Does Hertz require an IDP in Afghanistan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Afghanistan: the policy in plain terms
Asks foreign drivers for a licence translation when the licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet, and often for non-EU renters in much of Europe. One of the largest global rental networks, operating in 150+ countries.
Afghanistan drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors travel with hired drivers given road conditions.
In Afghanistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Afghanistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive rental is uncommon; an IDP and passport are expected where available.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Afghanistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Afghanistan drives on the right, uses the AFN, 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 Hertz counter in Afghanistan
- 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 AFN deposit; Afghanistan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Afghanistan Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Checkpoints are frequent.
- Drive defensively on poorly maintained roads.
Hertz's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Hertz's standard minimum rental age in the US and Canada is 20, though it drops to 18 in Michigan, New York and Quebec, and 19 in Alabama and Nebraska. Renters aged 20-24 pay a Young Renter fee of about USD 19 per day, and under-25s are blocked from premium, luxury and high-performance car classes.
Hertz places a hold on the renter's card for the estimated rental charges plus a security deposit that varies by location and vehicle class; debit cards are accepted at many US locations but must be Visa, MasterCard or Discover branded, in the main driver's name, and carry sufficient available funds, with extra ID/credit checks sometimes required.
Hertz charges a per-day additional-driver fee that varies by location (commonly around USD 13.50/day in the US, capped per rental); in many markets a spouse/domestic partner can be added free, and the fee is often waived for Gold Plus Rewards members. Hertz requires each driver to hold a valid full driver's licence that has typically been held for at least one year, with longer tenure (often one to two years) required for some markets and premium vehicle classes.
Driving a Hertz vehicle across a country border (e.g. US to Canada or Mexico) requires advance permission and may incur a cross-border fee, and travel into Mexico generally requires separate Mexican insurance; one-way rentals are permitted on many routes but typically carry a drop-off/one-way charge.
Hertz states that a valid driver's licence issued by the renter's home country must always be presented; an International Driving Permit is recommended (and effectively required) when the home-country licence is not in the Roman alphabet or not in English, but Hertz will not rent on an IDP alone.
Once you collect the keys in Afghanistan
There is no organised national electronic toll or vignette system for tourists; some highway sections and bridges levy informal or cash road charges collected at checkpoints. Travel is otherwise overshadowed by security checkpoints rather than tolls.
There are no formal paid-zone or app-based urban parking systems; parking is informal and unmetered, typically guarded by attendants paid a small cash tip. Vehicles are best left in attended lots or hotel compounds for security.
Traffic enforcement is informal and fines are typically settled in cash on the spot to police; there is no reliable centralised camera-fine system. Foreign drivers face far greater risk from security incidents than from formal penalties.
After any crash do not move the vehicles and contact local police, though emergency response is unreliable; the 119 line is the nominal police number. A police report is needed for insurance and to pass checkpoints, but for safety travellers are advised to involve their embassy and a local fixer immediately.
Full driving guide for Afghanistan →