Zambia Zimbabwe
Zambia 
ZimbabweLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Zambia and Zimbabwe share a land border you can cross by car. Keep your passport, national driving licence and International Driving Permit together, and check opening hours and any toll or vignette requirements before you travel.
Driving rules in Zimbabwe
- Drive on the left.
- Frequent police roadblocks.
- 0.08% alcohol limit.
- Carry reflective triangles and a fire extinguisher.
What to see when you arrive in Zimbabwe
- Victoria Falls
- the ruins of Great Zimbabwe
- the Hwange National Park
- the Matobo Hills
- Lake Kariba
Once you're driving in Zimbabwe
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
Any valid licence in English bearing a photograph may be used for up to 90 days; if your licence is not in English or lacks a photo you should carry an International Driving Permit (valid three years) together with the original, which also helps if your home licence is queried after a crash.
Tolls & road charges
Numerous toll gates sit on inter-city highways, charging roughly USD 2-5 per car depending on the road, payable in cash (US dollars or local bond/ZiG notes); keep small USD notes for each gate.
Parking in the cities
In Harare and Bulawayo town-centre parking is paid via council attendants or parking apps; secure guarded paid parking is strongly recommended, as theft from cars in unattended areas is a concern.
Fines & camera enforcement
Spot fines run from about USD 5 to USD 100 for offences like no seatbelt, defective equipment, no insurance or speeding, and are collected on the spot in USD - always demand an official receipt. The drink-drive limit is 80mg/100ml; rental firms pass on outstanding fines.
If you have an accident
Call police on 995 (or 999); for minor damage with no injuries you need not call police, but for injuries do not move the vehicles, photograph the scene and obtain a police report. A report is important for the rental firm and insurance.
Driving in the capital
Harare has frequent police roadblocks on main roads and many non-working traffic lights ('robots') at CBD intersections, where you must treat the junction with caution; commuter omnibuses stop unpredictably.
Sources: greatzimbabweguide.com · aazimbabwe.co.zw · aazimbabwe.co.zw · zimpricecheck.com