Does Hertz require an IDP in Laos?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Laos: 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.
Laos drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence, though recognition is inconsistent and many travellers hire drivers.
In Laos specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Laos ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Vientiane desks request an IDP; carry passport and home licence too.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Laos desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Laos drives on the right, uses the LAK, 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 Laos
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the LAK deposit; Laos drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Laos Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Helmets mandatory for motorbikes.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Livestock and pedestrians on rural roads.
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 Laos
Laos has very limited tolling: the Vientiane-Vang Vieng Expressway charges a distance-based toll paid in cash or by card at booths, while ordinary national highways are free.
Parking is largely informal with no colour-coded meter zones; in central Vientiane you park in marked lots or roadside spaces, often paying a small cash fee to an attendant, and blocking traffic or temple gates risks fines or clamping.
Police can stop drivers to inspect documents and issue on-the-spot cash fines for speeding, no helmet/seatbelt or licence issues; amounts are modest but informal, and rental firms commonly hold a deposit to cover any penalties or damage.
Dial 191 for police (1623 for traffic police, 1195 for ambulance); you must stop and report any injury crash to traffic police, and note that foreign drivers involved in accidents can be barred from leaving the country until compensation is settled, so contact your embassy and rental insurer immediately.