Does Avis require an IDP in United Arab Emirates?
Avis in United Arab Emirates: 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.
Tourists are commonly asked for an IDP with their national licence to rent and drive in the UAE; the printed booklet is typically requested.
In United Arab Emirates specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in United Arab Emirates ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Dubai and Abu Dhabi desks ask for an IDP for most non-GCC licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its United Arab Emirates desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. United Arab Emirates drives on the right, uses the AED, 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 United Arab Emirates
- 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 AED deposit; United Arab Emirates drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in United Arab Emirates Avis renters should know
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law while driving.
- Extensive speed-camera (radar) enforcement.
- Salik electronic tolls in Dubai.
- Tailgating and lane discipline strictly fined.
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 United Arab Emirates
Dubai's Salik gantries charge AED 4-6 per pass automatically by plate with no booths; Abu Dhabi runs a similar 'Darb' toll. Rental companies hold a Salik deposit and bill passes (plus an admin fee) to your card after the rental.
Street parking in Dubai is paid via the RTA Smart Parking app or SMS by zone code, and Abu Dhabi uses the Mawaqif system; rates and time limits are shown on roadside meters, and unpaid or wrong-zone parking draws fines and possible towing.
Automated cameras issue speeding (from AED 300-3,000), phone-use (AED 800) and seatbelt (AED 400) fines; there are no on-the-spot cash payments. Charges surface on the police portal within weeks and rental firms deduct them from your deposit before refunding.
Call Police on 999; for a minor, no-injury accident file a report through the Dubai Police app (Minor Traffic Accident Report) - the at-fault driver pays AED 520. Do not leave the scene or move cars on injury/dispute accidents until police attend.
Full driving guide for United Arab Emirates →