Does Budget require an IDP in Belarus?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Budget in Belarus: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation when your licence is not in the Roman alphabet. Value rental brand operating in 120+ countries.
Belarus drives on the right under the 1968 Vienna Convention; an IDP is expected because domestic licences and road signs use Cyrillic.
In Belarus specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Belarus ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Budget will typically ask for it at the counter. Rental desks ask for an IDP for any non-Cyrillic licence.
Budget runs a global network; at its Belarus desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Belarus drives on the right, uses the BYN, 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 Budget counter in Belarus
- 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 BYN deposit; Belarus drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Belarus Budget renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy (0.0%).
- Headlights on outside built-up areas.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Budget's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Budget's published minimum rental age is 21 in most US states (18 in New York and Michigan), with renters under 25 paying a daily young-driver surcharge; typically around $27/day in most markets, but materially higher at corporate locations such as New York ($35/day for ages 21-24 and $84/day for 18-20) and Michigan ($28/day for 21-24 and $41/day for 18-20). No surcharge applies to drivers 25 and older.
Budget requires a valid credit or debit card; renters under 25 must use a credit card and cannot use a debit card. Deposit type and amount vary by location, with a typical credit-card hold of roughly $80 plus estimated charges plus one extra day's charges, or a minimum near $300, whichever is greater.
Budget allows up to two additional drivers per rental and a per-day additional-driver fee typically applies (varies by location), though it is commonly waived for a spouse or domestic partner; pre-authorized additional drivers must be a spouse/domestic partner, a fellow employee/employer, or a companion driver to a renter with a disability. Budget does not publish a fixed US-wide tenure requirement, but the driver must hold a valid, current full driver's licence, and many corporate-operated locations verify the renter's and additional drivers' records with the DMV before completing the rental.
Driving a Budget rental into Mexico is restricted to authorized corporate-account holders (no one-way rentals into Mexico), and Mexican auto liability insurance is required. Travel into Canada is permitted from many US locations with advance arrangement and Budget's consent, and a Canadian non-resident insurance card may be required; one-way cross-border drop-offs are availability-dependent and carry extra fees that must be authorized in the rental agreement.
Budget generally requires a valid driver's licence, passport, and an International Driving Permit issued in the driver's name from their home country; EU residents renting within the EU may present either their EU licence alone or with an IDP. If the home-country licence is not written in the Roman alphabet, an IDP is mandatory to rent.
Once you collect the keys in Belarus
Belarus runs the BelToll electronic system on major highways (including the M1 to/from the Polish border); cars over 3.5t and most foreign cars must fit an on-board unit obtained with a deposit at border points and BelToll stations, paying per kilometre.
Central Minsk has paid parking zones marked by signs, payable by SMS, the parking app or terminals; many hotels and malls offer lots. Unpaid or illegal parking risks fines and, near government buildings, towing.
Traffic police can levy on-the-spot fines that are often higher than visitors expect, covering speeding, no seatbelt and phone use; pay against an official receipt only, and note enforcement is strict with frequent roadside checks.
Call 102 for police and 103 for ambulance (or 112). You must not move the vehicles and must wait for the traffic police (GAI) to attend and document the scene; a police report is effectively mandatory for any insurance or rental claim.
Full driving guide for Belarus →