Does Enterprise require an IDP in Bahamas?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Bahamas: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation alongside your home licence in many countries across Europe, Asia and South America. The world's largest car-rental brand by fleet size.
The Bahamas drive on the left despite their proximity to the US; visitors can use a valid foreign licence for short stays, with an IDP advised for non-Latin scripts.
In Bahamas specifically, bahamas lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Enterprise still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Nassau and Freeport desks accept many foreign licences; an IDP helps.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Bahamas desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Bahamas drives on the left, uses the BSD, and sets a minimum driving age of 18; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the Enterprise counter in Bahamas
- 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 BSD deposit; Bahamas drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Bahamas Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Many imported left-hand-drive cars — take care overtaking.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
Enterprise's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Enterprise's minimum rental age is 21 in most of the U.S. (18 in Michigan and New York, and 18 for U.S. government employees on official orders); renters aged 21-24 pay a "Young Renter Fee" that typically averages around $25/day but varies by location (e.g., 21-24 is $15.75/day in Michigan and $30.75/day in New York, with 18-20 fees of $36.50 and $64.75/day respectively).
The contract holder must present their own credit card in their name with sufficient available credit; deposits typically run between $200 and $850 depending on location and vehicle class (airport holds are typically about 120% of the rental). Debit cards bearing a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover logo may be accepted at some locations, but at airports only with a ticketed return-travel itinerary, and prepaid cards are not accepted.
Each additional authorized driver is typically charged about $15.00 per day, but a renter's spouse or domestic partner who meets the same age and licence requirements is added at no charge. Enterprise requires each renter and additional driver to hold a valid, unexpired driver's licence; it does not publish a fixed minimum holding period in the U.S., though young-renter (under-25) restrictions and surcharges apply instead.
Taking a U.S.-rented vehicle across the Mexican or Canadian border requires advance approval; renters must contact the renting branch or call center for the correct procedure and any required insurance, and cross-border travel is restricted or prohibited at many locations. One-way rentals are offered but availability and drop-off fees vary by branch.
For renters under 25, Enterprise states it does not accept an International Driver's Permit as identification; a valid photo driver's licence is required. Foreign renters generally need their home-country licence (an IDP is recommended as a translation supplement but is not a stand-alone substitute for the licence).
Once you collect the keys in Bahamas
There are no toll roads in The Bahamas; the only paid crossing tourists encounter is the Paradise Island bridge toll at Nassau (around US$2 per car, payable in cash).
In downtown Nassau use marked lots and metered/paid street bays; spaces fill fast near Bay Street and the cruise port, and vehicles parked on yellow lines or blocking traffic risk ticketing or towing.
Seatbelts are mandatory, child seats are required for young children and handheld phone use is banned (hands-free only); fines are issued by police and rental companies recover any tickets from the renter.
Call police immediately on 919 or 911, photograph the scene, exchange insurance details and report it; a police report is expected for any rental-car damage claim and vehicles should be left in place until officers attend.
Full driving guide for Bahamas →