Does Hertz require an IDP in Kosovo?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Kosovo: 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.
Kosovo drives on the right; an IDP is advised with your licence, and visitors must buy local third-party insurance at the border.
In Kosovo specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Kosovo ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Pristina desks ask for an IDP; border insurance is compulsory.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Kosovo desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Kosovo drives on the right, uses the EUR, 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 Kosovo
- 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 EUR deposit; Kosovo drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Kosovo Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on day and night.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Buy border vehicle insurance on entry.
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 Kosovo
Most roads are free, but the R7 motorway linking Kosovo to Albania is tolled; pay in cash or card at toll plazas. Note Kosovo is outside the Green Card system, so border third-party insurance must be bought on entry.
Paid parking is normal in central Pristina via kerbside attendants and machines; vehicles parked illegally or causing obstruction can be towed.
There are generally no cash on-the-spot fines; police issue a ticket stating the offence and where to pay, and camera/ticketed fines on a rental are billed to the hirer.
Stop at the scene and call the police for any property damage or injury (even single-vehicle); a police report is required and you must not leave before it is taken, then notify the border-insurance provider.
Full driving guide for Kosovo →