Does Enterprise require an IDP in Solomon Islands?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Solomon Islands: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation alongside your home licence in many countries across Europe, Asia and South America. The world's largest car-rental brand by fleet size.
The Solomon Islands drive on the left; an IDP is advised with your home licence, and roads are limited and often unsealed.
In Solomon Islands specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Solomon Islands ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Honiara rental is limited; an IDP and passport advised.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Solomon Islands desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Solomon Islands drives on the left, uses the SBD, 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 Enterprise counter in Solomon Islands
- 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 SBD deposit; Solomon Islands drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Solomon Islands Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Unsealed roads outside Honiara.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Low speed limits in town.
Enterprise's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Enterprise's minimum rental age is 21 in most of the U.S. (18 in Michigan and New York, and 18 for U.S. government employees on official orders); renters aged 21-24 pay a "Young Renter Fee" that typically averages around $25/day but varies by location (e.g., 21-24 is $15.75/day in Michigan and $30.75/day in New York, with 18-20 fees of $36.50 and $64.75/day respectively).
The contract holder must present their own credit card in their name with sufficient available credit; deposits typically run between $200 and $850 depending on location and vehicle class (airport holds are typically about 120% of the rental). Debit cards bearing a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover logo may be accepted at some locations, but at airports only with a ticketed return-travel itinerary, and prepaid cards are not accepted.
Each additional authorized driver is typically charged about $15.00 per day, but a renter's spouse or domestic partner who meets the same age and licence requirements is added at no charge. Enterprise requires each renter and additional driver to hold a valid, unexpired driver's licence; it does not publish a fixed minimum holding period in the U.S., though young-renter (under-25) restrictions and surcharges apply instead.
Taking a U.S.-rented vehicle across the Mexican or Canadian border requires advance approval; renters must contact the renting branch or call center for the correct procedure and any required insurance, and cross-border travel is restricted or prohibited at many locations. One-way rentals are offered but availability and drop-off fees vary by branch.
For renters under 25, Enterprise states it does not accept an International Driver's Permit as identification; a valid photo driver's licence is required. Foreign renters generally need their home-country licence (an IDP is recommended as a translation supplement but is not a stand-alone substitute for the licence).
Once you collect the keys in Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands has no toll roads, vignettes or electronic toll system; the limited road network, mostly around Honiara on Guadalcanal, is free to use.
There are no formal paid-parking zones; in Honiara park in guarded hotel and shopping-centre lots rather than on the street, and keep valuables out of sight as vehicle break-ins occur.
Speed limits are about 40 km/h in town and 60 km/h on the open road, with a 0.08% blood-alcohol limit enforced; police issue fines for speeding, seatbelt and drink-driving offences and rental firms recover them from the renter.
Dial 999 for police/emergency in Honiara; after a crash stop, do not move vehicles if anyone is injured, and obtain a police report, which is required for any insurance or rental claim. Response outside Honiara is very limited.
Full driving guide for Solomon Islands →