Does Avis require an IDP in Guyana?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Guyana: 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.
Guyana drives on the left, unlike its neighbours; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English, and interior roads are largely unpaved.
In Guyana specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Guyana ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Georgetown desks request an IDP for non-English licences; 4x4 for the interior.
Avis runs a global network; at its Guyana desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Guyana drives on the left, uses the GYD, 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 Guyana
- 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 GYD deposit; Guyana drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Guyana Avis renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Unpaved roads outside the coast.
- 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 Guyana
Tolls apply at the major river crossings rather than highways: the Demerara Harbour Bridge charges about GYD 200 for a car, while the Berbice River Bridge is the priciest (historically ~GYD 1,900); pay in Guyanese dollars.
Central Georgetown has metered and attended on-street parking; congestion and informal minibus traffic make illegal parking risky, so use paid lots near the city centre and seafront.
Police issue on-the-spot tickets for speeding, no seatbelt and phone use; fines are paid in local currency and rental companies pass any tickets to the driver's card.
Dial 911 for police and 913 for ambulance; do not move vehicles after a serious crash until police attend, and obtain a police report, which is mandatory for any insurance or rental claim.
Full driving guide for Guyana →