Does Localiza require an IDP in Germany?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Germany: 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.
Visitors from outside the EU should carry an IDP with their licence to drive or rent in Germany.
In Germany specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Germany ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested for non-Roman-alphabet and non-EU licences at all major chains.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Germany desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Germany drives on the right, uses the EUR, 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 Germany
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the EUR deposit; Germany drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Germany Localiza renters should know
- Autobahn: keep right except to overtake; some sections have no speed limit.
- Winter tyres mandatory in wintry conditions.
- Environmental (Umweltplakette) sticker required for low-emission city zones.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; zero for drivers under 21.
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 Germany
Germany has no car tolls on the Autobahn (only trucks pay), so passenger cars drive the motorway network free. Budget instead for tolls on neighbouring countries' roads if crossing borders, and note Germany has no passenger-car vignette.
City centres use paid Parkschein meters or apps (often EUR 1-4/hour) and blue-signed Bewohnerparken bays reserved for permit-holding residents. A blue parking disc (Parkscheibe) is needed in free time-limited zones, and illegally parked cars are clamped or towed (abgeschleppt) at the driver's cost.
Speeding fines scale with the amount over (built-up area: ~EUR 30 for 10 km/h up to hundreds plus points/bans for large excesses), handheld phone use is EUR 100+ and a point, no seatbelt EUR 30. Camera fines route to the rental firm and on to you with an admin fee, and from 2025 these are enforceable cross-border within the EU.
Call 112 (ambulance/fire) or 110 (police); police must be called if anyone is injured or damage is significant. Complete the European Accident Statement (Europaischer Unfallbericht) with the other driver, secure the scene with warning triangle and hi-vis vest, do not move injured persons or vehicles needlessly, and report to the rental company.
Full driving guide for Germany →