Does Avis require an IDP in Burundi?
Avis in Burundi: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation where the national licence is not in the Roman alphabet or where local rules call for one. Long-established global brand operating in 165+ countries.
Burundi drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence for its hilly roads and busy capital.
In Burundi specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Burundi ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Bujumbura desks request an IDP for non-French licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its Burundi desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Burundi drives on the right, uses the BIF, and sets a minimum driving age of 18, so an IDP is the document that removes any doubt at the counter.
What to bring to the Avis counter in Burundi
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the BIF deposit; Burundi drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Burundi Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Hilly, winding rural roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Avis's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Avis's standard minimum rental age is 25, though it rents to drivers as young as 21 in most US states/provinces (some locations require 25 by local law); renters aged 21-24 pay a young-driver surcharge of roughly $25 per day in the US (about $35/day in Canada).
Avis requires an Avis-honored credit or charge card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, etc.) and places an authorization hold covering the estimated charges plus a security amount; Visa/Mastercard debit cards are accepted at most US locations but are subject to stricter checks, and the card must be in the renter's name.
Additional drivers must be at least 25 (or meet the underage rules) with a valid licence and typically cost about $13 per day, capped near $65 per rental; in California the fee is waived for a spouse, parent, sibling or child of the renter. Avis requires a valid driver's licence held for the entire rental period that is not suspended, expired, revoked, cancelled or surrendered; it does not publish a fixed minimum holding period in the US, though some international locations require the licence to have been held for 1-2 years.
Avis generally permits US-to-Canada travel if the renting location is notified in advance, but driving into Mexico is restricted (typically corporate accounts only, no one-way, and Mexican insurance purchased through Avis from border states); one-way rentals are offered with a drop-off charge that may apply on certain rates.
Avis states that "International Driver's Permits are valid only if presented with the original local license. An International Driver's Permit is not acceptable by itself." Foreign licences are accepted if the issuing country participated in the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or has a reciprocal agreement with the US; non-Roman-alphabet licences effectively require an IDP, and renters with a foreign licence may need to present a passport.
Once you collect the keys in Burundi
Burundi has no toll-road network or electronic tags; there are no formal tolls for tourists, though police and military checkpoints where documents are inspected are common on intercity routes.
Bujumbura has no organised paid-zone or metered system; parking is informal kerbside or in guarded lots where an attendant expects a small Burundian-franc tip. Use hotel or compound parking, as roadways are unmarked and street security is a concern.
Enforcement is via roadside police checks where licence, IDP, registration and insurance are demanded and fines settled in cash francs; the legal blood-alcohol limit is low (around 0.1%/0.08%). Keep all documents on hand to avoid prolonged stops.
Drive on the right; after a crash stop, do not move the vehicles, and report to the police (emergency lines around 117/112) and obtain a report for insurance, which is compulsory third-party. Stay alert at the scene, as crowds can form and tensions rise quickly.
Full driving guide for Burundi →