra specifically, andorra lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Avis still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Few rental desks exist; most cars arrive from Spain or France with their own paperwork.
Avis runs a global network; at its Andorra desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Andorra drives on the right, uses the EUR, and sets a minimum driving age of 18; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the Avis counter in Andorra
- 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 EUR deposit; Andorra drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Andorra Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right on steep mountain roads.
- Winter tyres or chains needed in snow.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Dipped headlights in tunnels.
Avis's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Avis's standard minimum rental age is 25, though it rents to drivers as young as 21 in most US states/provinces (some locations require 25 by local law); renters aged 21-24 pay a young-driver surcharge of roughly $25 per day in the US (about $35/day in Canada).
Avis requires an Avis-honored credit or charge card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc.) and places an authorization hold covering the estimated charges plus a security amount; Visa/Mastercard debit cards are accepted at most US locations but are subject to stricter checks, and the card must be in the renter's name.
Additional drivers must be at least 25 (or meet the underage rules) with a valid licence and typically cost about $13 per day, capped near $65 per rental; in California the fee is waived for a spouse, parent, sibling or child of the renter. Avis requires a valid driver's licence held for the entire rental period that is not suspended, expired, revoked, cancelled or surrendered; it does not publish a fixed minimum holding period in the US, though some international locations require the licence to have been held for 1-2 years.
Avis generally permits US-to-Canada travel if the renting location is notified in advance, but driving into Mexico is restricted (typically corporate accounts only, no one-way, and Mexican insurance purchased through Avis from border states); one-way rentals are offered with a drop-off charge that may apply on certain rates.
Avis states that "International Driver's Permits are valid only if presented with the original local license. An International Driver's Permit is not acceptable by itself." Foreign licences are accepted if the issuing country participated in the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or has a reciprocal agreement with the US; non-Roman-alphabet licences effectively require an IDP, and renters with a foreign licence may need to present a passport.
Once you collect the keys in Andorra
Andorra has no motorway tolls or vignettes - all roads are free; the only related cost is paid parking in towns and at ski resorts.
Town-centre parking (especially Andorra la Vella and Escaldes) is mostly paid via meters, machines or apps, with signposted restricted zones; illegally parked cars are towed, and P+R lots on the edges ease congestion.
Speeding, seatbelt and handheld-phone offences are fined on the spot; drink-drive limits are strict, and rental firms forward any camera or police fine to the renter's card.
Call 112 for all emergencies; do not move vehicles after an injury crash until police arrive, complete the European accident statement (constat amiable), and obtain a police report for insurance.
Full driving guide for Andorra →