Does Enterprise require an IDP in North Korea?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in North Korea: 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.
North Korea drives on the right, but independent driving by tourists is not permitted; all travel is on guided, state-arranged transport.
In North Korea specifically, north Korea lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Enterprise still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. No tourist car rental exists; transport is state-controlled.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its North Korea desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. North Korea drives on the right, uses the KPW, and sets a minimum driving age of 18; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the Enterprise counter in North Korea
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the KPW deposit; North Korea drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in North Korea Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the right (not applicable to tourists).
- Independent driving is prohibited.
- All movement is guided.
- Roads outside Pyongyang are sparse.
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 North Korea
Not relevant to visitors, as tourists cannot drive; the country's few highways, such as the Pyongyang-Wonsan and Pyongyang-Kaesong motorways, are used only by official and guided transport. There is no consumer toll-tag system a foreigner would ever use.
Not applicable for tourists, who never control their own vehicle; all movement is in guide-arranged transport that parks at sanctioned sites only. Independent stopping or wandering off the approved itinerary is prohibited.
Because independent driving is banned, the real risk is detention for breaching tour rules rather than ordinary traffic fines; punishments for rule-breaking can be severe and arbitrary. Most Western governments advise against all travel.
There is no tourist-driving accident procedure because visitors do not drive; in any incident you remain with and follow your assigned guides, who handle authorities. Western governments warn that consular help is extremely limited (the Swedish embassy acts as protecting power for some nations).
Full driving guide for North Korea →