Does Avis require an IDP in Ukraine?
Avis in Ukraine: 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.
Ukraine drives on the right under the 1968 Vienna Convention and uses Cyrillic, so an IDP helps translate non-Cyrillic licences.
In Ukraine specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Ukraine ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks ask for an IDP for non-Cyrillic licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its Ukraine desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Ukraine drives on the right, uses the UAH, 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 Ukraine
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the UAH deposit; Ukraine drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Ukraine Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on outside built-up areas Oct–Apr.
- 0.02% 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 Ukraine
Ukraine has no nationwide motorway toll or vignette system - state highways are free to use - so no toll payment is required of tourists.
In Kyiv paid parking is zone-based and commonly paid via apps (such as the Kyiv Digital app) or attendants; park only in marked bays, as towing and clamping occur in the centre.
From June 2025 speeding fines rose to as much as ~UAH 2,550 with possible licence loss; Ukraine enforces zero-tolerance drink-driving with heavy fines, suspension or imprisonment, and police frequently run roadside document checks.
Dial 102 for police (112 also routes emergencies); for any injury crash do not move the vehicles and wait for patrol police to record the accident, while minor damage-only cases can use a European-style accident report if both parties agree.
Full driving guide for Ukraine →