Does Sixt require an IDP in Mongolia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Sixt in Mongolia: the policy in plain terms
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Mongolia drives on the right and uses Cyrillic; an IDP is advised with your licence, and much of the country is trackless steppe best crossed by 4x4.
In Mongolia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Mongolia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. Ulaanbaatar desks ask for an IDP with non-Cyrillic licences; 4x4 for off-road.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Mongolia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Mongolia drives on the right, uses the MNT, 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 Sixt counter in Mongolia
- 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 MNT deposit; Mongolia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Mongolia Sixt renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Few paved roads outside the capital.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Sixt's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Minimum age is region-specific: typically 21 in the US (18 in New York, where an under-25 fee still applies) and 18 in much of continental Europe such as Germany and France; drivers aged 21-24 pay a young-driver surcharge of roughly USD 25-30 per day in the US (about GBP 36 per rental in the UK, around EUR 5-6 per day in markets like Cyprus), and under-25s are usually limited to economy through full-size sedans, midsize SUVs and minivans.
A credit or debit card in the main driver's name must be presented at pickup; Sixt holds a security deposit of at least USD 200 plus the rental amount on the card, with substantially higher holds on premium/high-value vehicles, and debit-card acceptance and limits vary by branch and vehicle class.
A per-rental additional-driver fee applies; extra drivers can be added at any Sixt branch during the rental provided the main driver is present and the additional driver shows a valid licence (some European markets waive the fee for a spouse/partner). The driver must typically have held a full valid licence for at least 1 year (rising to 2-3 years in higher-risk markets such as Cyprus, while Germany requires the licence be held only since at least the day before pickup).
Most Sixt passenger vehicles may be driven across borders into listed neighbouring countries (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Italy within Europe), but you must notify and get authorisation from the pickup branch in advance; a cross-border and/or one-way drop-off fee applies, and certain vehicle classes and destination countries are restricted.
Sixt does not require an International Driving Permit everywhere, but states that where local law requires it the IDP must be carried alongside the original home licence; if the licence is in a non-Roman alphabet (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic, etc.) the renter must present an IDP or an official translation, and an official translation is also required if the issuing country is not party to the international driving-permit treaty.
Once you collect the keys in Mongolia
There is no nationwide electronic toll system; a few paved intercity highways (such as sections out of Ulaanbaatar toward the airport and Zuunmod) have manual cash toll booths charging small tugrik amounts. Most of the country is unpaved with no tolls.
Central Ulaanbaatar has paid attended parking lots and metered street bays; pay the attendant or kiosk in tugrik, and illegally parked cars are ticketed or towed. Parking is scarce and chaotic around Sukhbaatar Square and the State Department Store.
The drink-drive limit is a strict 0.02% BAC and default speed limits are 40 km/h in town and 80 km/h on rural roads; police issue on-the-spot fines, often payable in cash. Rental companies pass any traffic or camera fines back to the renter.
Dial 102 for police and 103 for ambulance (the unified 112 is being rolled out). Report any accident to police and leave the vehicles in place until officers arrive, as a police report is needed for insurance and to leave the country.
Full driving guide for Mongolia →