Does Avis require an IDP in Chad?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Chad: 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.
Chad drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence, and desert routes require a sturdy 4x4 and supplies.
In Chad specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Chad ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. N'Djamena desks request an IDP; 4x4 essential outside the capital.
Avis runs a global network; at its Chad desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Chad drives on the right, uses the XAF, 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 Avis counter in Chad
- 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 XAF deposit; Chad drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Chad Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Sandy, unpaved desert roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
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 Chad
Chad has no vignette or formal toll-road system; the limited paved roads, mainly in and around N'Djamena, are free. Most of the country is unpaved, sandy or rocky track requiring a 4x4.
There is no organised paid parking even in N'Djamena; cars are kept in guarded hotel or compound lots and unattended street parking is avoided for security and theft reasons. Engaging a guard to watch the vehicle is customary.
Checkpoints are common, especially outside N'Djamena, where officials often request documents and sometimes informal payments; carry your passport, IDP and vehicle registration and ask for official receipts. Fines for speeding or seatbelt offences are settled on the spot, not by camera.
Call police on 17 (general emergency 112 may route to local services); secure a police report for insurance and do not leave the scene. Contact your embassy, as medical and vehicle-recovery services are very limited.