Does Avis require an IDP in Liechtenstein?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Avis in Liechtenstein: 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.
This Alpine principality drives on the right and shares Switzerland's strict rules; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP, and a Swiss motorway vignette applies on through routes.
In Liechtenstein specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Liechtenstein ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Cars are usually rented in Switzerland or Austria; an IDP helps non-EU drivers.
Avis runs a global network; at its Liechtenstein desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Liechtenstein drives on the right, uses the CHF, 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 Liechtenstein
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the CHF deposit; Liechtenstein drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Liechtenstein Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights on at all times.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.01% for new drivers.
- Swiss vignette for connecting motorways.
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 Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein has no toll roads or vignette of its own, so driving inside the country is free; however you almost always arrive via Switzerland (CHF 40 annual motorway vignette) or Austria (digital vignette), so check your rental already carries the relevant sticker.
Vaduz parking is colour-coded: white zones are paid pay-and-display (or free where marked), and blue/red zones allow limited free parking only with a parking disc obtainable from police stations, banks and tourist offices.
Speed and traffic enforcement mirrors Switzerland and is strict: fines rise steeply with speed and exceeding the urban limit by 26 km/h (or 31 km/h outside towns) after tolerance triggers licence withdrawal. Camera fines are forwarded to the renter by the rental company.
Dial 112 (or police 117, ambulance 144) for any injury accident; for minor damage-only cases exchange details on a European Accident Statement and notify the rental firm, and do not move vehicles after an injury crash until police attend.
Full driving guide for Liechtenstein →