Does National require an IDP in Thailand?
National in Thailand: the policy in plain terms
Requires an IDP for non-Latin-alphabet licences and where local regulations require it. Business-traveller brand known for Emerald Aisle.
Thailand requires foreign drivers to carry an IDP; the printed booklet is typically required at checkpoints.
In Thailand specifically, thailand legally requires foreign drivers to carry an International Driving Permit with their national licence, so National will ask for it at the counter. Police checkpoints and rental desks expect the printed IDP, not just digital.
National runs a global network; at its Thailand desks, foreign renters are asked for the 1949 Geneva-format International Driving Permit alongside the original licence. Thailand drives on the left, uses the THB, 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 Thailand
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the THB deposit; Thailand drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Thailand National renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Helmets mandatory for motorcycles — strictly checked.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- International licence + passport carried at all times.