Do you need an IDP to drive in Jordan?
Official sources agree on the basics but word them differently, and the stricter version is the one to follow.
| Source | What it says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Tourism Board | A licence valid in your home country is acceptable if held for at least one year | Newly qualified drivers may be turned away |
| UK government travel advice | UK drivers need the 1949 IDP plus their UK licence in the car | Get the IDP before you fly |
| US State Department | A foreign licence with an IDP is required; a US licence alone works only for green-plated rental cars | Carry both even if the desk only asks for one |
| Avis Jordan terms | A national licence from your country of origin is accepted | Company policy, not a police rule |
An IDP avoids an argument at a police checkpoint. The US State Department notes that Jordanian security often sets up checkpoints near tourist sites and that drivers must stop and show identity documents, so keep your passport, licence, IDP and rental agreement together.
Age, cards and extras at the rental desk
Requirements vary by company, and they are the rental companies' policies, not the law.
- Avis Jordan sets a minimum age of 22 and a maximum of 70, charges US$3 a day for an additional driver, and adds a US$15 surcharge to every rental plus 16% tax.
- Sixt Jordan rents from age 18, with some categories needing drivers aged 21 or older. It accepts major credit cards, prepaid and debit cards, but not cash.
Deposit amounts and insurance excesses were not published on the Jordan pages we could read. Ask for both figures in writing before you sign, and ask how long the deposit hold stays on your card after return, because traffic fines can arrive after you have left.
Can you take a Jordan rental car into Israel?
Plenty of itineraries combine Petra with Jerusalem. The rental car cannot come with you, so the practical answer is a one-way hire that ends at the border. Avis publishes these domestic one-way fees:
| Pickup and return | One-way fee (Avis) |
|---|---|
| Amman to Allenby Bridge | US$20 |
| Amman to Sheikh Hussein Bridge | US$60 |
| Aqaba to Allenby Bridge | US$60 |
| Amman to Aqaba | US$50 |
Allenby (King Hussein Bridge on the Jordanian side) is about 5 km east of Jericho and the crossing nearest Jerusalem, but the IAA says Israeli citizens may not use it. Sheikh Hussein, called the Jordan River crossing on the Israeli side, is about 10 km east of Beit She'an in the north. Check that the branch at your chosen bridge is open on the day you cross, because border hours and branch hours are separate. On the Israeli side you would rent a new car, and Israeli rental companies have their own rules about where that car may go.
Which road should you take from Amman to Petra?
Three roads link Amman with Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, and each has a different risk profile.
| Road | Suits | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Desert Highway | Getting to Petra or Aqaba quickly | UK advice records fatal accidents here; avoid driving it at night |
| King's Highway | Slow sightseeing via Madaba, Karak and Dana | Mountain bends, villages and speed bumps; snow risk in winter |
| Dead Sea Highway | Combining the Dead Sea with Aqaba | The tourism board says there are no petrol stations on the Dead Sea to Aqaba stretch |
The Jordan Tourism Board advises filling up before any long journey. The US State Department lists unmarked speed bumps and livestock, including camels, sheep and goats, as hazards, and says the US embassy tells its staff to avoid driving at night outside the Amman area. The UK government adds that heavy snow can block mountain roads in winter, particularly around Petra.
How much are speeding fines in Jordan?
The UK government puts Jordan's speed limits between 40 km/h in some urban areas and 120 km/h on some highways, and says officers issue on-the-spot fines of JD15–150 (Jordanian dinars, JOD). The US State Department adds that speed cameras are installed on many roads and that speeding fines can exceed US$140. Always follow the posted sign, because limits change often along the same road.
Law No. 18 of 2023, amending the Traffic Law, appears in Official Gazette issue 5874. We could not open the gazette text itself, so the amounts below come from a Jordan Times report that the amended law took effect on 12 September 2023 and raised these penalties:
| Offence | Penalty under the 2023 law |
|---|---|
| Using a mobile phone while driving | JD50 |
| Running a red light | JD200–300 and one to two months in prison |
| Driving more than 50 km/h over the limit | JD100, one to three months in prison, or both |
The UK government adds that seat belts are compulsory in the front seats and that handheld phone use is illegal.
Where your licence can be taken
Europcar Jordan publishes the traffic police procedures on its traffic law page. Among the listed cases where police seize a driving licence are wrong overtaking, ignoring a STOP sign and driving 20–40 km/h over the limit. Seized licences are kept at the traffic centre for up to two weeks while the case is reviewed.
For a visitor, that is the real penalty. If a police patrol takes your home licence at 25 km/h over, you may be unable to drive for the rest of the trip even after paying the fine.
The same Europcar page states that fines must be paid within 30 days of the violation, after which they double and are referred to the relevant court. We could not confirm that rule on a government page, so treat it as the rental company's summary.
Worked example: a Petra loop with one speeding stop
Suppose you rent in Amman for five days, drive the Desert Highway to Petra, and a patrol stops you at 30 km/h over the posted limit.
- The patrol can issue a fine within the JD15–150 range the UK government describes, and Europcar's summary lists 20–40 km/h over as a licence-seizure offence.
- With the licence held, a second driver on the rental agreement has to take over, which costs US$3 a day at Avis. If no one else is named on the agreement, the trip stops.
- If you leave Jordan without paying, Europcar's summary says the fine doubles after 30 days and goes to court. The rental company still holds your card details and the deposit record.
Adding a second driver at pickup for five days costs US$15 at Avis, so it is cheap insurance against a stranded car.
If something goes wrong
The UK government advises calling 911 after an accident and not leaving the scene before police arrive and take a statement. The US embassy warns that foreign drivers are often blamed regardless of the circumstances and that some have been detained. Photograph the scene, get the police report number, and call the rental company before anyone moves the car.
Every car must carry a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle. Check both are in the boot before you leave the rental lot, because a missing item is your problem at a checkpoint.