Does Enterprise require an IDP in Kazakhstan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Kazakhstan: 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.
Kazakhstan drives on the right under the 1968 Vienna Convention and uses Cyrillic, so an IDP is advised to translate non-Cyrillic licences.
In Kazakhstan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Kazakhstan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Almaty and Astana desks ask for an IDP with non-Cyrillic licences.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Kazakhstan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Kazakhstan drives on the right, uses the KZT, 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 Kazakhstan
- 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 KZT deposit; Kazakhstan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Kazakhstan Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol limit (0.0%).
- Headlights on outside cities.
- Long, remote highways between cities.
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 Kazakhstan
Major arteries such as the Astana-Almaty corridor and sections of the A1/A2/A3 are tolled; tourists usually pay electronically via the national operator (KazAvtoZhol/tollroad system, often through plate-linked accounts or roadside terminals), and rates are modest (a few hundred tenge per segment). Carry cash as some points and fuel stations don't take cards.
Almaty and Astana run paid municipal zones managed by the 'Almaty Parking'/'Astana Park' apps, payable by app, SMS or terminal (Qiwi, Kassa24); unpaid parking in marked zones risks fines and towing, so use the app or guarded lots.
Traffic police actively enforce speeding, phone use and the 0.0/strict drink-drive limit; fines are calculated in MCI units and, while officially paid via bank/Kaspi, foreigners should refuse informal cash demands and insist on an official receipt. Rental firms recover camera and unpaid fines from the renter's card.
Call 102 for police or the unified emergency number 112, do not move the vehicles, and wait for the traffic police (whose report is required for insurance and the rental firm) before clearing the road.
Full driving guide for Kazakhstan →