Which driving licence do I need in Botswana?
The official sources do not say quite the same thing, so carry enough to satisfy the strictest one:
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Botswana Tourism, entry formalities | Licences from neighbouring countries and international driving licences are accepted; a licence not written in English needs a certified translation; carry it at all times |
| UK FCDO | A UK photocard licence is valid for up to 90 days; hire companies may still want an IDP |
| US State Department | A valid international driver's licence is required, with the vehicle's registration documents |
| Botswana Tourism, getting there | A valid international driver's licence and vehicle registration documents are required |
The practical answer: bring your home licence and an International Driving Permit, and keep the rental car's registration papers in the vehicle. Rental companies add their own conditions. Britz, for example, rents its 4x4s to drivers aged 25 or more who have held a licence for over 3 years, and to drivers aged 23 to 25 with the same experience for a surcharge.
What does a 4x4 rental cover exclude?
Botswana Tourism says four-wheel drive is required in national parks and reserves and in remote areas. That is where the rental cover gets thin. The Britz rental terms dated 26 August 2026 show how one large Southern African 4x4 rental company handles it. Amounts are in South African rand and include VAT:
| Britz cover level | Daily cost | Damage excess (not Jimny) | Tyres and windscreen | Water submersion and rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential (standard) | Included | ZAR 55,000 | Not covered | Not covered |
| Enhanced | ZAR 300 | ZAR 27,500 | 1 tyre, 1 windscreen | Not covered |
| Premium | ZAR 475 | ZAR 5,500 | 2 tyres, 2 windscreens | Not covered |
Other clauses matter more on Botswana's sand and water crossings than on a highway:
- On the standard waiver, a single-vehicle accident doubles the excess, and so does theft or a write-off.
- Water and undercarriage damage leave you fully liable under every waiver option, including premium.
- Driving is limited to tarred roads, gravel roads and public, recognised 4x4 tracks, with no dune driving. Damage while breaking a traffic law, over the speed limit or on an unrecognised road is excluded from all covers.
- A collision not reported within 24 hours loses the waiver.
Worked example: 14 days from Johannesburg to the Okavango and Chobe
Using the Britz schedule and the Botswana levy:
| Item | Standard cover | Premium cover |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-border documentation (per rental) | ZAR 1,500 | ZAR 1,500 |
| Waiver for 14 days | Included | 14 x ZAR 475 = ZAR 6,650 |
| Road Safety Fund levy at the Botswana border | P40 | P40 |
| Your maximum on a collision with another car | ZAR 55,000 | ZAR 5,500 |
| Your maximum after rolling alone off a sandy track | Full cost of damage (rollover not covered) | Full cost of damage (rollover not covered) |
| Your maximum after a flooded river crossing | Full cost of damage | Full cost of damage |
The premium waiver costs ZAR 6,650 for the trip and caps an ordinary collision at a tenth of the standard excess, so it comes out ahead for any collision costing more than about ZAR 12,150 (the ZAR 5,500 excess plus the ZAR 6,650 waiver). But no waiver level protects you from the two accidents that define Botswana self-driving: water and rollovers. The decision that actually reduces your exposure is route choice: skip a water crossing you cannot see the bottom of, and lower tyre pressure and speed on deep sand rather than relying on cover.
Crossing into Botswana from South Africa or Namibia
A rental car from South Africa or Namibia is a foreign-registered vehicle in Botswana. Check these three layers before you drive to the border:
- The rental company's written permission. Britz, for example, charges its cross-border documentation fee once per rental agreement, and damage in a country you had no written approval for is excluded from cover.
- Botswana's charge. The Botswana Unified Revenue Service says all foreign-registered vehicles entering Botswana pay a National Road Safety Fund levy of P40, which expires at the end of December each year. The separate per-entry Road Transport Permit levy it describes is charged by laden load and applies to trucks.
- Border opening hours. Many posts close in the afternoon. Botswana Tourism's ports of entry list gives these hours:
| Border post | Route | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tlokweng | Gaborone to South Africa | 06:00 to 00:00 |
| Pioneer Gate | Lobatse to South Africa | 06:00 to 00:00 |
| Ramatlabama | Mahikeng road, South Africa | 06:00 to 22:00 |
| Martin's Drift | Limpopo, South Africa | 06:00 to 22:00 |
| Mamuno | Trans-Kalahari to Namibia | 07:00 to 00:00 |
| Ngoma | Kasane area to Namibia's Zambezi region | 07:00 to 18:00 |
| Mohembo | Shakawe to Namibia | 06:00 to 18:00 |
The Botswana Tourism page carries a 2021 copyright, so confirm the hours for your date. The FCDO warns that floods can close border crossings at short notice in the rainy season. Leaving Botswana for Namibia brings Namibia's own charges for foreign vehicles; see our guide to gravel roads and 4x4 rentals in Namibia.
Parks, animals and driving after dark
National park and game reserve campsites are booked through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. The government service page lists its reservation offices in Gaborone (Moedi House, Fairgrounds, +267 397 1405) and Maun (Sir Seretse Khama Road, next to Maun police, +267 686 0368), open 07:30 to 16:30 Monday to Saturday and 07:30 to 12:00 on Sundays. It says a booking is confirmed only after an invoice is paid in full. Park fees were not published on the official pages checked; ask for them with the invoice.
On public roads, the risk shifts to animals and other drivers. The FCDO notes that Botswana's tarred roads cover most of the country, but stray wildlife and livestock make driving outside towns dangerous, especially at night. The US State Department adds that free-range domestic animals often stand on roads and that fatal accidents are frequent at weekends and month-end paydays. Plan each day to reach camp before dark.
If you are in an accident, the police service page says to report it in person at the nearest police station or by calling 999, the Botswana Police emergency number, with the exact location, any injuries and the number of vehicles. Then report to your rental company within its deadline, 24 hours in the Britz contract.