Does Budget require an IDP in Germany?

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.

Germany has no car tolls on the Autobahn (only trucks pay), so passenger cars drive the motorway network free. Budget instead for tolls on neighbouring countries' roads if crossing borders, and note Germany has no passenger-car vignette.

City centres use paid Parkschein meters or apps (often EUR 1-4/hour) and blue-signed Bewohnerparken bays reserved for permit-holding residents. A blue parking disc (Parkscheibe) is needed in free time-limited zones, and illegally parked cars are clamped or towed (abgeschleppt) at the driver's cost.

Speeding fines scale with the amount over (built-up area: ~EUR 30 for 10 km/h up to hundreds plus points/bans for large excesses), handheld phone use is EUR 100+ and a point, no seatbelt EUR 30. Camera fines route to the rental firm and on to you with an admin fee, and from 2025 these are enforceable cross-border within the EU.

Call 112 (ambulance/fire) or 110 (police); police must be called if anyone is injured or damage is significant. Complete the European Accident Statement (Europaischer Unfallbericht) with the other driver, secure the scene with warning triangle and hi-vis vest, do not move injured persons or vehicles needlessly, and report to the rental company.