Does Localiza require an IDP in Bahrain?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Bahrain: 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.
Bahrain drives on the right and enforces zero alcohol behind the wheel; tourists should carry an IDP with their national licence.
In Bahrain specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Bahrain ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Manama desks request an IDP for most non-GCC licences.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Bahrain desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Bahrain drives on the right, uses the BHD, 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 Bahrain
- 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 BHD deposit; Bahrain drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Bahrain Localiza renters should know
- Zero-tolerance alcohol law while driving.
- Speed cameras widespread.
- Seatbelts mandatory front and rear.
- Phone use while driving heavily fined.
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 Bahrain
Bahrain has no toll roads or vignette system, including the causeways within the kingdom, so tourists pay no road tolls. (Crossing the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia involves separate causeway and border fees.)
Manama and central districts have paid parking zones with meters and designated lots; signage shows time limits and charges. Illegally parked vehicles are fined and may be towed, and enforcement applies equally to tourists.
Camera enforcement is heavy and rental firms pass fines (plus an admin fee) to the renter; speeding up to 30% over the limit carries BHD 50-250, mobile-phone use roughly BHD 200, and seatbelt/child-seat breaches BHD 20-100. Serious speeding can mean far larger fines or imprisonment.
Call 199 for traffic accidents without injuries and 999 if anyone is hurt; you will be directed to one of the accident report centres to file a report. Do not move the vehicles before reporting, as a police report is mandatory for any insurance claim.
Full driving guide for Bahrain →