Practical rental guide

USA Car Rental With a Pakistan or Nepal Driving Licence

Prepare the original licence, required translation or IDP, passport and card. Country alone cannot establish supplier or state acceptance.

Written and reviewed by Feroz Sheikh Published 2026-09-30 · Updated 2026-09-30Last reviewed 2026-09-30

What this guide helps you decide

Apply the reviewed licence-language route to a Pakistan- or Nepal-issued document without claiming a blanket national acceptance rule.

Conditional on your exact document and destination

A Pakistan- or Nepal-issued licence requires an exact document check: original validity, photo, language/script, restrictions and any IDP/translation. The reviewed supplier evidence supports document-language routes, not a guarantee for every licence format issued in either country.

Inspect the relevant information on your own card. Urdu, Devanagari and English fields can appear in different combinations; do not assume the supplier can authenticate a document because one field is in English. Ask the branch how it treats the full document.

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Compare the document route before comparing prices

A supplier's translation rule depends on the actual document, not simply your citizenship or current address. Read the licence's language and script, then check the exact airport and the states on your route.

Reviewed US supplier guidance for foreign licences
Supplier	Licence / IDP guidance	Payment check that remains
Enterprise	Original valid photo licence; non-Latin-script documents require an IDP or the permitted professional translation. Non-English Latin-script licences have an IDP recommendation. A passport may be requested from international renters.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Alamo	Valid original home-country photo licence; IDP required for non-Latin script, or a professional typed translation if an IDP cannot be obtained at home. Latin-script non-English documents have an IDP recommendation.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Avis	Physical valid licence through the rental; international visitors may need an IDP and a same-name passport. Avis's FAQ and agreement differ on temporary licences, so that document remains an unresolved conflict.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Budget	Present the valid original licence and the international identification/translation the exact location requires. Review document evidence separately from the payment offer.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
SIXT	Original unexpired licence and identity documents; a non-Latin document may require an IDP or official translation. Follow the US rental information and exact branch terms.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Hertz	Valid original licence. The reviewed MCO branch requests a same-name passport for foreign licences and recommends an IDP for non-English documents. Broader official IDP wording differs, so confirm the exact branch for an international trip.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
National	Original valid licence throughout rental; IDP recommended for non-English Latin script and required for non-Latin script, with the published professional-translation alternative. Passport or travel documentation may be requested.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Dollar	Original valid licence and same-name passport for foreign licences. General policies recommend an IDP for non-English licences; an IDP is never a replacement for the home-country licence.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.
Thrifty	Original valid foreign licence and a same-name passport. The reviewed general policies require an IDP for non-English licences, with a stated Japanese translation-service exception; this is stricter than Dollar's recommendation.	Original qualifying card in the main renter's name; deposit and debit conditions are separate.

National summaries do not prove every branch's acceptance. An IDP alone is not a valid replacement for the original licence.

Arrange translation documents through the correct issuer

USAGov directs foreign visitors to the country that issued the licence and says the US does not issue their IDP after arrival. Ask the relevant transport authority or authorised issuing organisation about your licence and destination before paying an intermediary.

This guide does not claim a verified Nepal- or Pakistan-wide IDP issuance process or processing time. If a supplier offers a professional-translation alternative only when an IDP cannot be obtained at home, ask which document and translator evidence it will accept; a self-written translation is not that published alternative.

A Gulf resident may use a different issuing-country route

If you are a Pakistani or Nepali citizen with a Qatar- or UAE-issued licence, enter that licence's issuing country, along with your current residence. An IDP based on a different home-country licence does not automatically translate the Gulf licence you present.

Ensure the original licence, passport, IDP and payment card consistently identify the main renter. Ask about spelling differences and current-address evidence before prepaying, especially for a debit route.

Qatar/UAE/Saudi licence checklist

Complete the other qualification checks

Document acceptance does not answer the age, card, itinerary, available funds and vehicle questions. A qualifying return ticket can support an airport debit route without establishing its exact deposit. A third-party voucher can cover a booking balance without supplying the required pickup card.

Use the checker for the exact airport, then send any remaining document or branch conflict to the operating location with your dates and vehicle. Check the motor-vehicle agency in each state on the planned route as a separate legal step.

Check the actual US trip

Pickup checklist

1Select the exact airport, supplier, dates and vehicle before requesting confirmation.
2Carry the original licence valid throughout the rental and return date, plus your passport.
3Check the document's script/language and obtain the required IDP or accepted translation before travelling.
4Use your own qualifying physical payment card; check debit travel/ID rules separately.
5Ask for the total pickup authorization, not only the advertised booking price.
6Check every US state's visitor-driving requirements along the route.

Questions renters ask

Does an IDP replace my licence?

No. Bring the original valid home-country licence with the IDP. The reviewed supplier guidance treats the permit as a translation aid, not a standalone driving licence.

Does an English licence mean no IDP is needed?

It can meet a supplier's translation test, but it does not settle every US state's legal requirements or every branch's policy. Check the states on your route and your operating supplier.

Can I obtain my IDP after landing in the US?

USAGov says the US does not issue IDPs to foreign visitors. Arrange the document through the country that issued your licence before the trip.

Can I use my relative's card for the deposit?

Do not assume so. The main renter normally needs a qualifying card in their own name. A relative's online booking payment does not establish an exception at pickup.

Sources reviewed

These sources support the general checks above. They do not replace the exact branch and selected-rate terms.

USAGov: foreign visitors driving in the USOfficial US guidance: check each state and the rental company; checked 30 September 2026
Enterprise US payment methodsUS national payment guidance; exact branch terms can differ; checked 2026-09-30
Enterprise licence requirementsUS licence and international visitor guidance; checked 2026-09-30
Alamo US payment optionsUS national payment guidance; checked 2026-09-30
Alamo licence requirementsUS licence requirements; checked 2026-09-30
Alamo Skip the CounterOptional pickup service, separate from rental eligibility; checked 2026-09-30
Avis US debit-card policyUS national debit FAQ, participating locations; checked 2026-09-30
Avis US renter requirementsUS licence and identification FAQ; checked 2026-09-30
Avis US rental agreementAgreement wording; temporary-licence conflict; checked 2026-09-30
Hertz US credit/debit policyUS national policy with geographic and programme exceptions; checked 2026-09-30
Hertz age restrictionsUS age and licence-held requirements; checked 2026-09-30
Hertz JFK payment termsExact JFKT02 branch payment conditions; checked 2026-09-30
National US payment methodsUS national payment guidance; checked 2026-09-30
National MCO policyExact MCO branch; checked 2026-09-30
National JFK policyExact JFK branch and advance qualification exception; checked 2026-09-30
Dollar general policiesUS age, documents and authorization guidance; checked 2026-09-30
Dollar debit policyUS debit qualification and Express exceptions; checked 2026-09-30
Thrifty general policiesUS age, documents and authorization guidance; checked 2026-09-30
Thrifty debit policyUS debit qualification and Blue Chip exceptions; checked 2026-09-30

How sources, conflicts and freshness are handled

Rules by airport

Sourced tables by company for the airports where enough rules are reviewed.

Foreign licence

Now check the actual trip

Combine the airport, age, licence, card, funds, vehicle and route rather than relying on a general article.

Open the eligibility checker

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Check your chosen supplier’s card, deposit, age and pickup requirements. A booking remains subject to the supplier’s terms and checks at pickup.

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