Does Hertz require an IDP in Iran?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Iran: 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.
Iran drives on the right and accepts the 1949 Geneva IDP; tourists should carry it with their national licence and passport.
In Iran specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Iran ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Tehran desks ask for an IDP; self-drive is uncommon for tourists.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Iran desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Iran drives on the right, uses the IRR, 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 Iran
- 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 IRR deposit; Iran drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Iran Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right amid heavy city traffic.
- Zero alcohol — alcohol is prohibited.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Speed cameras on highways.
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 Iran
Major intercity freeways (e.g. Tehran-Qom, Tehran-Karaj) are tolled, increasingly via automated free-flow camera systems billed to the vehicle owner; urban congestion-charge zones in Tehran also require a paid permit. Tolls are inexpensive in foreign-currency terms but a rental will pass them on.
Big-city parking is scarce and chaotic; Tehran uses paid zones and app/SMS-based payment in central districts, and cars parked in restricted areas are ticketed or towed. Use guarded car parks where possible, especially in central Tehran.
Speeding, phone use and no seatbelt are camera- and patrol-enforced with fines, and the odd/even and traffic-zone violations are charged automatically; fines are typically settled through the rental company or online rather than cash to an officer. Penalties for serious offences can escalate quickly.
Contact the police immediately for any accident, even a minor fender-bender, and do not move the vehicles until officers document the scene; the road-police emergency number is 110. A police report is mandatory for insurance, and without a licence translation insurance coverage can be void.