Does Hertz require an IDP in Brazil?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Brazil: 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.
Rental companies and local authorities in Brazil commonly ask foreign drivers to carry an IDP with their national licence; Localiza and other desks ask for the original document.
In Brazil specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Brazil ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Localiza and Movida ask for the physical IDP plus your home licence at the counter.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Brazil desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Brazil drives on the right, uses the BRL, 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 Brazil
- 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 BRL deposit; Brazil drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Brazil Hertz renters should know
- Headlights on during the day on highways.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law (Lei Seca).
- Carry original licence + IDP — photocopies not accepted.
- Radar speed enforcement is widespread.
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 Brazil
Intercity highways charge tolls ('pedagio') payable in cash (reais) or card at booths, or automatically via windshield tags such as Sem Parar, ConectCar and Veloe used in 1,000+ lanes; some corridors are now free-flow plate-read. Ask the rental firm whether the car includes a tag.
Cities use paid 'Zona Azul' street parking bought via app or rotativo ticket displayed in the windscreen; informal 'flanelinhas' may ask to watch your car. Guarded lots ('estacionamento') are safest, and tow-away/clamping enforcement is active in central zones.
Fines for speeding, no seatbelt or handheld phone are camera-enforced and tiered (a 'gravissima' offence is around R$293, with heavier multipliers for extreme speed), adding points to the licence. Rental companies identify the driver and pass camera fines plus an admin fee to your card.
Call 190 (Military Police) or 193 (fire/rescue) for injuries. Do not move the vehicles unless they block traffic or are unsafe, notify the rental company immediately, and obtain a police occurrence report (Boletim de Ocorrencia) for insurance.
Full driving guide for Brazil →