Driving Permit for Eswatini

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) has not ratified either UN road-traffic convention, and official guidance treats it as a genuine requirement rather than a formality. The UK government's IDP country list assigns Eswatini the 1949 permit, and its travel advice tells drivers to keep both the IDP and their home driving licence in the car; Canadian government advice likewise instructs visitors to carry an IDP. Traffic drives on the left, as in neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique, so self-drivers arriving from South Africa — the most common route in — will already be oriented.

Expect your documents to be checked. Police operate regular random roadside checks and enforce the rules strictly, so keep your original licence, IDP and the vehicle's registration papers with you whenever you drive; paper-licence holders should also carry photographic ID such as a passport. Rental companies frequently ask for at least a year of driving experience, and if you plan to bring a South African hire car across the border, confirm the rental agreement permits cross-border travel first. Your insurer may also ask to see your IDP if you're involved in an accident.

The rules of the road reflect real local hazards. The drink-drive limit is 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.05%) — stricter than England's 80mg — with fines and imprisonment possible for offenders. The Mbabane–Manzini highway is in relatively good condition, but secondary roads are often dirt tracks, and stray livestock, abandoned unlit trailers and Highveld fog make night driving genuinely dangerous. Official advice from both the UK and Canada is simple: drive only during daylight.