Does Localiza require an IDP in North Macedonia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in North Macedonia: 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.
North Macedonia drives on the right with Cyrillic signage, so an IDP is advised to translate your licence for desks and police.
In North Macedonia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in North Macedonia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Skopje desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its North Macedonia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. North Macedonia drives on the right, uses the MKD, 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 North Macedonia
- 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 MKD deposit; North Macedonia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in North Macedonia Localiza renters should know
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; zero for new drivers.
- Toll motorways between major cities.
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 North Macedonia
There is no vignette; motorways (A1 Skopje-Greece, A2 toward Albania) use staffed toll booths charging roughly 0.70-1.60 EUR per section by vehicle class. Pay in Macedonian denars, euros or by card at the booth.
Skopje has paid blue/green zone street parking with kiosks and SMS payment; illegally parked cars in zone areas are wheel-clamped or towed. Always park in the direction of traffic.
Police issue on-the-spot fines (payable in cash) for speeding, no seatbelt and phone use; headlights must be on day and night or you risk a fine. Rental companies pass camera/speed fines to the renter's card plus an admin fee.
Dial the single European number 112 (or police 192). For any injury or damage that cannot be settled amicably you must call the police and obtain a report; do not move the vehicles until police authorise it.
Full driving guide for North Macedonia →