Does Thrifty require an IDP in Portugal?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Thrifty in Portugal: the policy in plain terms
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Non-EU visitors should carry an IDP to drive and rent in Portugal.
In Portugal specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Portugal ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Thrifty will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested for licences issued outside the EU/EEA.
Thrifty runs a global network; at its Portugal desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Portugal 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 Portugal
- 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; Portugal drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Portugal Thrifty renters should know
- Electronic tolls (Via Verde) — arrange with your rental car.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for new drivers.
- Dipped headlights in tunnels.
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 Portugal
Portugal mixes staffed toll plazas with fully electronic 'ex-SCUT' motorways that have no booths and read your plate via Via Verde. Rental cars carry a Via Verde transponder (about EUR 1-2/day plus tolls billed to your card); independent drivers can use EASYToll, registering a card to the plate at a border/airport kiosk for EUR 1 setup plus per-transit charges.
In Lisbon paid zones are run by EMEL (pay by machine or app), and Porto and other cities have similar metered zones; bays are scarce and illegal-parking fines reach about EUR 300. Peripheral park-and-ride plus public transport into the centre is the practical option.
Speeding fines start around EUR 60 and rise sharply, and police can demand on-the-spot payment from non-residents (a deposit) for offences such as speeding, phone use or no seatbelt before allowing you to continue. Camera fines to foreign drivers are passed on by rental firms with an admin fee.
Call 112 for emergencies (the GNR or PSP handle road policing). For a minor crash, complete the European Accident Statement (Declaracao Amigavel) jointly with the other driver; call police if there is injury, a dispute, or a driver without documents, and do not move vehicles before documenting an injury crash.
Full driving guide for Portugal →