Does InterRent require an IDP in Turkmenistan?
InterRent in Turkmenistan: the policy in plain terms
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Turkmenistan drives on the right; an IDP is advised with your licence, though tourists usually travel on guided tours with arranged transport.
In Turkmenistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Turkmenistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Independent rental is uncommon; an IDP and passport are expected where available.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Turkmenistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Turkmenistan drives on the right, uses the TMT, 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 Turkmenistan
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the TMT deposit; Turkmenistan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Turkmenistan InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Checkpoints between regions.
- 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 Turkmenistan
There is no public toll or vignette system on Turkmenistan's roads; the new Ashgabat-Turkmenabat motorway is the main controlled-access highway. Foreign-registered vehicles entering the country instead pay border fees, fuel taxes and compulsory-insurance charges in hard currency.
Parking in central Ashgabat is tightly controlled around its white-marble government district, where stopping near ministries and monuments is restricted and enforced by abundant traffic police; use designated lots and avoid photographing official buildings while parked.
Traffic police are numerous and stop drivers readily; on-the-spot cash fines for speeding, seatbelt and phone offences are common, and a dirty or non-white car in Ashgabat can itself draw a fine. Always request an official receipt.
Call 03 for ambulance and the traffic police (102) for any crash; reporting is mandatory, you must not move the vehicles until police document the scene, and foreigners should expect detailed paperwork. Retain the official report for insurance.
Full driving guide for Turkmenistan →