Does Avis require an IDP in Marshall Islands?
Avis in Marshall Islands: 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.
The Marshall Islands drive on the right; an IDP is advised with your home licence, though roads are confined to a few atolls.
In Marshall Islands specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Marshall Islands ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Majuro rental is limited; an IDP and passport advised.
Avis runs a global network; at its Marshall Islands desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Marshall Islands drives on the right, uses the USD, 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 Marshall Islands
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the USD deposit; Marshall Islands drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Marshall Islands Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Low speed limits on narrow roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Few vehicles and limited fuel.
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 Marshall Islands
There are no tolls, vignettes or electronic road-charging schemes in the Marshall Islands.
Parking is free and informal, with no metered zones or paid car parks; on Majuro you simply pull onto the roadside, and towing is essentially a non-issue.
Speed limits are roughly 40 km/h in town and up to 60 km/h on the open road; police actively enforce seatbelt rules with on-the-spot fines, and drink-driving and handheld-phone use are penalised.
There is no single nationwide emergency number; contact the Marshall Islands Police Department headquarters in Uliga, Majuro directly and stay at the scene for any injury accident until officers attend.
Full driving guide for Marshall Islands →