Does Hertz require an IDP in Portugal?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Portugal: 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.
Non-EU visitors should carry an IDP to drive and rent in Portugal.
In Portugal specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Portugal ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested for licences issued outside the EU/EEA.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Portugal desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Portugal 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 Portugal
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the EUR deposit; Portugal drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Portugal Hertz renters should know
- Electronic tolls (Via Verde) — arrange with your rental car.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for new drivers.
- Dipped headlights in tunnels.
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 Portugal
Portugal mixes staffed toll plazas with fully electronic 'ex-SCUT' motorways that have no booths and read your plate via Via Verde. Rental cars carry a Via Verde transponder (about EUR 1-2/day plus tolls billed to your card); independent drivers can use EASYToll, registering a card to the plate at a border/airport kiosk for EUR 1 setup plus per-transit charges.
In Lisbon paid zones are run by EMEL (pay by machine or app), and Porto and other cities have similar metered zones; bays are scarce and illegal-parking fines reach about EUR 300. Peripheral park-and-ride plus public transport into the centre is the practical option.
Speeding fines start around EUR 60 and rise sharply, and police can demand on-the-spot payment from non-residents (a deposit) for offences such as speeding, phone use or no seatbelt before allowing you to continue. Camera fines to foreign drivers are passed on by rental firms with an admin fee.
Call 112 for emergencies (the GNR or PSP handle road policing). For a minor crash, complete the European Accident Statement (Declaracao Amigavel) jointly with the other driver; call police if there is injury, a dispute, or a driver without documents, and do not move vehicles before documenting an injury crash.
Full driving guide for Portugal →