Does Enterprise require an IDP in Tanzania?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Enterprise in Tanzania: 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.
Tanzania drives on the left; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English, and self-drive safaris need a sturdy 4x4.
In Tanzania specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Tanzania ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Enterprise will typically ask for it at the counter. Dar es Salaam and Arusha desks request an IDP for non-English licences.
Enterprise runs a global network; at its Tanzania desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Tanzania drives on the left, uses the TZS, 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 Tanzania
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the TZS deposit; Tanzania drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Tanzania Enterprise renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Wildlife and pedestrians on roads.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Police speed checks are routine.
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 Tanzania
Tanzania has no electronic toll-tag system but levies cash road tolls at booths on some trunk roads, payable in Tanzanian shillings; carry small cash as cards are not accepted at toll points or most fuel stations.
In Dar es Salaam designated parking zones operate with attendant- or city-collected fees; parking on pedestrian walkways or blocking driveways risks fines or towing, so use marked bays or hotel parking.
Speed limits are 50 km/h urban and 80 km/h on highways, with radar guns and growing speed-camera use; phone-use and seatbelt offences and speeding draw immediate on-the-spot fines, and rental firms pass camera fines to the hirer.
Stop and remain at the scene; call police (general emergency 112, or 111/115) and obtain a police report, which is required for insurance and for the rental company. Do not move vehicles where there are injuries.
Full driving guide for Tanzania →