Does InterRent require an IDP in Iraq?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Iraq: the policy in plain terms
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Iraq drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors arrange drivers given security and road conditions.
In Iraq specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Iraq 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 is rare; an IDP and passport are expected where rental exists.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Iraq desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Iraq drives on the right, uses the IQD, 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 Iraq
- 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 IQD deposit; Iraq drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Iraq InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Numerous security checkpoints.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Drive defensively on intercity 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 Iraq
Iraq has no nationwide electronic toll network; intercity roads are largely toll-free, though informal checkpoint stops and parking-style fees occur. Budget for fuel and security rather than tolls.
Parking in Baghdad, Erbil and Basra is informal and often managed by attendants who collect a small cash fee; secure hotel or guarded lots are strongly advised over street parking for foreign-plated or rental cars.
Traffic fines are typically issued and paid in cash to police on the spot; common citations cover speeding, seatbelt and phone use, and rental firms pass any unpaid fines or impound costs back to the renter. Night driving is discouraged for safety, not just legal, reasons.
After any crash, stop immediately, do not move the vehicles, and call police on 104 (general emergency 122); a police report is required for any insurance claim and for the rental company. Stay at the scene until officers arrive.