Does InterRent require an IDP in Madagascar?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Madagascar: the policy in plain terms
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Madagascar drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your national licence, and long distances on rough roads favour hiring a driver.
In Madagascar specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Madagascar ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Antananarivo desks request an IDP; many rentals come with a driver.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Madagascar desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Madagascar drives on the right, uses the MGA, 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 Madagascar
- 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 MGA deposit; Madagascar drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Madagascar InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Poor roads between regions.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
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 Madagascar
Madagascar has no toll-road or vignette system; the national 'Route Nationale' network is toll-free. Roads vary from sealed RNs to rough tracks needing a 4x4.
Urban parking, mainly in Antananarivo, is informal with no colour-coded paid zones; 'gardiens' (informal attendants) watch parked cars for a small cash tip (a few thousand ariary). Park in guarded hotel/lot spaces overnight.
Foreign drivers face on-the-spot cash penalties for speeding, no seatbelt or phone use, often negotiated at police stops; always ask for a receipt. Banditry and armed highway robbery on RN7, RN13, RN10 and others is a bigger risk than fines, so avoid driving after dark.
After an accident call police on 117 (or 119) and wait for an official report; do not move vehicles if there are injuries. Roadside assistance is essentially absent outside Antananarivo, so carry water and a spare.
Full driving guide for Madagascar →