Does Hertz require an IDP in Ecuador?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Ecuador: 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.
Ecuador drives on the right and signs the 1968 Vienna Convention; an IDP is advised with your licence for Andean and coastal driving.
In Ecuador specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Ecuador ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Quito and Guayaquil desks request an IDP for non-Latin-script licences.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Ecuador desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Ecuador drives on the right, uses the USD, 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 Ecuador
- 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 USD deposit; Ecuador drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Ecuador Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Pico y placa plate restrictions in Quito.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Steep Andean roads with switchbacks.
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 Ecuador
Major highways (e.g. the Panamericana and routes around Quito and Guayaquil) have toll booths (peajes) charging roughly USD 1 or less per car; pay in US dollars cash, as the country uses the USD.
Quito's centre uses the municipal 'Zona Azul' paid-parking scheme during business hours; parking in restricted spots risks fines or removal, so guarded lots are safer in the historic centre.
Pico y Placa or serious traffic violations draw heavy fines (around USD 130-260 plus possible points), while speeding, phone use and no seatbelt are penalised; rental firms recharge camera fines to the driver's card.
Call 911 (the national ECU 911 emergency line) for police and ambulance; leave vehicles in place and wait for the transit authority, as an official report is needed for insurance, and do not admit fault on the spot.
Full driving guide for Ecuador →