Does Avis require an IDP in Ireland?
Avis in Ireland: 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.
Visitors may drive in Ireland on a valid foreign licence; an IDP is advised for non-English, non-EU licences.
In Ireland specifically, ireland 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. Recommended for non-EU licences and requested for some non-Latin scripts.
Avis runs a global network; at its Ireland desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Ireland drives on the left, uses the EUR, and sets a minimum driving age of 17; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the Avis counter in Ireland
- 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; Ireland drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Ireland Avis renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Speed limits posted in km/h.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for learner/novice drivers.
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 Ireland
Most toll roads use cash/card plazas, but the M50 around Dublin is fully barrier-free (eFlow): cameras read your plate and the toll must be paid by 8pm the next day, online, by app or at Payzone outlets. Rental firms either include M50 tolls or bill them with an admin fee, so confirm at pickup; per-toll plaza charges are around EUR 2-3.
Dublin and larger towns use pay-and-display (ticket machines or the apps), while smaller towns use a free or cheap cardboard parking disc bought in local shops and marked with your arrival time. Double yellow lines mean no parking, and clamping/release fees in Dublin are steep.
Speeding carries a fixed charge of EUR 160 (rising if unpaid) plus penalty points, handheld phone use is EUR 120-plus and points, and not wearing a seatbelt is EUR 120. Gardai do not take roadside cash; fixed-charge notices and camera fines are passed via the rental firm to the driver.
Call 112 or 999 for Garda, ambulance or fire if anyone is injured or the road is blocked. Stop, exchange names, addresses, insurance and registration details, and report to the Gardai; do not admit liability and photograph the scene for your rental and insurance claim.
Full driving guide for Ireland →