Does InterRent require an IDP in Eswatini?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
InterRent in Eswatini: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for non-EU and non-Roman-alphabet licences across its European locations. Europcar's value brand for leisure travellers in Europe.
Eswatini drives on the left; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English, and roads are generally good between towns.
In Eswatini specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Eswatini ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so InterRent will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP for non-English licences.
InterRent runs a europe network; at its Eswatini desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Eswatini drives on the left, uses the SZL, 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 InterRent counter in Eswatini
- Your original national driving licence (the IDP never replaces it).
- Your International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format.
- Your passport and a payment card in the main driver's name.
- Local payment for the SZL deposit; Eswatini drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Eswatini InterRent renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Watch for livestock on rural roads.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
InterRent's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
InterRent's minimum rental age is typically 19-21 depending on country (19 in Spain, 21 in the UK and France), and drivers aged roughly 21-24 (24 and under in some markets) pay a young-driver surcharge that varies by location, for example around 8.50 EUR/day (max ~93 EUR) in Spain, 12.95 EUR/day (max ~181 EUR) in France, and about 35 GBP/day (max ~350 GBP) in the UK; some vehicle categories require drivers to be over 25.
A refundable security deposit is pre-authorised (held, not debited) on the main driver's credit card at pick-up; the card (Visa or Mastercard, sometimes Amex) must be in the main driver's name with an expiry date after the return date, and debit cards are not accepted because their rules do not fit InterRent's deposit policy.
Additional drivers must present their own valid driving licence at the counter and sign the rental agreement at pick-up; InterRent charges an extra-driver fee per day that varies by location, though it is frequently included in promotional/package rates. The main driver must have held a full, valid driving licence for a minimum of 12 months (one year) prior to picking up the vehicle.
Cross-border travel and one-way rentals are restricted and must be authorised in advance; cross-border fees and one-way drop-off charges apply and vary by route, with certain countries (typically higher-risk or non-EU destinations) excluded entirely under the rental conditions.
InterRent requires a full, valid driving licence held for at least 12 months; for licences not written in the Latin/Roman alphabet (or otherwise not understandable to the rental agent), an International Driving Permit (IDP) must be presented alongside the original national licence, as the IDP is a translation and never replaces the physical licence.
Once you collect the keys in Eswatini
Eswatini has no toll roads, vignette or e-toll system, so tourists pay no road tolls.
Mbabane and Manzini use metered/attended pay-and-display street parking enforced by marshals during business hours; pay the attendant or meter and use guarded lots to avoid clamping.
The drink-drive limit is 0.05% and strictly enforced; speeding (limits 60 urban / 80 rural / 120 highway km/h), seatbelt and hand-held phone offences draw fines, sometimes on-the-spot, which rental firms pass to your card.
Stop and do not move vehicles if there are injuries; call police on 999 (or 977 for ambulance), and any accident with injury or significant damage must be reported to the Royal Eswatini Police for a report.
Full driving guide for Eswatini →