Does Enterprise require an IDP in Brazil?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Brazil: 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.
Rental companies and local authorities in Brazil commonly ask foreign drivers to carry an IDP with their national licence; Localiza and other desks ask for the original document.
In Brazil specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Brazil ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Localiza and Movida ask for the physical IDP plus your home licence at the counter.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Brazil desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Brazil drives on the right, uses the BRL, 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 Brazil
- 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 BRL deposit; Brazil drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Brazil Enterprise renters should know
- Headlights on during the day on highways.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law (Lei Seca).
- Carry original licence + IDP — photocopies not accepted.
- Radar speed enforcement is widespread.
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 Brazil
Intercity highways charge tolls ('pedagio') payable in cash (reais) or card at booths, or automatically via windshield tags such as Sem Parar, ConectCar and Veloe used in 1,000+ lanes; some corridors are now free-flow plate-read. Ask the rental firm whether the car includes a tag.
Cities use paid 'Zona Azul' street parking bought via app or rotativo ticket displayed in the windscreen; informal 'flanelinhas' may ask to watch your car. Guarded lots ('estacionamento') are safest, and tow-away/clamping enforcement is active in central zones.
Fines for speeding, no seatbelt or handheld phone are camera-enforced and tiered (a 'gravissima' offence is around R$293, with heavier multipliers for extreme speed), adding points to the licence. Rental companies identify the driver and pass camera fines plus an admin fee to your card.
Call 190 (Military Police) or 193 (fire/rescue) for injuries. Do not move the vehicles unless they block traffic or are unsafe, notify the rental company immediately, and obtain a police occurrence report (Boletim de Ocorrencia) for insurance.
Full driving guide for Brazil →