Does Hertz require an IDP in Dominica?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Dominica: 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.
Dominica drives on the left and requires visitors to buy a local driving permit, typically arranged at the rental desk.
In Dominica specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Dominica ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. A local visitor's permit is issued at the desk; an IDP helps.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Dominica desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Dominica drives on the left, uses the XCD, 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 Dominica
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the XCD deposit; Dominica drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Dominica Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Buy a local driving permit.
- Steep, winding mountain roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
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 Dominica
Dominica has no toll roads or toll system; roads are free to use but are steep, narrow and winding, so allow far more time than distances suggest.
Roseau has very limited parking; use the designated lots and bus-station area rather than the riverfront promenade, mind yellow-lined no-parking curbs, and on the island's tight mountain roads pull fully off the carriageway.
Police enforce a 20 mph (32 km/h) limit in towns and around 40 mph in rural areas, plus seatbelt and no-phone rules; fines are issued for speeding and other infractions, and driving without the mandatory visitor's permit is itself an offence.
Driving is on the LEFT; after a crash call the 911 emergency centre (the old 999 may still connect during transition), notify the rental company, and do not move the vehicles until police attend and record the scene.
Full driving guide for Dominica →