Does Enterprise require an IDP in Bahrain?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Bahrain: 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.
Bahrain drives on the right and enforces zero alcohol behind the wheel; tourists should carry an IDP with their national licence.
In Bahrain specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Bahrain ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Manama desks request an IDP for most non-GCC licences.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Bahrain desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Bahrain drives on the right, uses the BHD, 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 Enterprise counter in Bahrain
- 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 BHD deposit; Bahrain drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Bahrain Enterprise renters should know
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law while driving.
- Speed cameras widespread.
- Seatbelts mandatory front and rear.
- Phone use while driving heavily fined.
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 Bahrain
Bahrain has no toll roads or vignette system, including the causeways within the kingdom, so tourists pay no road tolls. (Crossing the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia involves separate causeway and border fees.)
Manama and central districts have paid parking zones with meters and designated lots; signage shows time limits and charges. Illegally parked vehicles are fined and may be towed, and enforcement applies equally to tourists.
Camera enforcement is heavy and rental firms pass fines (plus an admin fee) to the renter; speeding up to 30% over the limit carries BHD 50-250, mobile-phone use roughly BHD 200, and seatbelt/child-seat breaches BHD 20-100. Serious speeding can mean far larger fines or imprisonment.
Call 199 for traffic accidents without injuries and 999 if anyone is hurt; you will be directed to one of the accident report centres to file a report. Do not move the vehicles before reporting, as a police report is mandatory for any insurance claim.
Full driving guide for Bahrain →