Does Localiza require an IDP in Antigua and Barbuda?
Localiza in Antigua and Barbuda: 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.
Antigua and Barbuda drive on the left and require visitors to buy a local temporary driving permit at the rental desk, often alongside an IDP.
In Antigua and Barbuda specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Antigua and Barbuda ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. A local temporary permit is issued on top of your licence; an IDP helps.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Antigua and Barbuda desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Antigua and Barbuda drives on the left, uses the XCD, 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 Antigua and Barbuda
- 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 XCD deposit; Antigua and Barbuda drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Antigua and Barbuda Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Buy a local temporary driving permit.
- Narrow, winding roads.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
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 Antigua and Barbuda
There are no toll roads or toll systems anywhere in Antigua and Barbuda; all public roads are free to use.
Parking in St. John's is informal with no large paid-meter network; use marked lots and avoid blocking narrow streets or yellow-lined areas, where vehicles can be ticketed or towed.
Seatbelts are compulsory for all occupants and handheld phone use at the wheel is illegal; police can issue on-the-spot fines, and rental firms pass any tickets (plus an admin fee) to the renter's card.
For minor damage with no injuries you need not call emergency services, but exchange details and notify your rental firm; if anyone is injured or a vehicle is undriveable, call 911/999, do not move the vehicles and wait for police.
Full driving guide for Antigua and Barbuda →