Does Localiza require an IDP in Afghanistan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Afghanistan: the policy in plain terms
Asks foreign renters to present a licence translation with their home licence at the counter across Brazil and Latin America. The largest car-rental company in Latin America.
Afghanistan drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors travel with hired drivers given road conditions.
In Afghanistan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Afghanistan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive rental is uncommon; an IDP and passport are expected where available.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Afghanistan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Afghanistan drives on the right, uses the AFN, 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 Localiza counter in Afghanistan
- 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 AFN deposit; Afghanistan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Afghanistan Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Checkpoints are frequent.
- Drive defensively on poorly maintained roads.
Localiza's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Localiza's minimum rental age is 18 (lowered from 21 across Brazil), but drivers under 21 must add the mandatory "Condutor Jovem" (Young Driver) surcharge at booking; the exact fee is set per rental/location and quoted at reservation rather than published as a flat amount.
A credit card (physical or contactless) in the reservation holder's or financial responsible party's name is required for a pre-authorization hold; debit cards are not accepted for the security guarantee. Customers without a credit card can instead pass a weekday business-hours credit evaluation, with daily rentals up to 28 days available for an approximately R$39.90 fee if approved.
Each additional driver must be registered on the contract and present a valid licence and ID at the counter; Localiza does not publish a flat additional-driver fee, charging it per rate plan and location at pickup. Localiza requires a valid full driver's licence but does not publish a fixed minimum holding period; instead the young-driver surcharge (under-21) is the gating control, so a valid current licence is the stated requirement.
Cross-border driving within Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) requires the mandatory "Carta Verde"/Green Card insurance and advance authorization, typically requested at booking; one-way rentals returning in a different country incur a one-way fee that is usually higher than the cross-border fee, so both must be arranged in advance.
Foreign customers must present a valid licence from a country in Brazil's "Reciprocity Agreement" plus a passport, and may drive for up to 180 days from their date of entry (respecting the original licence validity); entry must be proven with a passport stamp, boarding pass, or immigration approval document. An International Driving Permit is referenced under the applicable legislation for non-reciprocity or non-Roman-alphabet licences.
Once you collect the keys in Afghanistan
There is no organised national electronic toll or vignette system for tourists; some highway sections and bridges levy informal or cash road charges collected at checkpoints. Travel is otherwise overshadowed by security checkpoints rather than tolls.
There are no formal paid-zone or app-based urban parking systems; parking is informal and unmetered, typically guarded by attendants paid a small cash tip. Vehicles are best left in attended lots or hotel compounds for security.
Traffic enforcement is informal and fines are typically settled in cash on the spot to police; there is no reliable centralised camera-fine system. Foreign drivers face far greater risk from security incidents than from formal penalties.
After any crash do not move the vehicles and contact local police, though emergency response is unreliable; the 119 line is the nominal police number. A police report is needed for insurance and to pass checkpoints, but for safety travellers are advised to involve their embassy and a local fixer immediately.
Full driving guide for Afghanistan →