Does National require an IDP in Lebanon?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
National in Lebanon: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for non-Latin-alphabet licences and where local rules call for one. Business-traveller brand known for Emerald Aisle.
Lebanon drives on the right with assertive Beirut traffic; tourists should carry an IDP with their national licence.
In Lebanon specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Lebanon ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so National will typically ask for it at the counter. Beirut desks request an IDP for non-Latin-script licences.
National runs a global network; at its Lebanon desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Lebanon drives on the right, uses the LBP, 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 National counter in Lebanon
- 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 LBP deposit; Lebanon drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Lebanon National renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Drive defensively in dense city traffic.
National's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
The minimum age to rent is typically 21 (18 in Michigan and New York, as required by state law); renters aged 21-24 pay a "Youthful Surcharge" of approximately $25 per day (varies by location, lower in some states such as $5/day in New York) and may be restricted to certain car classes.
A major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Amex) in the primary renter's name with sufficient available credit is required; National generally does not accept debit cards, and renters without a ticketed return travel itinerary must provide a hold/deposit typically between $300 and $400 depending on location and vehicle class.
The renter's spouse or domestic partner who meets the same age and licence requirements drives free; other additional authorized drivers cost about $15 per day (typically $5/day in New York), and must be at least 21 with a valid licence. National requires a valid, unexpired full driver's licence held by the renter; for under-25 drivers some locations require the licence to have been held for at least one year, though National does not publish a uniform minimum tenure across all locations.
Vehicles rented in the U.S. or Canada are prohibited from being driven into Mexico; U.S.-Canada cross-border travel is generally permitted but one-way US/Canada drop-offs are limited to participating locations, and rentals originating in certain Mexican cities (e.g. Tijuana, Mexicali, Hermosillo, Monterrey, Saltillo) may cross into the U.S. after purchasing an extension of liability protection (about $10 USD/day).
National states that an International Driving Permit (IDP) is commonly requested in select countries and is generally recommended when travelling abroad; specifically, overseas travelers whose licence uses a non-Roman alphabet may need to present an IDP alongside their home-country licence.
Once you collect the keys in Lebanon
Lebanon has no functioning highway toll or vignette system, so tourists pay nothing for road use beyond fuel.
Beirut has paid metered and zoned street parking plus many attended private lots; illegal parking, even where locals do it, risks fines and towing, and valet parking is widespread at restaurants and hotels.
Under the current traffic law, driving ~20 km/h over the limit costs around 200,000 LL and no seatbelt around 350,000 LL, with phone use and red-light running similarly fined; tickets may be handled on the spot, and rental firms pass camera/parking fines to the card on file.
Dial 112 for police and 140 for the Lebanese Red Cross ambulance; stop at the scene, do not leave, and wait for the Internal Security Forces to file a report, which insurers and the rental company will require for any claim.
Full driving guide for Lebanon →