Does InterRent require an IDP in Thailand?
InterRent in Thailand: the policy in plain terms
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Local authorities in Thailand commonly ask foreign drivers to carry an IDP; the printed booklet is typically requested at checkpoints.
In Thailand specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Thailand ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Police checkpoints and rental desks expect the printed IDP, not just digital.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Thailand desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Thailand drives on the left, uses the THB, 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 Thailand
- 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 THB deposit; Thailand drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Thailand InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Helmets mandatory for motorcycles — strictly checked.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- International licence + passport carried at all times.
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 Thailand
Bangkok and inter-city expressways (EXAT/DOH) charge fixed-amount tolls payable in cash at booths or electronically via the M-Pass or Easy-Pass transponder/sticker; most short urban expressway segments cost roughly 25-90 THB. Unpaid e-tolls now carry escalating penalties, so use cash lanes if your rental has no tag.
Park only in marked bays; illegal or red-and-white-curb parking draws 200-500 THB fines and towing, common in central Bangkok. Malls and BTS-area lots offer paid garages (often 20-40 THB/hr), and apps/attended lots are the safe option in dense districts.
Speeding typically 1,000-2,000 THB, no-seatbelt and mobile-phone use up to 1,000 THB, and drink-driving over 0.05% BAC is heavily fined or jailed; minor fines are frequently issued on-the-spot in cash at checkpoints. Rental firms pass camera/toll tickets to your card plus an admin fee.
Call 1669 for medical emergency and 191 for police (insurance/tourist accident hotline 1554); for any injury or insurance claim a police report is required. Do not move the vehicles until police or the insurer's assessor arrives unless they are blocking a fast lane and you mark positions.
Full driving guide for Thailand →