Does Hertz require an IDP in Pakistan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Pakistan: 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.
Pakistan drives on the left; an IDP is commonly requested for foreign drivers, though dense traffic means many visitors hire a car with a driver.
In Pakistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Pakistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive desks ask for an IDP; chauffeured hire is common.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Pakistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Pakistan drives on the left, uses the PKR, 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 Pakistan
- 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 PKR deposit; Pakistan drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Pakistan Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Heavy mixed traffic — drive defensively.
- 0.0% practical alcohol tolerance.
- 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 Pakistan
Motorways (M-1, M-2, M-3 etc.) use the electronic M-Tag system run by the National Highway Authority; since 2025 vehicles without a tag or with low balance pay a surcharge of up to 50% on top of the toll. A car on the M-2 Islamabad-Lahore route costs around PKR 1,200-1,800; tourists are usually driven by a rental's tagged vehicle or pay cash at hybrid lanes where available.
Urban parking is mostly attended paid lots and kerbside collectors charging PKR 20-50 for cars (often more at malls), with little metering. In Islamabad's planned sectors parking is freer and orderly, whereas Lahore and Karachi see aggressive ticket-touts and tow-away/wheel-clamping in no-parking zones.
Motorway and highway fines rose sharply (a 200% increase announced for highways), with on-the-spot tickets for speeding, no seatbelt and phone use, and FIRs for serious motorway violations. City traffic police take cash or issue challans; rental companies recover fines and any impound costs from the renter's deposit.
Dial 15 for police (or 1122 for the Rescue ambulance service in Punjab and other provinces); in injury or serious crashes do not move the vehicle and wait for police, as an FIR may be filed. Crowds gather fast and informal settlements are common, so notify the rental firm and your insurer immediately and avoid admitting fault.
Full driving guide for Pakistan →