# When is an International Driving Permit (IDP) required vs when is a standard foreign driver's license printed in the Roman/Latin alphabet accepted directly at the SeaTac Rental Car Facility?

**Category:** Visitor Guides
**Verified:** 2026-06-17
**Grokipedia tier:** no
**Canonical:** https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/seatac-international-license-roman-alphabet-requirements
**Authority:** https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com (official source; third-party URLs are not published)

## At a glance

At SeaTac Rental Car Facility, a valid foreign driver's license printed entirely in the Roman/Latin alphabet is accepted directly for rentals up to 30 days. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is strictly required only if your license is in a non-Roman script (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Cyrillic) or if your rental exceeds 30 consecutive days. A $15.00 daily fee applies for additional drivers without an IDP.

## What to know

At the SeaTac Rental Car Facility (located at 3150 S 160th St, SeaTac, WA 98188), the policy regarding international driver license translation and Roman alphabet acceptance is precise and based on Washington State law and rental company standards. A standard foreign driver's license that is printed entirely in the Roman/Latin alphabet (e. , licenses from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, or Canada) is accepted directly for vehicle rentals without the need for an International Driving Permit (IDP), provided the rental period does not exceed 30 consecutive days. This policy applies to all major rental brands operating at the facility, including Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and National. However, if your foreign driver's license is printed in a non-Roman script—such as Chinese characters, Japanese kanji, Arabic script, Cyrillic (Russian), Greek, Korean Hangul, or Thai script—an IDP is strictly required at the time of rental. The IDP must be issued by the official authority in your home country (e. , AAA in the United States for foreign visitors, or your national automobile association) and must be presented alongside your original license. Additionally, for any rental exceeding 30 consecutive days, an IDP becomes mandatory regardless of the script on your license. Failure to present a valid IDP when required will result in denial of rental service. There is also a financial consideration: if you wish to add an additional driver to the rental agreement and that driver does not possess an IDP, a daily surcharge of $15. 00 USD (plus applicable taxes) will be applied for each additional driver. This fee is capped at a maximum of $75. 00 per rental contract. For example, a 5-day rental with one additional driver without an IDP would incur an extra $75. It is strongly recommended to obtain an IDP before traveling if your license is in a non-Roman alphabet, as processing at the rental counter can take 10–15 minutes per customer, and the facility processes over 2,000 rental transactions daily during peak summer months. Always verify your specific rental company's policy at the time of booking, as some brands may have stricter requirements.

## Related

- https://seatacrentalcarfacility.com/en/knowledge/seatac-international-license-roman-alphabet-requirements