Which driving licence do you need to rent a car in Kosovo, and do you need an IDP?
By Rento · Updated Oct 30, 2026
The short answer
Bring your own full, valid driving licence for cars (category B). That is what the rental company checks, and what you drive on.
An International Driving Permit doesn’t replace it. Kosovo’s licence law describes it as an additional document that translates what is on your licence (Law No. 05/L-064). If your licence isn’t written in Latin letters, carry one so a company or a police officer can read it.
A company may add rules of its own: a minimum number of years licensed, a minimum age, or verified renters only. Rento checks them when you book, so you know before you pay.
Your licence
- Category B is the ordinary car licence: cars up to 3,500 kg built for no more than eight passengers besides the driver (Law No. 05/L-064).
- Valid on the day you drive. On Rento, an expired licence can’t be used to book a car that is for verified renters only.
- Licence for automatics only (code 78 on a European licence)? Then you can rent automatic cars only. Search them with the gearbox filter.
The International Driving Permit
An International Driving Permit (IDP) is a booklet that translates your licence into several languages. It only works together with your licence, never on its own, and Kosovo’s own law describes it the same way: an additional document that sets out the data of the licence it was issued from (Law No. 05/L-064, Article 1).
UK licence holders: the UK government says you can drive in Kosovo on a UK photocard licence. With an old paper licence, you may need to update it to a photocard or get a 1969 IDP as well (UK government).
Other licences: check your own government’s travel advice for Kosovo, and ask the company if you are unsure. Documents in the chat on the car page asks exactly that: “What documents do I need to rent the car?”
Driving on into Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro or Serbia? Each country’s own licence rules apply there. Taking a Kosovo rental car abroad
Rules a company can add on Rento
A company can set these for one car or for its whole fleet:
- Verified renters only: you have photographed your ID and licence for Rento once, and they passed the check.
- A minimum number of years licensed, counted from the issue date on your licence.
- A minimum age. Renting under 25 covers that one.
Years licensed and age can only be checked on a verified ID, so a car with either rule is for verified renters with a Rento account; it can’t be booked as a guest. Rento checks the rules when you book, so you find out before you pay rather than at the counter.
Verifying once on Rento
It takes about two minutes on a phone: photos of your ID card (front and back) or passport, of your licence (front and back), and a selfie. The check usually takes a few hours, and we email you either way (verify your ID and licence).
Companies then see that you are verified, which licence categories you hold, when your licence expires and an age bracket, not your date of birth. The company you book with can also open the photos of your ID and licence from the moment you pay until you return the car. No company ever sees your selfie.
A second driver
If the company offers a second driver, add them at checkout. They need their own licence, must be at least 18, and must also meet the car’s minimum age if it has one.
Questions people ask
Do I need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Kosovo?
Your own valid licence is what counts. An IDP only translates it, so it is worth carrying if your licence isn’t in Latin letters. The UK government says a UK photocard licence needs no IDP in Kosovo.
Can I drive in Kosovo on a UK driving licence?
Yes. The UK government says a UK photocard licence is enough to drive in Kosovo. With an old paper licence, you may need to update it or get a 1969 IDP as well.
Can I rent a car with a licence for automatics only?
Yes, but only an automatic car. Search with the gearbox filter set to automatic.
How long do I need to have held my licence?
Only as long as the car’s rules ask. Some cars on Rento have no such rule; others ask for a number of years licensed, counted from the issue date on your licence.
Does the rental company see my documents?
If you verify, the company you book with sees that you are verified and can open the photos of your ID and licence from the moment you pay until you return the car. It never sees your selfie.
Sources
The official pages this guide relies on, and the day we last checked it against each one.
- 1Law No. 05/L-064 on Driving Licence
Republic of Kosovo, Official Gazette · Checked Oct 30, 2026
- 2Kosovo travel advice: Safety and security (Driving in Kosovo)
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · Checked Oct 30, 2026
Read next
- Can you rent a car in Kosovo if you are under 21 or under 25?You can drive from 18. Whether you can rent depends on the car’s minimum age, checked on a verified ID before you pay.
- Can I take a Kosovo rental car to Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro or Serbia?Yes, if the company agrees in writing before you pay. Albania needs nothing extra; the other three need TPL+ on the car.
- How paying works on Rento: the part online, the rest at pick-up, and the depositA part online to confirm, the rest at pick-up. The deposit belongs to the company, so ask how much and how.
Something not covered here? The help center walks through every step of booking on Rento, and Rento support answers the rest.