Does Localiza require an IDP in Kosovo?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Kosovo: 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.
Kosovo drives on the right; an IDP is advised with your licence, and visitors must buy local third-party insurance at the border.
In Kosovo specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Kosovo ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Pristina desks ask for an IDP; border insurance is compulsory.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Kosovo desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Kosovo 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 Kosovo
- 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 EUR deposit; Kosovo drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Kosovo Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on day and night.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Buy border vehicle insurance on entry.
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 Kosovo
Most roads are free, but the R7 motorway linking Kosovo to Albania is tolled; pay in cash or card at toll plazas. Note Kosovo is outside the Green Card system, so border third-party insurance must be bought on entry.
Paid parking is normal in central Pristina via kerbside attendants and machines; vehicles parked illegally or causing obstruction can be towed.
There are generally no cash on-the-spot fines; police issue a ticket stating the offence and where to pay, and camera/ticketed fines on a rental are billed to the hirer.
Stop at the scene and call the police for any property damage or injury (even single-vehicle); a police report is required and you must not leave before it is taken, then notify the border-insurance provider.
Full driving guide for Kosovo →