Does Avis require an IDP in Uruguay?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Uruguay: 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.
Uruguay drives on the right and enforces a strict zero-alcohol rule; an IDP is advised with your national licence to rent and drive.
In Uruguay specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Uruguay ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Montevideo desks request an IDP for non-Latin-script licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its Uruguay desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Uruguay drives on the right, uses the UYU, 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 Uruguay
- 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 UYU deposit; Uruguay drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Uruguay Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol limit (0.0%).
- Headlights on at all times on highways.
- Seatbelts mandatory for all occupants.
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 Uruguay
Tolls (peajes) on national routes are about 90-130 UYU each and since July 2022 many no longer take cash; foreigners register the vehicle plate online via the Tourist Pass at telepeaje.com.uy/paseturista or the Telepeajeuy app so booths read the plate automatically.
Montevideo uses paid "Zona Azul" blue zones on weekdays, paid via parking app or kiosk for set time slots; parking is free on Sundays, but unpaid or over-stay parking in the zone risks fines.
Enforcement is strict with a 0.0% blood-alcohol limit; speeding fines start around USD 25 but alcohol and phone offences are far costlier, and rental companies forward camera and toll fines to your card. Many fines are ticketed rather than cash on the spot.
Dial 911 (or 02-911 from the interior) for police and ambulance; stop, do not leave the scene, and obtain the police report for insurance and the rental firm. Alcohol limit is 0.0%, so never drive after any drinking before or after a crash.
Full driving guide for Uruguay →