Driving a rental car from Kyrgyzstan into Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan
One $50 permit, any car in the fleet, three working days' notice.
Ask most Bishkek rental companies whether you can take the car to Almaty and you get "contact us". That is not an answer you can plan a trip around, so here is ours in full.
The policy
- Countries
- Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
- Both are covered by the same permit, on the same terms.
- Eligible cars
- Any car in the fleet
- Economy hybrids included. There is no separate rule for the 4×4s.
- Cost
- $50 once per booking
- A one-off charge, not a daily rate, however long you are away.
- Notice needed
- 3 working days before pickup
- The paperwork is issued in Bishkek, so weekends and public holidays do not count.
- What you bring
- Passport and driving licence
- Nothing else. No notarised letter and no separate insurance purchase — the $50 covers everything we handle.
How to arrange it
- 1Pick your car and dates as normal.
- 2Add "Cross-border permit" as an extra during booking, or tell us when you confirm.
- 3Leave at least three working days before pickup so the paperwork is ready.
- 4Collect the car with your passport and licence. We hand over the documents with the keys.
What the permit does not cover
The permit covers Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan only. We do not currently issue permits for Tajikistan, China or Afghanistan — if one of those is your plan, ask us before booking rather than at the counter. The off-road rules still apply abroad: a car cleared only for sealed roads stays on sealed roads on the other side of the border too.
4×4 and AWD car rental in KyrgyzstanThe Almaty run
Bishkek to Almaty is the crossing our customers make most. Our guide covers the border options, how long each takes, and why it is usually worth crossing first and picking the car up after.
Read the Almaty to Bishkek guideCross-border questions
Can I drive your rental car to Kazakhstan?
Yes. Any car in our fleet may cross into Kazakhstan with a cross-border permit, which costs $50 once per booking and needs three working days' notice before pickup.
Is the $50 per day or per booking?
Once per booking. It does not matter whether you are across the border for one day or two weeks, and it does not matter which car you book.
Do I need a notarised owner's permission letter?
No. You bring your passport and driving licence; we prepare and hand over everything else with the keys. The $50 covers that paperwork.
How late can I add the permit?
Three working days before pickup. Weekends and Kyrgyz public holidays do not count, so a Saturday pickup needs the request in by the previous Tuesday.
Can I take the car to Tajikistan or China?
Not at the moment. We issue cross-border permits for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan only. Ask us before you book if your route needs anything else.
Planning a trip across the border?
Tell us the route and the dates. We will confirm the permit, the timing and the total cost before you commit to anything.