Does Hertz require an IDP in Fiji?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Fiji: 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.
Fiji drives on the left and lets visitors use a valid English licence for short stays; an IDP is advised for non-English licences.
In Fiji specifically, fiji 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. Nadi desks accept English licences; an IDP helps non-English drivers.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Fiji desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Fiji drives on the left, uses the FJD, 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 Fiji
- 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 FJD deposit; Fiji drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Fiji Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Watch for pedestrians and animals in villages.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Unsealed roads on smaller islands.
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 Fiji
Fiji has no toll roads, so no vignettes, passes or booths to deal with anywhere on Viti Levu or the other islands.
In Suva and Nadi you must buy and display a ticket from parking meters/wardens where signed; wardens are strict and fines start around FJD 20, so always pay the meter and observe time limits.
Hand-held phone use is banned and seatbelts are mandatory; police enforce speeding with on-the-spot fines, and parking wardens ticket aggressively. Rental firms recover unpaid fines and parking tickets from your card.
Stop and call police on 917 (general emergency 112; fire/ambulance 911), collect witness and driver details, photograph the scene, and ask police for a copy of their report for your insurer and the hire company.