Does Avis require an IDP in Netherlands?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Netherlands: 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.
Carry an IDP with your licence if it was issued outside the EU.
In Netherlands specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Netherlands ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested for non-EU licences at Schiphol and city desks.
Avis runs a global network; at its Netherlands desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Netherlands 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 Netherlands
- 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; Netherlands drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Netherlands Avis renters should know
- Watch for cyclists — they have extensive right of way.
- Trams have priority.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for novice drivers.
- Low-emission zones in major cities.
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 Netherlands
There are no general motorway tolls or vignette; only two crossings charge fees, the Westerschelde Tunnel and the Kil Tunnel near Dordrecht, paid by card or app. Otherwise the motorway network is free to use.
City street parking is paid via meter or apps such as ParkMobile/Yellowbrick and is among Europe's most expensive (central Amsterdam can exceed EUR 7 per hour). Blue zones need a disc for a free limited stay, and residential permit zones are enforced by scanning cars; overstays bring roughly EUR 70 fines.
Fines rose sharply from January 2026; handheld phone use is around EUR 430, no seatbelt and speeding carry heavy penalties, and enforcement uses extensive fixed and mobile/average-speed cameras. Fines are not collected on the spot from cars with foreign plates but are billed; rental firms forward camera fines with a handling charge.
Call 112 for injuries or blocked roads; for minor damage exchange details and jointly complete the schadeformulier (European Accident Statement) rather than calling police. Move vehicles out of live traffic where safe, but leave them in place and photograph the scene if fault is disputed.
Full driving guide for Netherlands →