Short answer. You can rent a car in Baku with a Russian licence. Licences issued since 1 March 2011 carry Latin letters. Russia and Azerbaijan are both in the 1968 Vienna Convention. So you do not need an international permit by law. Bring the plastic card, your passport and one year of driving history.
Updated 9 August 2026.
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Why can you rent a car in Baku with a Russian licence?
Russia joined the Vienna Convention in 1974. Azerbaijan joined on 3 July 2002. Both countries follow the same rules on licences.
The convention asks for one thing above all. The licence must be readable in Latin letters.
Russian licences issued since 1 March 2011 do exactly that. Your surname is printed twice, in Cyrillic and in Latin. The categories are already Latin: A, B, C.
So a police officer in Gabala can read your card. Latin letters are the whole test.
Which licences are the exception?
| Your licence | What to do |
|---|---|
| Plastic card issued after 1 March 2011 | Nothing. It is enough on its own |
| Old paper licence, before 2011 | Get an international permit at home |
| Card with Cyrillic only, no Latin line | Get an international permit at home |
| Licence expiring during your trip | Renew before you fly. Nobody rents on an expired card |
| Licence held less than one year | We cannot rent to you yet |
Before you fly to Baku, look at the Latin line on your card. The check takes ten seconds.
What do you need at the counter?
- Your driving licence, the original card
- Your passport
- One year of driving history, and age 19 or over
Russian passport holders enter Azerbaijan without a visa for short stays. Check the current rule before you fly, because these things change.
Our full conditions are on the rental terms page.
What is different from driving in Russia?
Four things surprise Russian drivers most often.
The alcohol limit is 0.00. Russia allows a small reading. Azerbaijan allows nothing at all. One beer at lunch is an offence here.
Speed limits are lower than you expect. Azerbaijan gives no extra 20 km/h of tolerance in practice.
| Where | Limit | Fine for going over |
|---|---|---|
| Residential zones | 20 km/h | — |
| Towns and cities | 60 km/h | 11 to 20 over: 10 AZN |
| Rural roads | 90 km/h | 21 to 40 over: 50 AZN |
| Motorways | 110 km/h | 41 to 60 over: 200 AZN |
Cameras do the work. The cameras sit thickly on Baku’s main roads and on the highways out of town. The notice reaches you days later.
Radar detectors are illegal. Leave yours at home. Do not install an app that behaves like one.
What do fuel and parking cost?
Fuel prices in Azerbaijan are set nationally. Every station charges the same amount.
| Fuel | Price per litre |
|---|---|
| AI-92 | 1.10 AZN |
| AI-95 | 1.60 AZN |
| Diesel | 1.00 AZN |
Street parking in the centre costs 1 to 2 AZN an hour. Street parking is free from 22:00 to 07:00 and on Sundays. The first 15 minutes are free.
Pay through the AzParking app. Not paid by 22:00 the same day? Then 10 AZN is added.
How long should you rent for?
Rent for two weeks or a month if you follow the usual Russian pattern. Russians stay longer in Baku than most visitors.
A longer stay changes the sums. The daily rate drops on longer bookings. See our guide to monthly rental in Baku.
A month of rental also beats taxis by a wide margin. We compared both in our article on the real cost of cars and taxis.
What do we ask a Russian driver for?
- Your national licence works for the first 30 days after you enter.
- An international permit removes that 30-day limit.
- Passport and licence are the only documents we need from you.
- Deposit 200 to 300 USD, in cash or blocked on a card.
- Minimum rental 2 days, with no mileage limit.
The list of countries in the 1968 road traffic treaty is public. The register sits with the United Nations.
We have rented cars in Baku since 2023 and run 105 cars today. The office is open 24/7 and the phone answers at night.
BookingCarBaku staff speak Azerbaijani, Russian, English and Turkish.
Common questions
Do I need an international driving permit in Azerbaijan?
Not with a modern Russian card. Only old paper licences without Latin letters need one.
Can I pay in roubles?
No, you cannot pay in roubles. Prices are in Azerbaijani manat and dollars. Change money in town, not at the airport.
Can I take the car to Georgia?
Taking the car to Georgia needs arrangement and extra insurance. Ask us before you book.
Is my Russian insurance valid here?
No, Russian insurance is not valid here. The rental car carries Azerbaijani insurance. Read our guide on insurance in Azerbaijan.
Which car suits a two-week trip around the country?
A crossover or an SUV suits a two-week trip. Mountain roads to Sheki and Quba are narrow.
How is the deposit handled?
The Baku deposit comes back in full if the car returns clean. See our guide to deposits.
Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will quote a price. Contact us here.
