Does Localiza require an IDP in Lesotho?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Localiza in Lesotho: the policy in plain terms
Asks foreign renters to present a licence translation with their home licence at the counter across Brazil and Latin America. The largest car-rental company in Latin America.
Lesotho drives on the left through high mountain passes; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English, and a 4x4 helps in winter.
In Lesotho specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Lesotho ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Localiza will typically ask for it at the counter. Cars are often rented in South Africa; an IDP helps non-English drivers.
Localiza runs a south america network; at its Lesotho desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Lesotho drives on the left, uses the LSL, 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 Localiza counter in Lesotho
- 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 LSL deposit; Lesotho drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Lesotho Localiza renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Snow and ice on high passes in winter.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Watch for livestock and pedestrians.
Localiza's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Localiza's minimum rental age is 18 (lowered from 21 across Brazil), but drivers under 21 must add the mandatory "Condutor Jovem" (Young Driver) surcharge at booking; the exact fee is set per rental/location and quoted at reservation rather than published as a flat amount.
A credit card (physical or contactless) in the reservation holder's or financial responsible party's name is required for a pre-authorization hold; debit cards are not accepted for the security guarantee. Customers without a credit card can instead pass a weekday business-hours credit evaluation, with daily rentals up to 28 days available for an approximately R$39.90 fee if approved.
Each additional driver must be registered on the contract and present a valid licence and ID at the counter; Localiza does not publish a flat additional-driver fee, charging it per rate plan and location at pickup. Localiza requires a valid full driver's licence but does not publish a fixed minimum holding period; instead the young-driver surcharge (under-21) is the gating control, so a valid current licence is the stated requirement.
Cross-border driving within Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) requires the mandatory "Carta Verde"/Green Card insurance and advance authorization, typically requested at booking; one-way rentals returning in a different country incur a one-way fee that is usually higher than the cross-border fee, so both must be arranged in advance.
Foreign customers must present a valid licence from a country in Brazil's "Reciprocity Agreement" plus a passport, and may drive for up to 180 days from their date of entry (respecting the original licence validity); entry must be proven with a passport stamp, boarding pass, or immigration approval document. An International Driving Permit is referenced under the applicable legislation for non-reciprocity or non-Roman-alphabet licences.
Once you collect the keys in Lesotho
Lesotho has no motorway toll or vignette system; there is no charge to use the road network itself, though you pay standard border-post and road-fund fees when bringing a South African rental in via gates such as Maseru Bridge.
Maseru uses attendant-managed and some metered street parking where marshals collect a small maloti fee; park in designated bays as illegal parking can be ticketed, and secure off-street parking is advised overnight.
Speed limits are 50 km/h urban, 80 km/h open road and up to 120 km/h on the few highways; speeding, phone and seatbelt offences bring fines (often payable to police), with steeper penalties for serious breaches.
Dial 123 or 124 for police (LMPS) and 121 for ambulance; do not move vehicles after an injury crash, report it to the Lesotho Mounted Police Service and get a police report for insurance.
Full driving guide for Lesotho →