Does Hertz require an IDP in Kyrgyzstan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Kyrgyzstan: 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.
Kyrgyzstan drives on the right and uses Cyrillic; an IDP is advised with your licence for its scenic but demanding mountain roads.
In Kyrgyzstan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Kyrgyzstan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Bishkek desks ask for an IDP with non-Cyrillic licences; 4x4 advised for passes.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Kyrgyzstan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Kyrgyzstan drives on the right, uses the KGS, 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 Kyrgyzstan
- 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 KGS deposit; Kyrgyzstan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Kyrgyzstan Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- High mountain passes with rough surfaces.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
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 Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan has no nationwide toll-road or vignette system; the main Bishkek-Osh and tourist mountain routes are free, so a tourist pays nothing beyond fuel for road use.
Bishkek has paid on-street parking zones marked with blue signs where a small fee (around 30-50 som) is collected by an attendant or via app; parking on pavements or near junctions risks fines and informal towing, and unofficial 'parking minders' commonly expect a few som.
Speeding fines typically run 1,000-5,500 som and phone-use or no-seatbelt fines a few thousand som, often issued on the spot in cash by patrol police; rental firms pass on any speed-camera tickets by charging the card on file plus an admin fee.
Call 102 for police (or the unified 112 emergency line); for any crash with injuries or significant damage you must not move the vehicles and must wait for traffic police to document the scene, while minor no-injury collisions can be settled by exchanging details and a written report.
Full driving guide for Kyrgyzstan →