Does Enterprise require an IDP in Poland?
Enterprise in Poland: 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.
Poland drives on the right with year-round daytime headlights; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP alongside their licence.
In Poland specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Poland ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Warsaw and Kraków desks request an IDP for non-EU licences.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Poland desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Poland drives on the right, uses the PLN, 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 Poland
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the PLN deposit; Poland drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Poland Enterprise renters should know
- Headlights on day and night, all year.
- 0.02% alcohol limit.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- Electronic tolls (e-TOLL) on expressways.
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 Poland
Only A-designated motorways carry e-TOLL charges; all S-class expressways are toll-free. Foreign cars must register their plate in the e-TOLL PL app (or use an OBU) before driving tolled sections, or face fines of at least PLN 500 from roadside enforcement.
Major cities run paid street zones (Strefa Płatnego Parkowania) typically PLN 4-8/hour on weekdays, paid at meters or via apps (mPay, moBiLET). Illegal-parking fines run roughly PLN 100-800 and towing is common in centres.
Since 2022 fines are steep: speeding can reach PLN 2,500-5,000 for serious overages, phone use and no-seatbelt are ticketed, and police can issue on-the-spot mandate fines. Rental firms pass camera fines to the renter with a fee.
Call 112 (single emergency number; 997 police direct). For injuries you must call police; for minor damage drivers may settle amicably with a signed European accident statement and exchange of insurance details.
Full driving guide for Poland →