Does Sixt require an IDP in Palestine?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Sixt in Palestine: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for licences issued outside the EU and not in the Roman alphabet. Premium European brand with a fast-growing global network.
The Palestinian territories drive on the right; an IDP is advised with your licence, and routes cross Israeli checkpoints that affect travel.
In Palestine specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Palestine ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. Rental is usually arranged via Israeli or local desks; carry an IDP and passport.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Palestine desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Palestine drives on the right, uses the ILS, 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 Palestine
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the ILS deposit; Palestine drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Palestine Sixt renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Checkpoints affect routes and timing.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
- 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 Palestine
There are no toll roads or vignette system in the West Bank; main highways (including Route 60 and 443) are toll-free.
Paid street parking in Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nablus is marked and cheap, often collected by attendants or meters; in dense old-city cores parking is scarce, so use municipal lots to avoid towing.
Speeding, phone use and no-seatbelt fines are issued on the spot by Palestinian or Israeli traffic police depending on the road; rental firms pass on tickets plus an admin fee, and unpaid fines can complicate vehicle return.
Call Palestinian police on 100 (or Israeli police 100 on Israeli-administered highways) and do not move vehicles until documented; a police report is required for any insurance claim, and an Israeli rental car taken into PA-controlled cities is usually uninsured, leaving you liable for all damage.
Full driving guide for Palestine →