Does Hertz require an IDP in Dominican Republic?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Dominican Republic: 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.
The Dominican Republic drives on the right and accepts a valid foreign licence for short stays; an IDP is advised for non-Latin-script holders.
In Dominican Republic specifically, dominican Republic lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but Hertz still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Punta Cana and Santo Domingo desks accept many licences; an IDP helps.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Dominican Republic desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Dominican Republic drives on the right, uses the DOP, 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 Hertz counter in Dominican Republic
- 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 DOP deposit; Dominican Republic drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Dominican Republic Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Aggressive urban traffic and motoconchos.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Avoid night driving on rural 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 Dominican Republic
Toll booths ('peajes') sit on the main highways radiating from Santo Domingo and on the Samana toll road; pay cash in Dominican pesos (booths rarely take cards), with charges of roughly RD$60-300 (about US$1-5) per booth depending on the route.
Parking is free in most areas but paid or attended in larger town centres; in Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial use guarded lots, tip the informal car-watchers, and never leave valuables visible.
DIGESETT issues fines for speeding, phone use and no seatbelt (commonly RD$500-1,500, rising for serious excess and possibly licence points/bans); officers may seek payment roadside, and rental firms pass camera and unpaid-toll fines back to the renter's card.
Dial the nationwide 911; call the rental company and do not move the car unless it is unsafe to leave it where it stopped, and wait for DIGESETT traffic police to document the scene.
Full driving guide for Dominican Republic →