Does Hertz require an IDP in Czechia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Czechia: 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.
Czechia drives on the right and enforces a strict zero-alcohol rule; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP, and a motorway vignette is required.
In Czechia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Czechia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Prague desks request an IDP for non-EU licences; e-vignette comes with most rentals.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Czechia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Czechia drives on the right, uses the CZK, 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 Czechia
- 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 CZK deposit; Czechia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Czechia Hertz renters should know
- Zero-tolerance alcohol limit (0.0%).
- Motorway e-vignette required.
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest and triangle mandatory.
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 Czechia
An electronic motorway vignette (dalnicni znamka), linked to the number plate with no sticker, is required on motorways: 2026 prices for cars are about CZK 230 for 1 day, 300 for 10 days, 480 for 30 days and 2,570 yearly. Buy it online at edalnice.cz, at petrol stations or post offices.
Prague uses coloured zones managed via the Virtual Parking Hours app: orange/purple are paid visitor zones and blue zones are resident-only with a limited 3-hour visitor option. Rates run from about CZK 80/hour in Praha 1 down to CZK 20-40 in outer districts.
Czechia enforces a strict 0.0 alcohol limit and heavy fines - serious offences can run into tens of thousands of crowns with on-the-spot collection possible. Speed cameras are common and rental firms pass camera and parking fines to the renter with an administration charge.
Call 112 (or police 158); police attendance is mandatory if there is injury, damage above CZK 100,000, or damage to a third party's or public property. For minor damage-only crashes, complete a European Accident Statement and exchange details.
Full driving guide for Czechia →