Does Enterprise require an IDP in Peru?
Enterprise in Peru: 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.
An IDP is recommended and often requested to rent a car in Peru.
In Peru specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Peru ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested by airport and city desks; mountain driving insurance advised.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Peru desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Peru drives on the right, uses the PEN, 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 Peru
- 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 PEN deposit; Peru drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Peru Enterprise renters should know
- Aggressive city traffic — defensive driving essential.
- High-altitude routes (Cusco, Puno) affect engine performance.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Carry original documents at all times.
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 Peru
Main highways (Panamericana and others) have frequent manned toll booths (peajes), typically a few soles each; many do not accept cards, so carry small-denomination soles in cash.
Avoid street parking; use guarded paid lots (playas de estacionamiento or 'cocheras') in cities like Lima and Cusco, both for security and to avoid towing/clamping in restricted central zones.
Fines (papeletas) are graded by severity as fractions of the UIT tax unit; speeding, no seatbelt and phone use are penalized. Do not pay cash to officers on the roadside; legitimate fines are processed officially and rental firms pass camera/towing charges to the renter.
Call the police on 105 (SAMU ambulance 106); do not move vehicles if there are injuries until police arrive. SOAT (compulsory insurance) covers only personal injury, not the rental car, so file a police report for the rental insurer.