Does Enterprise require an IDP in Switzerland?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Switzerland: 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.
Non-EU visitors should carry an IDP to drive in Switzerland.
In Switzerland specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Switzerland ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Requested by major desks for non-EU licences.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Switzerland desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Switzerland 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 Enterprise counter in Switzerland
- 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; Switzerland drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Switzerland Enterprise renters should know
- Motorway vignette required (sold at borders/petrol stations).
- Headlights on at all times, day and night.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.01% for new/professional drivers.
- Strict speed-camera enforcement.
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 Switzerland
No per-km tolls; a single annual motorway vignette (CHF 40, valid Dec 1 to Jan 31 of the following year) is mandatory for all motorways and is already fitted on rental cars. The Great St Bernard and Munt la Schera tunnels charge separate tolls.
White zones are paid (meter or apps like Parkingpay/TWINT); blue zones require a parking disc giving free limited stay (typically 1 hour) during posted hours. Yellow markings are private/no-parking and cars are towed.
Speeding is fined on graduated bands and serious excess (e.g. 25+ km/h over in town) can mean criminal proceedings and licence seizure; handheld phone use and no seatbelt draw on-the-spot fines around CHF 100. Police can collect cash on the spot and rental firms pass camera fines on with an admin fee.
Call police on 117 (rescue 144, fire 118); police must be called for any injury and for anything beyond minor bodywork damage. Place the warning triangle at least 50 m back (100 m on fast roads), photograph the scene and complete the European Accident Statement (recommended, not compulsory). Do not move vehicles if there are injuries.
Full driving guide for Switzerland →