Does Europcar require an IDP in Costa Rica?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Europcar in Costa Rica: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for non-EU and non-Latin-alphabet licences across its European network. Europe's leading mobility brand.
Costa Rica drives on the right and lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 90 days; an IDP is advised for non-Latin scripts.
In Costa Rica specifically, costa Rica lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Europcar still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Mandatory liability insurance is added at the desk; an IDP helps non-Latin scripts.
Europcar runs a europe / global network; at its Costa Rica desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Costa Rica drives on the right, uses the CRC, 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 Europcar counter in Costa Rica
- 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 CRC deposit; Costa Rica drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Costa Rica Europcar renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Mandatory state liability insurance on rentals.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- 4x4 advised for rural and rainy-season roads.
Europcar's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Europcar's typical minimum rental age is 21 (some categories and countries allow rental from 18 on selected vehicles), and a Young Driver Surcharge applies to drivers aged roughly 22 to 25 - published at around EUR 30 per day in addition to the rental cost, with the exact amount varying by country per the local Specific Terms.
Europcar accepts only a credit card in the main driver's name (valid with an expiry date after the scheduled return) for the deposit; the deposit amount is blocked - not debited - on the card at pick-up, or within 48 hours before pick-up for Online Check-In, and debit cards are generally not accepted for the security deposit.
Only drivers registered on the rental contract may drive the car, and each additional driver must meet the same age and licence-held requirements; an additional-driver fee typically applies and is set per country. The driver must have held a full valid driving licence for at least one year (the from-18 categories also require one year's licence holding).
Cross-border travel must be declared and authorised, and in the UK taking a vehicle abroad requires the mandatory Europdrive product (24/7 overseas breakdown cover plus VE103B proof of ownership and a Green Card); for one-way rentals a one-way fee is charged and is included in the displayed price when pickup and return locations differ.
Europcar requires a full valid licence held at least one year; if the licence is not written in English (or the language of the country of rental) the driver must present an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside the original national licence - this typically applies to non-Roman/non-Latin-alphabet licences, while an IDP is usually not required to drive within the EU.
Once you collect the keys in Costa Rica
A handful of routes are tolled, most notably Ruta 27 (San Jose to the Pacific via Caldera) with several small booths; tourists pay cash in colones (typically a few hundred to ~1,000 colones per booth) at the cabin.
Curbs painted yellow forbid stopping near hydrants, bus stops and taxi stands; many town centres run paid street zones ('boletas de parquimetro') where you buy and display a paper ticket, and 'cuidacarros' informally watch parked cars for a small tip.
Speeding tickets are notoriously steep (roughly 100,000-300,000+ colones, around US$200-450 for serious excess), and fines for phone use or no seatbelt also run into the tens of thousands of colones; transit police issue a ticket rather than collect cash roadside, and rental firms pass camera/photo-radar fines to the renter's card.
Call 911 and notify the rental company immediately; by law you must NOT move the vehicles until the transit police (Transito) and the INS insurance inspector arrive and document the scene, even if you are blocking traffic.
Full driving guide for Costa Rica →