Does Enterprise require an IDP in Syria?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Syria: 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.
Syria drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though travel conditions mean most visitors rely on arranged drivers.
In Syria specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Syria 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 Syria desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Syria drives on the right, uses the SYP, 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 Syria
- 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 SYP deposit; Syria drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Syria Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Numerous security checkpoints.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Drive defensively on intercity roads.
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 Syria
There is no modern electronic toll network; intercity highways are generally untolled, though occasional checkpoints and informal fees may be encountered, and most road payments in practice are cash in Syrian pounds.
Parking in Damascus and other cities is informal and congested, commonly on-street with attendants collecting cash; there are no standardised colour-coded paid zones, and vehicles are best left in guarded lots where available.
Traffic police levy on-the-spot cash fines for speeding, seatbelt and phone-use violations; enforcement is inconsistent and largely manual rather than camera-based, and driving without an IDP plus national licence can lead to problems at checkpoints.
After a crash you must stop and not move vehicles until authorities arrive; contact police (general emergency 112) and obtain an official report for any insurance or legal process, noting checkpoints and language barriers make documentation essential.
Full driving guide for Syria →