Does InterRent require an IDP in Laos?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Laos: 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.
Laos drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence, though recognition is inconsistent and many travellers hire drivers.
In Laos specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Laos ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Vientiane desks request an IDP; carry passport and home licence too.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Laos desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Laos drives on the right, uses the LAK, 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 Laos
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the LAK deposit; Laos drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Laos InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Helmets mandatory for motorbikes.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Livestock and pedestrians on rural 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 Laos
Laos has very limited tolling: the Vientiane-Vang Vieng Expressway charges a distance-based toll paid in cash or by card at booths, while ordinary national highways are free.
Parking is largely informal with no colour-coded meter zones; in central Vientiane you park in marked lots or roadside spaces, often paying a small cash fee to an attendant, and blocking traffic or temple gates risks fines or clamping.
Police can stop drivers to inspect documents and issue on-the-spot cash fines for speeding, no helmet/seatbelt or licence issues; amounts are modest but informal, and rental firms commonly hold a deposit to cover any penalties or damage.
Dial 191 for police (1623 for traffic police, 1195 for ambulance); you must stop and report any injury crash to traffic police, and note that foreign drivers involved in accidents can be barred from leaving the country until compensation is settled, so contact your embassy and rental insurer immediately.