Does Localiza require an IDP in Iraq?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Iraq: 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.
Iraq drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though most visitors arrange drivers given security and road conditions.
In Iraq specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Iraq ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive is rare; an IDP and passport are expected where rental exists.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Iraq desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Iraq drives on the right, uses the IQD, 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 Iraq
- 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 IQD deposit; Iraq drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Iraq Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Numerous security checkpoints.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
- Drive defensively on intercity roads.
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 Iraq
Iraq has no nationwide electronic toll network; intercity roads are largely toll-free, though informal checkpoint stops and parking-style fees occur. Budget for fuel and security rather than tolls.
Parking in Baghdad, Erbil and Basra is informal and often managed by attendants who collect a small cash fee; secure hotel or guarded lots are strongly advised over street parking for foreign-plated or rental cars.
Traffic fines are typically issued and paid in cash to police on the spot; common citations cover speeding, seatbelt and phone use, and rental firms pass any unpaid fines or impound costs back to the renter. Night driving is discouraged for safety, not just legal, reasons.
After any crash, stop immediately, do not move the vehicles, and call police on 104 (general emergency 122); a police report is required for any insurance claim and for the rental company. Stay at the scene until officers arrive.