Does Avis require an IDP in South Sudan?
Avis in South Sudan: 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.
South Sudan drives on the right; an IDP is expected with your home licence, and most travel relies on 4x4s and arranged drivers.
In South Sudan specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in South Sudan ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Avis will typically ask for it at the counter. Self-drive is rare; an IDP, passport and 4x4 are expected where available.
Avis runs a global network; at its South Sudan desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. South Sudan drives on the right, uses the SSP, 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 South Sudan
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the SSP deposit; South Sudan drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in South Sudan Avis renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Unpaved roads outside Juba.
- Checkpoints are frequent.
- 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 South Sudan
There is no national electronic toll or vignette system; the road network is overwhelmingly unpaved outside Juba, so visitors pay nothing in formal tolls but should budget cash for informal checkpoint demands.
There are no organised paid parking zones; in Juba parking is informal kerbside, often watched by self-appointed attendants who expect a small cash tip, and vehicles should never be left unattended with valuables visible.
Enforcement is largely manual at checkpoints with on-the-spot cash fines negotiated in person; foreign drivers without proper documents risk vehicle hold-ups, and a 4x4 with comprehensive insurance is strongly advised as cover can be voided without an IDP.
After a crash do not move the vehicles if there are injuries; call police (the general emergency line is 777) and remain at the scene, as a police report is required for any insurance claim and leaving can be treated as a serious offence.
Full driving guide for South Sudan →