Does Thrifty require an IDP in Eswatini?
Written by Daniel MercerUpdated July 2026
Thrifty in Eswatini: the policy in plain terms
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Eswatini drives on the left; an IDP is advised if your licence is not in English, and roads are generally good between towns.
In Eswatini specifically, many rental companies and local authorities in Eswatini 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-English licences.
Thrifty runs a global network; at its Eswatini desks, foreign renters are asked for an International Driving Permit in the 1968 Vienna Convention format alongside the original licence. Eswatini drives on the left, uses the SZL, 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 Eswatini
- 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 SZL deposit; Eswatini drives on the left with a young-driver surcharge under 25.
Driving rules in Eswatini Thrifty renters should know
- Drive on the left.
- Watch for livestock on rural roads.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- Seatbelts mandatory.
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 Eswatini
Eswatini has no toll roads, vignette or e-toll system, so tourists pay no road tolls.
Mbabane and Manzini use metered/attended pay-and-display street parking enforced by marshals during business hours; pay the attendant or meter and use guarded lots to avoid clamping.
The drink-drive limit is 0.05% and strictly enforced; speeding (limits 60 urban / 80 rural / 120 highway km/h), seatbelt and hand-held phone offences draw fines, sometimes on-the-spot, which rental firms pass to your card.
Stop and do not move vehicles if there are injuries; call police on 999 (or 977 for ambulance), and any accident with injury or significant damage must be reported to the Royal Eswatini Police for a report.
Full driving guide for Eswatini →