Does Thrifty require an IDP in Luxembourg?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Thrifty in Luxembourg: the policy in plain terms
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Luxembourg drives on the right at the heart of Europe; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP with their national licence.
In Luxembourg specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Luxembourg ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Thrifty will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP for licences issued outside the EU/EEA.
Thrifty runs a global network; at its Luxembourg desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Luxembourg drives on the right, uses the EUR, 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 Thrifty counter in Luxembourg
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the EUR deposit; Luxembourg drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Luxembourg Thrifty renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights in tunnels and poor visibility.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for new drivers.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
Thrifty's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Thrifty's published minimum rental age is 20 at most U.S. and Canada locations (18 in Michigan, New York, and Quebec); drivers aged 20-24 (or 18-24 in those exception states/province) are charged an Underage Drivers fee that varies by location, typically around $29/day and higher (roughly $35-$52) in New York and Michigan.
A valid credit/debit card in the renter's own name is required and a hold is placed for estimated charges plus roughly $200 extra for credit cards or $500 for debit (about $350 CAD in Canada); Visa/Mastercard/Discover debit cards are accepted only on Compact through Fullsize classes (not Premium and above) and a physical card must be presented as digital-wallet cards are not accepted.
Additional drivers must meet the minimum age requirement and hold a valid licence, and an additional-driver fee applies per day; it is waived for Blue Chip Rewards members, government renters on official orders, corporate-rate customers, and the companion/driver of a physically impaired customer. Thrifty's general policy requires a valid driver's licence covering the entire rental period but does not publish a fixed minimum tenure; in practice under-25 renters are typically expected to have held a full licence for at least one year.
Driving is generally restricted to the continental United States and Canada, and a Canadian resident is prohibited from driving a U.S.-owned vehicle into Canada; one-way rentals are offered within the U.S. and within Canada subject to location/availability with a one-way drop fee.
Foreign renters must present a driver's licence issued in their country of residence together with a valid passport; if the licence is not in English, Thrifty requires both the foreign licence and a current International Driver's Permit to be presented.
Once you collect the keys in Luxembourg
Luxembourg has no car tolls or vignette - the motorway network is free for passenger cars, unlike neighbouring Austria and Switzerland; only heavy goods vehicles pay the electronic Eurovignette.
Luxembourg City uses paid blue/coloured zones with meters, ticket machines and apps, and central streets often need a displayed parking disc for limited free stays; P+R sites on the outskirts feed free public transport into the centre.
Police issue on-the-spot taxed warnings from about EUR 24 up to EUR 145; speeding fines start near EUR 49 and rise steeply, and handheld phone use and no-seatbelt are penalised. Rental firms forward camera fines to the renter via plate-holder data exchange.
Call 112 for emergencies; for damage-only crashes complete the European Accident Statement (constat amiable) and notify the rental firm, calling police if there is injury, a dispute or a foreign-registered party. Cars must have a warning triangle and reflective vest.
Full driving guide for Luxembourg →