Does Localiza require an IDP in Indonesia?
Localiza in Indonesia: 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.
An IDP is commonly requested to drive or ride in Indonesia, including Bali.
In Indonesia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Indonesia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Police checks in Bali frequently ask for an IDP and home licence.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Indonesia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Indonesia drives on the left, uses the IDR, 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 Indonesia
- 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 IDR deposit; Indonesia drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Indonesia Localiza renters should know
- Drive/ride on the left.
- Helmets mandatory and strictly checked.
- International + home licence carried together.
- 0.00% practical alcohol tolerance.
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 Indonesia
Indonesia's intercity toll roads (jalan tol) are cashless and require an e-money tap card (e-Toll, Mandiri e-Money, Flazz, BRIZZI) held against the gate reader; physical cash is no longer accepted, so buy and top up a card at a minimart before driving.
Most urban parking is informal, attended by 'juru parkir' wardens who charge a few thousand rupiah in cash and help you reverse out; malls and offices use ticketed barrier parking, and illegally parked cars in Jakarta can be wheel-clamped or towed.
Speeding, no-seatbelt and phone-use fines are issued on the spot, and unofficial cash 'damai' settlements with traffic police are common but technically bribery; rental firms pass any e-toll or camera charges to your card. Always insist on an official tilang ticket.
Call police on 110 (or the 112 emergency line); for any injury or dispute a police report is needed for insurance. Do not move vehicles before documenting the scene, and phone your rental company's helpline immediately as cover can be voided without correct paperwork.
Full driving guide for Indonesia →