Does Sixt require an IDP in Serbia?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Sixt in Serbia: 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.
Serbia drives on the right with Cyrillic signage common, so an IDP is advised to translate your licence at desks and checkpoints.
In Serbia specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Serbia ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Sixt will typically ask for it at the counter. Belgrade desks ask for an IDP with non-Latin-script licences.
Sixt runs a europe / global network; at its Serbia desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Serbia drives on the right, uses the RSD, 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 Serbia
- 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 RSD deposit; Serbia drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Serbia Sixt renters should know
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest, triangle and spare bulbs required.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Toll motorways on main corridors.
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 Serbia
There is no vignette in Serbia; motorways use a distance-based ticket system where you take a ticket on entry and pay cash or card on exit, or use the contactless ENP/TAG transponder.
Belgrade and other cities run zoned paid street parking (red, yellow and green zones with time limits) paid by SMS or app; overstaying or non-payment risks fines and wheel-clamping or towing.
Speeding, no seatbelt and handheld phone use draw fines often payable on the spot in cash; daytime running headlights are compulsory outside towns, and rental firms forward camera fines with an admin fee.
Call 192 for police (or 112 general emergency); a police report is mandatory for any injury or significant damage and is needed to take a damaged vehicle out of the country, so do not move vehicles until police attend.
Full driving guide for Serbia →