Does Localiza require an IDP in Syria?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Syria: 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.
Syria drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, though travel conditions mean most visitors rely on arranged drivers.
In Syria specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Syria 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 Syria desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Syria drives on the right, uses the SYP, 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 Syria
- 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 SYP deposit; Syria drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Syria 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 Syria
There is no modern electronic toll network; intercity highways are generally untolled, though occasional checkpoints and informal fees may be encountered, and most road payments in practice are cash in Syrian pounds.
Parking in Damascus and other cities is informal and congested, commonly on-street with attendants collecting cash; there are no standardised colour-coded paid zones, and vehicles are best left in guarded lots where available.
Traffic police levy on-the-spot cash fines for speeding, seatbelt and phone-use violations; enforcement is inconsistent and largely manual rather than camera-based, and driving without an IDP plus national licence can lead to problems at checkpoints.
After a crash you must stop and not move vehicles until authorities arrive; contact police (general emergency 112) and obtain an official report for any insurance or legal process, noting checkpoints and language barriers make documentation essential.
Full driving guide for Syria →