International Driver's License for Romania

Most car rental agencies and local authorities in Romania expect foreign drivers to hold an International Driver's License in addition to their home license. Romania drives on the right, and while EU/EEA licenses are accepted directly, holders of a non-EU license benefit from an IDL as an official translation that police and rental counters can read. Keep both documents together, as the IDL supplements your national license. You can apply online through E-ITA and access your digital documents in minutes.

An International Driver's License (IDL) or International Driving Permit (IDP) is a translation of your existing national license into several languages. In Romania it helps traffic police and car rental companies confirm the categories of a non-EU license without deciphering an unfamiliar card. It has no independent validity — it must always be shown with the physical license issued by your home country.

* People drive on the right side of the road.

* The minimum age to drive a car is 18 years old, while it is 16 years old for motorcycles up to 125 cc. The minimum age to rent a car is 21 years old.

* Romania does have a national seat belt law, so wear a seat belt whenever one is available.

* Romania prohibits mobile phone use while driving, though a hands-free device is permitted.

* Helmets are required by law for motorcycle and scooter riders — both driver and passenger. Child passengers under the age of 14 are not allowed.

* Legal Blood Alcohol Content Level: 0.08%. Do not drink and drive.

* The maximum driving speed is 50 km/h (31 miles/hour) in urban areas and 90 km/h (55 miles/hour) in rural areas.

Licenses issued in an EU or EEA country are valid in Romania without an IDL. Drivers from outside the EU benefit most from an International Driver's License, which translates a non-EU license into a form Romanian police and rental desks recognise. Whichever you hold, always carry the physical national license with you.

The legal Blood Alcohol Content level in Romania is 0.08%. That said, enforcement is active and penalties for exceeding it are severe, including possible criminal charges at higher readings, so it is safest not to drink and drive at all. Use a taxi or a designated driver if you have been drinking.

Rental agencies in Romania generally require the main driver to be at least 21, even though the driving age is 18, and often add a young-driver surcharge below 25. Non-EU drivers should present an International Driver's License with their home license; EU license holders can usually rent on their national license. A credit card in the driver's name is normally needed.

Typical limits in Romania are 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban areas and 90 km/h (55 mph) on rural roads, with higher limits on expressways and motorways where signposted. Rural roads can be shared with slow-moving vehicles and are patrolled, so watch for posted signs and keep to the limits.

Yes. Romania's helmet law applies to both the rider and the passenger on any motorcycle or scooter. Child passengers under the age of 14 are not permitted to ride on a motorcycle at all. Note also that a motorcycle up to 125 cc may be ridden from age 16, but the helmet requirement still applies to everyone on board.

Yes. E-ITA's application is online, so you can apply before your trip or even after arriving in Romania and receive a digital IDL within minutes. It's best to arrange it before you collect a rental car so the document is ready if a rental desk or officer asks to see it.