Renting a car at Boston (BOS) with a foreign licence

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• IDP is recommended, not required, when the home licence is in an extended-Latin alphabet (e.g. German, Spanish) and required for non-Latin alphabets; professional type-written translation may substitute only if an IDP cannot be obtained in the home country. Passport/other government ID is requested at some locations.

“Their home country driver's license that is valid, unexpired and includes a photograph. Digital licenses are not accepted. If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English (or French, for rentals in Canada) and the letters are English (i.e. German, Spanish, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is recommended, but not required, for translation purposes in addition to the home country driver's license. If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English and the letters are not English (i.e. alphabet is not an extended Latin-based alphabet like German or Spanish but is Russian, Japanese, Arabic, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is required. If an International Driver's Permit cannot be obtained in the home country, another professional, type-written translation may be substituted. In either case, the home country driver's license must also be presented. In some US and Canadian locations, customers not holding a US/Canadian driver’s license may be asked to provide additional, valid government-issued documentation. Examples of this may include a valid passport.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, translation_alternative, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

“In either case, the home country driver's license must also be presented.” — idp_alone_accepted ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Sources reviewed. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• Same wording as Enterprise: IDP recommended (not required) for extended-Latin alphabets, required for non-Latin alphabets; type-written translation only if an IDP cannot be obtained.

“Their home country driver's license that is valid, unexpired and includes a photograph. Digital licenses are not accepted. If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English (or French, for rentals in Canada) and the letters are English (i.e. German, Spanish, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is recommended, but not required, for translation purposes in addition to the home country driver's license. If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English and the letters are not English (i.e. alphabet is not an extended Latin-based alphabet like German or Spanish but is Russian, Japanese, Arabic, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is required. If an International Driver's Permit cannot be obtained in the home country, another professional, type-written translation may be substituted. In either case, the home country driver's license must also be presented. Customers may not rent a vehicle solely with the International Driver's Permit. The International Driver's Permit is a translation of the individual's home country driver's license and is not considered a license nor is it considered valid identification. In some US and Canadian locations, customers not holding a US/Canadian driver’s license may be asked to provide additional, valid government-issued documentation. Examples of this may include a valid passport.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, translation_alternative, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

“In either case, the home country driver's license must also be presented.” — idp_alone_accepted ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Sources reviewed. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• Avis accepts licences from Canadian provinces, countries party to the 1949 Geneva Convention or 1943 Inter-American Convention, or with a reciprocal agreement (same page). IDP and passport are 'may be required', not stated as always required; the page does not state when. Mexico-issued licences need a secondary ID.

“If you intend to rent outside your home country, you may also be required to present an International Driver's Permit. International Driver's Permits are valid only if presented with the original local license. An International Driver's Permit it not acceptable by itself.” — idp_policy, idp_alone_accepted, home_licence_required ↗ (company national page)

“Customer with a foreign driver’s license (other than a U.S. or Canadian driver’s license) may be required to also present a valid passport as a secondary form of identification at the time of check out.” — passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Evidence incomplete. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• Budget says the licence needs to be in the Roman alphabet and, if not, the renter 'should have' an IDP as well. Wording is softer than 'required'; proof of return to the resident country is also required.

“If you don’t live in the U.S. or Canada, you’ll need to have a valid license in your name from your country of residence in addition to a passport. Your driver’s license needs to be written in the Roman alphabet. If not, you should have an International Driving Permit as well. Finally, we’ll also need proof that you’re returning to your resident country upon returning your rental.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Evidence incomplete. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• SIXT US article: non-Latin licences need an IDP in addition to the original; for countries that do not issue IDPs (e.g. China) an official written translation must accompany the original. No passport rule is stated in this article (null).

“International licenses Non-USA residents may use their domestic driver’s license If the license uses non-Latin characters (e.g., Arabic, Japanese, Cyrillic), an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required in addition to the original license An IDP alone is not valid and must always be presented with the original license For countries that do not issue IDPs (e.g., China), an official written translation must accompany the original license” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, idp_alone_accepted, translation_alternative ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Conflicting sources. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• Source is Hertz's rental-terms LICENSE endpoint; the normalized text was identical for all 11 branch codes checked on 2026-10-04 (MCOT16 MIAT15 FLLT11 LAXT15 LAST11 JFKT02 EWRT11 SFOT15 DFWT20 ATLT11 BOST11), so it is recorded at supplier-national scope. Hertz does not state an IDP requirement for non-Latin licences.

“Customers traveling to the United States who have a driver’s license that was issued outside of the United States are required to present a valid driver’s license at the time of rent and a valid passport in the same name displayed on the foreign driver’s license, as a second form of identification. If the driver's license is in a language other than English, and the rental is in the United States, an International Driver's Permit is recommended to aid translation. You will not be allowed to rent a vehicle with only an International Driver's Permit.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, idp_alone_accepted, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Evidence incomplete. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• IDP recommended for extended-Latin, required for non-Latin alphabets; passport may be requested at some US/Canadian locations.

“If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English (or French, for rentals in Canada) and the letters are English (i.e. German, Spanish, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is recommended, but not required, for translation purposes in addition to the home country driver's license. -If the home country driver's license is in a language other than English and the letters are not English (i.e. alphabet is not an extended Latin-based alphabet like German or Spanish but is Russian, Japanese, Arabic, etc.) an International Driver's Permit is required. -If an International Driver's Permit cannot be obtained in the home country, another professional, type-written translation may be substituted. In either case, the home country driver's license must also be presented. -Customers may not rent a vehicle solely with the International Driver's Permit. The International Driver's Permit is a translation of the individual's home country driver's license and is not considered a license nor is it considered valid identification. -In some US and Canadian locations, customers not holding a US/Canadian driver’s license may be asked to provide additional, valid government-issued documentation. Examples of this may include a valid passport.” — idp_policy, translation_alternative, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

“Customers may not rent a vehicle solely with the International Driver's Permit. The International Driver's Permit is a translation of the individual's home country driver's license and is not considered a license nor is it considered valid identification.” — idp_alone_accepted ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Sources reviewed. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• Dollar does not state an IDP requirement for non-Latin licences; IDP is only 'recommended to aid translation'.

“Customers traveling to the United States or Canada who have a driver’s license that was issued outside of the United States or Canada are required to present a valid driver’s license at the time of rent and a valid passport in the same name displayed on the foreign driver’s license, as a second form of identification. If the driver's license is in a language other than English, and the rental is in the United States, an International Driver's Permit is recommended to aid translation. You will not be allowed to rent a vehicle with only an International Driver's Permit.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, idp_alone_accepted, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Evidence incomplete. Last checked 2026-10-04.

• An IDP alone is not accepted: it must accompany the original licence.
• Thrifty states that if the licence is not in English both the foreign licence and a current IDP are required (a Japanese Translation Service is accepted for Japan); an IDP or certified translation alone is not acceptable. This is stricter than Dollar/Hertz wording.

“A foreign driver’s license* issued by the country of residence of the renter and additional drivers is required to be accompanied with a valid passport in the renter’s name. If the driver’s license in not in English, the renter and drivers will be required to present both the foreign issued driver’s license and a current International Driver’s Permit (“IDP”); or, if from Japan, a Japanese Translation Service. An IDP does not give a person the right to drive, but provides a certified translation of the valid foreign driver’s license. An IDP can be obtained in the driver's country of residence only with a valid driver’s license. An IDP (or certified translation) without the foreign issued driver’s license is not acceptable. International customers renting in the U.S. are also required to present a valid international-issued driver’s license at the time of rent and a valid passport in the same name, as a second form of identification.” — home_licence_required, idp_policy, idp_alone_accepted, translation_alternative, passport_policy ↗ (company national page)

Profile: Evidence incomplete. Last checked 2026-10-04.