Does Hertz require an IDP in Senegal?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Senegal: 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.
Senegal drives on the right; an IDP is advised with your national licence for Dakar's bustling traffic and toll motorway.
In Senegal specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Senegal ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Dakar desks request an IDP for non-French licences.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Senegal desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Senegal drives on the right, uses the XOF, 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 Senegal
- 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 XOF deposit; Senegal drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Senegal Hertz renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Toll motorway from Dakar to the airport.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- 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 Senegal
Senegal uses electronic toll plazas on the Dakar-Diamniadio-AIBD autoroute; tourists normally pay cash in CFA francs (XOF) at staffed booths since rental cars rarely carry the e-tag, with the full Dakar-to-airport run costing several thousand CFA.
Central Dakar has paid parking around business and shopping districts, and informal 'gardiens de voiture' attendants expect a small tip of about 200-500 CFA to watch your car; double-parking and congestion are heavy and illegally parked cars can be clamped.
Police conduct on-the-spot checks and use handheld speed cameras at blackspots; fines for speeding, no seatbelt or phone use are typically paid in cash on the spot, and the drink-drive limit is very low (around 0.02% BAC). Rental firms pass any later camera or fine charges to your card.
Call police on 17 (or the Gendarmerie on 800-00-20-20) and obtain an official report; do not move vehicles after an injury accident and complete the European-style 'constat amiable' damage form with the other driver for insurance and rental claims.
Full driving guide for Senegal →