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Budget · Israel

Does Budget require an IDP in Israel?

Daniel MercerWritten by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Recommended
Israel lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Budget still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter.
Budget in Israel
Budget IDP policyRecommended for non-Roman-alphabet licences
Budget footprintGlobal
Accepted format1949 Geneva
Minimum rental age17+ (surcharge under 25)
Drives on theRight

Budget in Israel: 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.

Visitors can drive on a valid foreign licence for up to one year; an IDP is recommended for non-Latin-script licences.

In Israel specifically, israel lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Budget still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Recommended; requested for some non-Latin scripts.

Budget runs a global network; at its Israel desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Israel drives on the right, uses the ILS, and sets a minimum driving age of 17; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.

What to bring to the Budget counter in Israel

  • 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 ILS deposit; Israel drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.

Driving rules in Israel Budget renters should know

  • Headlights on inter-urban roads, Nov–Mar.
  • 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.01% for new/young drivers.
  • Highway 6 uses automatic plate tolling.
  • Seatbelts mandatory.

Budget's rental terms that affect your IDP booking

Minimum age & young-driver surcharge

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.

Deposit & accepted cards

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.

Additional drivers

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.

Cross-border & one-way

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.

IDP & foreign-licence rule

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 Israel

Tolls & road charges

Highway 6 (Kvish Shesh) is the main toll road and is fully electronic by plate with no booths; the charge plus a service fee is added to your rental bill. The fast-lane (Kvish Mahir) into Tel Aviv and the Carmel/Gilon tunnels are also electronically tolled.

Parking in town

Kerb markings set the rule: blue-and-white means paid parking (via app such as Pango/Cellopark or meter), red-and-white means no stopping, and grey/unmarked is free. Residential blue zones and unpaid bays are ticketed and cars can be towed.

Fines & camera enforcement

Speeding, phone-use and seatbelt offences are largely camera- and patrol-enforced with fines from a few hundred shekels; there are no informal cash payments. Rental firms pass camera tickets to your card with a handling fee.

If you have an accident

Call police on 100 (ambulance 101); a police report is required for injuries or disputed fault. Photograph the scene, exchange details, and do not move vehicles on an injury accident - notify your rental company before leaving.

Full driving guide for Israel

Common questions

01
Do I need an IDP to rent from Budget in Israel?
Israel lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Budget still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. 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.
02
What documents should I bring to the Budget desk in Israel?
Bring your original national driving licence, your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format, your passport, and the payment card in the main driver's name. Israel drives on the right and the minimum rental age is typically 17+.
03
What is the minimum age to rent from Budget in Israel?
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. Locally, Israel sets a minimum driving age of 17 and most desks add a young-driver surcharge under 25.
04
What deposit and card does Budget require?
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.
05
Can I take a Budget rental across the border or drop it one-way?
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.
06
Does Budget charge for an additional driver?
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.
07
How do tolls work for a rental car in Israel?
Highway 6 (Kvish Shesh) is the main toll road and is fully electronic by plate with no booths; the charge plus a service fee is added to your rental bill. The fast-lane (Kvish Mahir) into Tel Aviv and the Carmel/Gilon tunnels are also electronically tolled.
08
What happens if I get a traffic fine driving a Budget car in Israel?
Speeding, phone-use and seatbelt offences are largely camera- and patrol-enforced with fines from a few hundred shekels; there are no informal cash payments. Rental firms pass camera tickets to your card with a handling fee.
09
What is Budget's general policy on International Driving Permits?
Asks for a licence translation when your licence is not in the Roman alphabet. Budget is part of Avis Budget Group, operating roughly 3,000+ locations across about 120 countries with a strong US airport presence, and offers the Budget Fastbreak loyalty program for expedited pickup.
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