Does InterRent require an IDP in Brazil?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Brazil: the policy in plain terms
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Rental companies and local authorities in Brazil commonly ask foreign drivers to carry an IDP with their national licence; Localiza and other desks ask for the original document.
In Brazil specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Brazil ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Localiza and Movida ask for the physical IDP plus your home licence at the counter.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Brazil desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Brazil drives on the right, uses the BRL, 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 Brazil
- 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 BRL deposit; Brazil drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Brazil InterRent renters should know
- Headlights on during the day on highways.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law (Lei Seca).
- Carry original licence + IDP — photocopies not accepted.
- Radar speed enforcement is widespread.
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 Brazil
Intercity highways charge tolls ('pedagio') payable in cash (reais) or card at booths, or automatically via windshield tags such as Sem Parar, ConectCar and Veloe used in 1,000+ lanes; some corridors are now free-flow plate-read. Ask the rental firm whether the car includes a tag.
Cities use paid 'Zona Azul' street parking bought via app or rotativo ticket displayed in the windscreen; informal 'flanelinhas' may ask to watch your car. Guarded lots ('estacionamento') are safest, and tow-away/clamping enforcement is active in central zones.
Fines for speeding, no seatbelt or handheld phone are camera-enforced and tiered (a 'gravissima' offence is around R$293, with heavier multipliers for extreme speed), adding points to the licence. Rental companies identify the driver and pass camera fines plus an admin fee to your card.
Call 190 (Military Police) or 193 (fire/rescue) for injuries. Do not move the vehicles unless they block traffic or are unsafe, notify the rental company immediately, and obtain a police occurrence report (Boletim de Ocorrencia) for insurance.
Full driving guide for Brazil →