What Documents You Need to Rent a Camper in Chile as a Foreigner
Our complete rental guide covers the requirements at a high level; this piece goes deeper into the specifics, since document requirements are exactly the kind of detail that's easy to get almost right and still run into a problem at pickup. Here's the full checklist, plus the details that trip up first-time international renters most often.
The Complete Checklist
- Valid driver's license from your home country, held for a minimum of one year
- International Driving Permit (IDP), obtained in your home country before you travel
- Valid passport, with enough validity remaining to cover your full stay
- Credit card in the primary renter's name, for the security deposit
- Proof of return or onward travel, occasionally requested, though not universally enforced Every item on this list needs to be arranged before you leave home except the passport and credit card, which you'll already have in hand. None of it can be obtained on arrival in Chile.
The International Driving Permit: What First-Time Renters Get Wrong
The IDP is the single most commonly misunderstood document on this list. It is not a replacement for your home driver's license; it's a translation and supplementary document that must be presented alongside it, not instead of it. Forgetting your actual license and bringing only the IDP is a surprisingly common mistake, and it will stop you at pickup just as effectively as forgetting the IDP itself.
Where you get your IDP depends on your home country:
- United States: available through AAA or the American Automobile Touring Alliance, typically issued same-day at a local office
- Germany: available through your local vehicle registration office (Zulassungsstelle) or certain automobile clubs like ADAC
- France: issued by your local prefecture or sub-prefecture
- Spain: available through the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT)
- United Kingdom: available through the Post Office
- Italy: issued through the Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI) or local prefecture Processing times vary by country, from same-day to a couple of weeks, so arrange this well before your trip rather than assuming it can be sorted quickly right before departure.
Driver's License Requirements: The One-Year Rule
Most rental companies, including Nómade, require your driver's license to have been held for a minimum of one year. This is a standard requirement across the industry, not specific to us, and it applies regardless of your age or driving experience elsewhere. If you've recently upgraded license categories or recently obtained your license for any reason, confirm the issue date meets this threshold before booking.
Passport Validity: A Detail Worth Double-Checking
Beyond simply having a valid passport, confirm it has enough remaining validity to cover your entire stay, and ideally some buffer beyond it. This isn't a Chile-specific requirement so much as general international travel practice, but it's worth verifying specifically before a trip that depends on a rental vehicle, since a passport issue discovered at pickup is a considerably bigger problem than one caught during pre-trip planning.
The Credit Card Requirement
The security deposit needs to be held on a credit card in the primary renter's name specifically; a debit card or a card in a companion traveler's name typically won't satisfy this requirement. Confirm your card's credit limit comfortably covers the deposit amount before your trip, since a declined deposit hold at pickup is one of the more disruptive problems to discover on arrival day, with limited options to resolve it quickly.
What Happens If You're Missing Something
Rental companies vary in flexibility, but missing documents at pickup generally mean one of two outcomes: a delay while you attempt to resolve it locally, which is often difficult or impossible for something like an IDP that can't be issued in Chile, or an inability to complete the rental at all. Neither outcome is one you want to discover on the first day of a trip you've planned for months.
A Checklist Worth Confirming Twice
A French traveler who booked with us nearly ran into a problem after assuming his IDP, obtained years earlier for a different trip, was still valid; French IDPs, like those from most countries, have an expiration date, and his had lapsed. He caught it a few weeks before departure while double-checking his documents against our checklist, giving him enough time to get a new one issued. Confirming expiration dates on any document you already hold, not just gathering everything on the list, is worth the extra few minutes it takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an International Driving Permit after arriving in Chile?
No. IDPs must be obtained in your home country before you travel; there's no equivalent process available to foreign visitors once in Chile.
Is a digital or photo copy of my documents acceptable?
Physical originals are required for your driver's license, IDP, and passport. Bring the originals, not copies, though carrying backup copies (physical or digital) is a reasonable precaution in case of loss.
Do children need any specific documents?
Children typically need a valid passport, and depending on custody or travel circumstances, some countries require additional documentation for minors traveling internationally. Check your home country's specific requirements for minors traveling abroad, separate from Chile's rental requirements.
What if my driver's license is close to expiring during my trip?
Confirm your license remains valid through your entire rental period, including your return date, not just your arrival date. A license expiring mid-trip could complicate the remainder of your rental.
Does the one-year license requirement apply to every rental company in Chile?
It's standard across most companies, including Nómade, though exact requirements can vary. Confirm directly with whichever company you're booking with if you're close to the one-year threshold.
Gather Everything Before You Book
Every document on this list needs to be sorted before you leave home, and several (particularly the IDP) can't be arranged once you've already arrived in Chile. Build this into your pre-trip planning early, ideally as one of the first things you sort out after booking, not the last.
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