Does Hertz require an IDP in Rwanda?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Rwanda: 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.
Rwanda drives on the right on well-kept roads; an IDP is advised with your national licence in the land of a thousand hills.
In Rwanda specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Rwanda ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Kigali desks request an IDP for non-English/French licences.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Rwanda desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Rwanda drives on the right, uses the RWF, 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 Rwanda
- 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 RWF deposit; Rwanda drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Rwanda Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Winding hill roads — watch for motorbike taxis.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Monthly car-free 'Umuganda' restrictions in Kigali.
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 Rwanda
Rwanda has no road tolls, which keeps road-trip budgeting simple; there is no vignette or e-toll system to arrange.
Kigali uses managed paid on-street parking zones with attendants and cashless options; park only in marked bays, as the city's strict, orderly traffic culture means illegal parking can incur fines.
Speeding, seatbelt and phone-use fines are rigorously enforced, often via radar, with a typical speeding penalty around RWF 50,000; rental firms pass any traffic fines back to the renter.
Do not leave the scene; call police (dial 112) and wait for officers, exchange details with other parties and witnesses, and notify your rental company, as a police report is required for claims.
Full driving guide for Rwanda →