Does Sixt require an IDP in Luxembourg?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Sixt in Luxembourg: 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.
Luxembourg drives on the right at the heart of Europe; non-EU visitors should carry an IDP with their national licence.
In Luxembourg specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Luxembourg ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP for licences issued outside the EU/EEA.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Luxembourg desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Luxembourg drives on the right, uses the EUR, 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 Luxembourg
- 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 EUR deposit; Luxembourg drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Luxembourg Sixt renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Headlights in tunnels and poor visibility.
- 0.05% alcohol limit; 0.02% for new drivers.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
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 Luxembourg
Luxembourg has no car tolls or vignette - the motorway network is free for passenger cars, unlike neighbouring Austria and Switzerland; only heavy goods vehicles pay the electronic Eurovignette.
Luxembourg City uses paid blue/coloured zones with meters, ticket machines and apps, and central streets often need a displayed parking disc for limited free stays; P+R sites on the outskirts feed free public transport into the centre.
Police issue on-the-spot taxed warnings from about EUR 24 up to EUR 145; speeding fines start near EUR 49 and rise steeply, and handheld phone use and no-seatbelt are penalised. Rental firms forward camera fines to the renter via plate-holder data exchange.
Call 112 for emergencies; for damage-only crashes complete the European Accident Statement (constat amiable) and notify the rental firm, calling police if there is injury, a dispute or a foreign-registered party. Cars must have a warning triangle and reflective vest.
Full driving guide for Luxembourg →