Does InterRent require an IDP in Costa Rica?
InterRent in Costa Rica: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for non-EU and non-Roman-alphabet licences across its European locations. Europcar's value brand for leisure travellers in Europe.
Costa Rica drives on the right and lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence for up to 90 days; an IDP is advised for non-Latin scripts.
In Costa Rica specifically, costa Rica lets visitors drive on a valid foreign licence, but InterRent still asks for a licence translation if your licence is not printed in the Roman alphabet — and it removes any doubt at the counter. Mandatory liability insurance is added at the desk; an IDP helps non-Latin scripts.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Costa Rica desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Costa Rica drives on the right, uses the CRC, and sets a minimum driving age of 18; an IDP is still the safest way to avoid a refused booking.
What to bring to the InterRent counter in Costa Rica
- 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 CRC deposit; Costa Rica drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Costa Rica InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Mandatory state liability insurance on rentals.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- 4x4 advised for rural and rainy-season 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 Costa Rica
A handful of routes are tolled, most notably Ruta 27 (San Jose to the Pacific via Caldera) with several small booths; tourists pay cash in colones (typically a few hundred to ~1,000 colones per booth) at the cabin.
Curbs painted yellow forbid stopping near hydrants, bus stops and taxi stands; many town centres run paid street zones ('boletas de parquimetro') where you buy and display a paper ticket, and 'cuidacarros' informally watch parked cars for a small tip.
Speeding tickets are notoriously steep (roughly 100,000-300,000+ colones, around US$200-450 for serious excess), and fines for phone use or no seatbelt also run into the tens of thousands of colones; transit police issue a ticket rather than collect cash roadside, and rental firms pass camera/photo-radar fines to the renter's card.
Call 911 and notify the rental company immediately; by law you must NOT move the vehicles until the transit police (Transito) and the INS insurance inspector arrive and document the scene, even if you are blocking traffic.
Full driving guide for Costa Rica →