Does Sixt require an IDP in Guinea-Bissau?
Sixt in Guinea-Bissau: the policy in plain terms
Asks for a licence translation for licences issued outside the EU and not in the Roman alphabet. Premium European brand with a fast-growing global network.
Guinea-Bissau drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your home licence on its limited road network.
In Guinea-Bissau specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Guinea-Bissau ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. Bissau rental is limited; an IDP and passport advised.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Guinea-Bissau desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the internationally recognised format alongside the original licence. Guinea-Bissau drives on the right, uses the XOF, 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 Sixt counter in Guinea-Bissau
- 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 XOF deposit; Guinea-Bissau drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Guinea-Bissau Sixt renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Few paved roads outside the capital.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Sixt's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Minimum age is region-specific: typically 21 in the US (18 in New York, where an under-25 fee still applies) and 18 in much of continental Europe such as Germany and France; drivers aged 21-24 pay a young-driver surcharge of roughly USD 25-30 per day in the US (about GBP 36 per rental in the UK, around EUR 5-6 per day in markets like Cyprus), and under-25s are usually limited to economy through full-size sedans, midsize SUVs and minivans.
A credit or debit card in the main driver's name must be presented at pickup; Sixt holds a security deposit of at least USD 200 plus the rental amount on the card, with substantially higher holds on premium/high-value vehicles, and debit-card acceptance and limits vary by branch and vehicle class.
A per-rental additional-driver fee applies; extra drivers can be added at any Sixt branch during the rental provided the main driver is present and the additional driver shows a valid licence (some European markets waive the fee for a spouse/partner). The driver must typically have held a full valid licence for at least 1 year (rising to 2-3 years in higher-risk markets such as Cyprus, while Germany requires the licence be held only since at least the day before pickup).
Most Sixt passenger vehicles may be driven across borders into listed neighbouring countries (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Italy within Europe), but you must notify and get authorisation from the pickup branch in advance; a cross-border and/or one-way drop-off fee applies, and certain vehicle classes and destination countries are restricted.
Sixt does not require an International Driving Permit everywhere, but states that where local law requires it the IDP must be carried alongside the original home licence; if the licence is in a non-Roman alphabet (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic, etc.) the renter must present an IDP or an official translation, and an official translation is also required if the issuing country is not party to the international driving-permit treaty.
Once you collect the keys in Guinea-Bissau
There is no functioning national motorway toll or vignette system; roads are funded publicly and you generally pay nothing to drive, though informal road barriers and checkpoints are common in the interior.
Parking in Bissau is largely informal and unmetered, with self-appointed attendants ('guardadores') expecting a small CFA-franc tip to watch the car; there are no painted paid-zone schemes or parking apps.
Enforcement is mostly by physical police/gendarme checkpoints rather than cameras; fines are usually negotiated and paid in cash on the spot, and the documented drink-drive limit is 0.15% BAC (15 mg/100 ml).
There is no reliable nationwide emergency line; in a serious crash do not move the vehicles if there are injuries, summon the Polícia de Ordem Pública locally and obtain a written police report (auto), which insurers and rental firms require.
Full driving guide for Guinea-Bissau →