Does Enterprise require an IDP in Iraq?
Enterprise in Iraq: 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.
Iraq drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors arrange drivers given security and road conditions.
In Iraq specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Iraq ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive is rare; an IDP and passport are expected where rental exists.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Iraq desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Iraq drives on the right, uses the IQD, 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 Iraq
- 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 IQD deposit; Iraq drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Iraq Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Numerous security checkpoints.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Drive defensively on intercity roads.
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 Iraq
Iraq has no nationwide electronic toll network; intercity roads are largely toll-free, though informal checkpoint stops and parking-style fees occur. Budget for fuel and security rather than tolls.
Parking in Baghdad, Erbil and Basra is informal and often managed by attendants who collect a small cash fee; secure hotel or guarded lots are strongly advised over street parking for foreign-plated or rental cars.
Traffic fines are typically issued and paid in cash to police on the spot; common citations cover speeding, seatbelt and phone use, and rental firms pass any unpaid fines or impound costs back to the renter. Night driving is discouraged for safety, not just legal, reasons.
After any crash, stop immediately, do not move the vehicles, and call police on 104 (general emergency 122); a police report is required for any insurance claim and for the rental company. Stay at the scene until officers arrive.