Does Avis require an IDP in Estonia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Estonia: 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.
Estonia drives on the right and keeps headlights on around the clock; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP alongside their national licence.
In Estonia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Estonia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Tallinn desks request an IDP for non-EU licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its Estonia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Estonia drives on the right, uses the EUR, 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 Estonia
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the EUR deposit; Estonia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Estonia Avis renters should know
- Headlights on day and night, all year.
- Winter tyres mandatory Dec–Mar.
- 0.02% alcohol limit.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
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 Estonia
Estonia has no road or motorway tolls for passenger cars, so no vignette is required to drive the national road network.
Cities like Tallinn use paid zones with kerbside machines and apps; pay-and-display or mobile payment is required on weekdays, parking is typically free on Sundays, and illegally parked cars are fined or towed.
Speeding fines are steep (up to around 400 EUR for over 21 km/h above a 50 km/h limit); phone use and no-seatbelt are fined, and camera-caught offences in a rental are billed back to the hirer with an admin fee.
Stop immediately and call 112 for police/ambulance; a police report is needed for injuries or significant damage, and you should complete the European Accident Statement form for the insurer.
Full driving guide for Estonia →