Does Localiza require an IDP in Ecuador?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Ecuador: 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.
Ecuador drives on the right and signs the 1968 Vienna Convention; an IDP is advised with your licence for Andean and coastal driving.
In Ecuador specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Ecuador ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Quito and Guayaquil desks request an IDP for non-Latin-script licences.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Ecuador desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Ecuador drives on the right, uses the USD, 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 Ecuador
- 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 USD deposit; Ecuador drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Ecuador Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Pico y placa plate restrictions in Quito.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Steep Andean roads with switchbacks.
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 Ecuador
Major highways (e.g. the Panamericana and routes around Quito and Guayaquil) have toll booths (peajes) charging roughly USD 1 or less per car; pay in US dollars cash, as the country uses the USD.
Quito's centre uses the municipal 'Zona Azul' paid-parking scheme during business hours; parking in restricted spots risks fines or removal, so guarded lots are safer in the historic centre.
Pico y Placa or serious traffic violations draw heavy fines (around USD 130-260 plus possible points), while speeding, phone use and no seatbelt are penalised; rental firms recharge camera fines to the driver's card.
Call 911 (the national ECU 911 emergency line) for police and ambulance; leave vehicles in place and wait for the transit authority, as an official report is needed for insurance, and do not admit fault on the spot.
Full driving guide for Ecuador →