Does Budget require an IDP in Bhutan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Budget in Bhutan: 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.
Bhutan drives on the left through Himalayan terrain; an IDP is recommended, and most visitors travel with a licensed guide and driver.
In Bhutan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Bhutan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Budget will typically ask for it at the counter. Independent rental is restricted; tourism rules favour guided transport.
Budget runs a global network; at its Bhutan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Bhutan drives on the left, uses the BTN, 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 Bhutan
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the BTN deposit; Bhutan drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Bhutan Budget renters should know
- Drive on the left on narrow mountain roads.
- Strict speed limits on switchbacks.
- 0.0% alcohol tolerance.
- Carry passport, IDP and permits.
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 Bhutan
Bhutan has no expressway toll or vignette system; road use is free, though tourists pay the government Sustainable Development Fee separately as part of entry, not at any road booth.
In Thimphu use the marked municipal parking bays near landmarks such as Clock Tower Square, Tashichho Dzong and Buddha Dordenma, where attendants collect a small hourly fee; unauthorised parking is fined by the Thimphu Thromde.
Police strictly enforce seatbelt, speed and drink-driving laws with on-the-spot fines; urban limit is 50 km/h, rural 80 km/h. Drink-driving and reckless driving on cliff roads draw heavier penalties and possible licence action.
Dial 113 for police and 112 for ambulance; do not move the vehicles after a serious crash and wait for police, as a police report is required and fault can carry compensation liability.
Full driving guide for Bhutan →