Does Localiza require an IDP in Taiwan?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Taiwan: 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.
Taiwan drives on the right and accepts the IDP for short stays; tourists should carry one with their national licence, validated locally if staying longer.
In Taiwan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Taiwan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP; longer stays may need motor-vehicle office registration.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Taiwan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Taiwan drives on the right, uses the TWD, 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 Taiwan
- 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 TWD deposit; Taiwan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Taiwan Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Scooters are everywhere — watch waiting zones at lights.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Electronic (eTag) freeway tolls.
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 Taiwan
National Freeways 1, 3, 3A and 5 use distance-based eTag electronic tolling (ETC) with no cash booths; rental cars carry an eTag and the toll (first 20 km free per day, then about TWD 1.2/km) is settled and billed by the rental company.
City parking uses metered/coupon street bays and attendants who issue paper tickets you pay later (or via apps), plus paid lots; red-line curbs mean no parking/stopping and yellow lines restrict it, with towing and fines for violations.
Speed, red-light and lane cameras issue tickets passed to the rental firm and on to the hirer; fines apply for speeding, no seatbelt and handheld phone use, and Taiwan enforces strict drink-driving limits with heavy penalties.
Stop, photograph the vehicles and scene, and call 110 for police (or 119 for fire/ambulance if injuries); obtain the police accident report and notify the rental agency, as the report is required for insurance.
Full driving guide for Taiwan →