Does Hertz require an IDP in Serbia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Hertz in Serbia: 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.
Serbia drives on the right with Cyrillic signage common, so an IDP is advised to translate your licence at desks and checkpoints.
In Serbia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Serbia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Hertz will typically ask for it at the counter. Belgrade desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Hertz runs a global network; at its Serbia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Serbia drives on the right, uses the RSD, 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 Serbia
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the RSD deposit; Serbia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Serbia Hertz renters should know
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest, triangle and spare bulbs required.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Toll motorways on main corridors.
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 Serbia
There is no vignette in Serbia; motorways use a distance-based ticket system where you take a ticket on entry and pay cash or card on exit, or use the contactless ENP/TAG transponder.
Belgrade and other cities run zoned paid street parking (red, yellow and green zones with time limits) paid by SMS or app; overstaying or non-payment risks fines and wheel-clamping or towing.
Speeding, no seatbelt and handheld phone use draw fines often payable on the spot in cash; daytime running headlights are compulsory outside towns, and rental firms forward camera fines with an admin fee.
Call 192 for police (or 112 general emergency); a police report is mandatory for any injury or significant damage and is needed to take a damaged vehicle out of the country, so do not move vehicles until police attend.
Full driving guide for Serbia →