Does Thrifty require an IDP in Burkina Faso?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Thrifty in Burkina Faso: the policy in plain terms
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Burkina Faso drives on the right; an IDP is recommended with your national licence, and mopeds fill the streets of Ouagadougou.
In Burkina Faso specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Burkina Faso ask foreign drivers to present a translation of their licence alongside the original, so Thrifty will typically ask for it at the counter. Desks request an IDP for non-French licences.
Thrifty runs a global network; at its Burkina Faso desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1949 Geneva Convention format alongside the original licence. Burkina Faso 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 Thrifty counter in Burkina Faso
- 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 XOF deposit; Burkina Faso drives on the right with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Burkina Faso Thrifty renters should know
- Drive on the right.
- Dense moped traffic in cities.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Carry passport, IDP and home licence.
Thrifty's rental terms that affect your IDP booking
Thrifty's published minimum rental age is 20 at most U.S. and Canada locations (18 in Michigan, New York, and Quebec); drivers aged 20-24 (or 18-24 in those exception states/province) are charged an Underage Drivers fee that varies by location, typically around $29/day and higher (roughly $35-$52) in New York and Michigan.
A valid credit/debit card in the renter's own name is required and a hold is placed for estimated charges plus roughly $200 extra for credit cards or $500 for debit (about $350 CAD in Canada); Visa/Mastercard/Discover debit cards are accepted only on Compact through Fullsize classes (not Premium and above) and a physical card must be presented as digital-wallet cards are not accepted.
Additional drivers must meet the minimum age requirement and hold a valid licence, and an additional-driver fee applies per day; it is waived for Blue Chip Rewards members, government renters on official orders, corporate-rate customers, and the companion/driver of a physically impaired customer. Thrifty's general policy requires a valid driver's licence covering the entire rental period but does not publish a fixed minimum tenure; in practice under-25 renters are typically expected to have held a full licence for at least one year.
Driving is generally restricted to the continental United States and Canada, and a Canadian resident is prohibited from driving a U.S.-owned vehicle into Canada; one-way rentals are offered within the U.S. and within Canada subject to location/availability with a one-way drop fee.
Foreign renters must present a driver's licence issued in their country of residence together with a valid passport; if the licence is not in English, Thrifty requires both the foreign licence and a current International Driver's Permit to be presented.
Once you collect the keys in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has no motorway toll network or electronic tags; the practical 'fees' travellers encounter are frequent military and police security checkpoints rather than tolls, where documents are inspected and small cash payments are sometimes solicited.
Ouagadougou has no formal paid-zone or app-based parking system; cars are parked in informal lots and roadside spaces where an attendant (gardien) expects a small CFA-franc tip. Use guarded hotel or compound parking overnight given vehicle-theft risk.
Enforcement is mainly via on-the-spot checks at the many security checkpoints, where licence, IDP, registration and insurance must be produced and fines paid in cash CFA francs. Have documents ready at all times; failure to present them causes lengthy delays.
Stop, do not move the vehicles, and contact the police/gendarmerie (police 17, fire/rescue 18) and obtain an official report for any claim. In injury cases wait for authorities; given the wider security situation, avoid lingering at remote crash scenes after dark.
Full driving guide for Burkina Faso →