Does Enterprise require an IDP in Libya?
Enterprise in Libya: 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.
Libya drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though conditions mean visitors generally rely on arranged drivers.
In Libya specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Libya 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 Libya desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Libya drives on the right, uses the LYD, 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 Libya
- 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 LYD deposit; Libya drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Libya Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Frequent checkpoints.
- Alcohol is prohibited — zero tolerance.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
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 Libya
Libya has no national toll-road or vignette system; motorways and main highways are toll-free. Fuel is heavily state-subsidised so running costs rather than tolls dominate.
Parking in Tripoli is largely informal and unregulated, with no organised paid-zone colour system; cars park on roadsides and lots, and you may be approached by informal attendants expecting a small cash tip. Avoid leaving vehicles in insecure areas.
Traffic-law enforcement is weak and inconsistent; speeding (the cause of roughly 70% of accidents in Tripoli studies) and phone use are rarely fined formally, but any on-the-spot payment requested at a checkpoint is typically cash. Rental firms pass on any documented fines to the renter.
After a crash do not move the vehicles and call the police, who must attend to produce the official report needed for any insurance or rental claim; emergency response is slow and unreliable. Photograph the scene and exchange details.
Full driving guide for Libya →