Driving in South Africa: Car Rental Tips and Information

Driving Overview

South Africa is a large country that offers attractions like Cape Town in the southwest, Durban on the East coast and Johannesburg and Pretoria in the north. A good rule of thumb is make sure your gas tank is full when you leave a major cities. Once you are out of town, you can drive a great distance without seeing a gas station.

Driving Requirements

To rent a car in South Africa, you must be at least 18 years old (age may vary by car category and location) and have held your license for one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Seatbelts are mandatory.

Rules of the Road

Traffic travels on the left in South Africa and there are very heavy fines enforced on the spot for speeding.

Speed Limits	Gas	Tolls	Parking
City: 37mph/60kph Highways: 74mph/120kph	Most gas stations are open 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm with some stations open 24 hours.	There are some toll highways in South Africa.	Parking can be a problem in the major cities in South Africa. Parking garages are an excellent idea if you can find one with space available.

Insurance Information

Car rental insurance varies widely by supplier and location, so please review the information below prior to making your reservation. Regulations of the country where you rent the car will be in effect for the duration of your rental.

All our car rental rates include fire and third party liability insurance. Our inclusive rates also provide collision and theft coverage at an advance purchase discount. You may elect to decline collision and theft coverage. If you plan to take advantage of coverage offered by your credit card, please contact your card issuer directly for details. Specific insurance information for your reservation will be printed on your confirmation voucher.

The following guidelines apply to rentals commencing in South Africa.

Required Coverage

Fire and third party liability insurance is mandatory and is included in all rentals. Third party liability insurance covers up to US$570,000 in South Africa in case of damage or injury to people or property outside of the rental car.

Optional Coverage

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and theft protection are included in our inclusive rates at a discount. CDW, if purchased at the rental counter, costs approximately US$15 - US$30 per day. Theft protection, if purchased at the rental counter, costs approximately US$4 - US$9 per day. CDW and theft coverage reduce the deductible (responsibility of the client) to US$250 - US$820. Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) is available at the rental counter for approximately US$2 per day. Super CDW may be offered locally to reduce the deductible as low as zero. Optional insurance coverage is available with select suppliers only, rates subject to change without notice.

Rental Restrictions

Due to insurance regulations, there are restrictions on travel in certain countries. Please take a minute to ensure that your intended itinerary will be possible with the car you plan to rent.

Restricted Countries

Cars rented in South Africa are not allowed into the following countries:

Angola	Chad	Gabon	Malawi	Sudan	Zaire
Cameroon	Congo	Kenya	Nigeria	Tanzania	Zambia
Central African Republic	Ethiopia	Madagascar	Somalia	Uganda

Some cars for an additional fee are permitted to travel into Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. If you would like to travel into these countries, please notify us at the time of booking.

One-Way Rentals

Additional one-way car rental fees may apply to your rental. We will contact you after you send in your request. We will not confirm your rental until you have been advised of these fees and you have offered payment for your rental. Not all rentals are permitted.