Does Avis require an IDP in Zambia?
Avis in Zambia: the policy in plain terms
Requires an IDP where the national licence is not in the Roman alphabet or where local law requires it. Long-established global brand operating in 165+ countries.
Zambia drives on the left and signs the 1968 Vienna Convention; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English.
In Zambia specifically, zambia legally requires foreign drivers to carry an International Driving Permit with their national licence, so Avis will ask for it at the counter. Lusaka desks request an IDP for non-English licences.
Avis runs a global network; at its Zambia desks, foreign renters are asked for the 1968 Vienna-format International Driving Permit alongside the original licence. Zambia drives on the left, uses the ZMW, 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 Zambia
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the ZMW deposit; Zambia drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Zambia Avis renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Reflective triangles required for breakdowns.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Long distances between fuel stops.