Does InterRent require an IDP in Afghanistan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Afghanistan: the policy in plain terms
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Afghanistan drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors travel with hired drivers given road conditions.
In Afghanistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Afghanistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive rental is uncommon; an IDP and passport are expected where available.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Afghanistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Afghanistan drives on the right, uses the AFN, 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 InterRent counter in Afghanistan
- 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 AFN deposit; Afghanistan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Afghanistan InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Checkpoints are frequent.
- Drive defensively on poorly maintained roads.
InterRent's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
InterRent's minimum rental age is typically 19-21 depending on country (19 in Spain, 21 in the UK and France), and drivers aged roughly 21-24 (24 and under in some markets) pay a young-driver surcharge that varies by location, for example around 8.50 EUR/day (max ~93 EUR) in Spain, 12.95 EUR/day (max ~181 EUR) in France, and about 35 GBP/day (max ~350 GBP) in the UK; some vehicle categories require drivers to be over 25.
A refundable security deposit is pre-authorised (held, not debited) on the main driver's credit card at pick-up; the card (Visa or Mastercard, sometimes Amex) must be in the main driver's name with an expiry date after the return date, and debit cards are not accepted because their rules do not fit InterRent's deposit policy.
Additional drivers must present their own valid driving licence at the counter and sign the rental agreement at pick-up; InterRent charges an extra-driver fee per day that varies by location, though it is frequently included in promotional/package rates. The main driver must have held a full, valid driving licence for a minimum of 12 months (one year) prior to picking up the vehicle.
Cross-border travel and one-way rentals are restricted and must be authorised in advance; cross-border fees and one-way drop-off charges apply and vary by route, with certain countries (typically higher-risk or non-EU destinations) excluded entirely under the rental conditions.
InterRent requires a full, valid driving licence held for at least 12 months; for licences not written in the Latin/Roman alphabet (or otherwise not understandable to the rental agent), an International Driving Permit (IDP) must be presented alongside the original national licence, as the IDP is a translation and never replaces the physical licence.
Once you collect the keys in Afghanistan
There is no organised national electronic toll or vignette system for tourists; some highway sections and bridges levy informal or cash road charges collected at checkpoints. Travel is otherwise overshadowed by security checkpoints rather than tolls.
There are no formal paid-zone or app-based urban parking systems; parking is informal and unmetered, typically guarded by attendants paid a small cash tip. Vehicles are best left in attended lots or hotel compounds for security.
Traffic enforcement is informal and fines are typically settled in cash on the spot to police; there is no reliable centralised camera-fine system. Foreign drivers face far greater risk from security incidents than from formal penalties.
After any crash do not move the vehicles and contact local police, though emergency response is unreliable; the 119 line is the nominal police number. A police report is needed for insurance and to pass checkpoints, but for safety travellers are advised to involve their embassy and a local fixer immediately.
Full driving guide for Afghanistan →