Driving abroad
Driving abroad on a UK licence
A hire car can turn a good holiday into a great one, from Iceland's ring road to the Amalfi coast. It can also land you with a fine for a rule you'd never heard of. Italy's camera-enforced town centres alone send thousands of tickets to UK drivers every year.
Search any country for which side of the road it drives on, whether your UK licence is enough, and how safe its roads are compared with home.
How we rate the roads
Our driving filter rates each country's roads by how many people die on them, compared with the UK, one of the safest places in the world to drive.
Road death rates similar to the UK. Good roads, clear signs and drivers who mostly follow the rules.
6 to 12 road deaths per 100,000 people a year. Drive as carefully as you would at home.
Noticeably more road deaths than the UK. Expect faster, less predictable driving, poorer roads or both.
Among the highest road death rates in the world. Think twice about self-drive, avoid night driving, and use reputable drivers.
Left, right and paperwork
- Drive on the left
About 75 countries keep left like the UK, including Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand and most of the Caribbean.
- Drive on the right
Everywhere else, including all of mainland Europe and the Americas. Take extra care at roundabouts, turning out of junctions, and first thing in the morning.
- UK licence is enough
A UK photocard licence is accepted for visitors across the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland, and usually in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
- IDP needed
Many countries outside Europe want an International Driving Permit too. It's £5.50 at PayPoint shops. Check which of the three types you need.
Before you hire a car
- 1Check your licence
A UK photocard licence is best. Paper licences and expired cards cause problems at the hire desk.
- 2Get an IDP if needed
From PayPoint shops (£5.50). There are three types (1926, 1949, 1968), and some trips need more than one.
- 3Get a DVLA check code
Some UK hire firms ask for one to see your penalty points. It lasts 21 days.
- 4Bring a credit card
In the main driver's name, for the deposit. Debit cards are often refused.
- 5Inspect and photograph the car
Every panel, the wheels and the fuel gauge, before you drive off and when you return it.
Rules that catch UK drivers out
- Camera-enforced town centres. Italy's ZTL zones, France's Crit'Air low-emission areas and Spain's city ZBE zones all fine drivers automatically, months later, through the hire firm.
- Speed camera detectors are illegal in much of Europe, including France. Turn off the speed camera alerts on your sat nav app.
- Compulsory kit. Several countries require a warning triangle, hi-vis vest or headlamp beam adjusters. Hire cars should come with them. Check if you're taking your own car.
- Lower drink-drive limits. Most of Europe uses 0.5g/l, lower than England's 0.8g/l. Some countries, like Hungary and Czechia, allow none at all.
- Right turns on red are allowed in most of the USA after stopping. Nowhere in Europe allows it.
- UK sticker, not GB. Driving your own car abroad, you need a UK identifier on your number plate or a UK sticker.
Driving guides by destination
Popular self-drive trips, and the local rules worth knowing before you pick up the keys.
UK licence is enough. Watch for Crit'Air low-emission zones, priority to the right and illegal speed camera alerts.
Read the guide →UK licence is enough. On-the-spot fines are common, and big cities have low-emission zones.
Read the guide →UK licence is enough. Camera-enforced ZTL zones in old town centres cause most fines.
Read the guide →UK licence is enough, but F-roads need a 4x4 and winter weather closes roads fast.
Read the guide →UK licence accepted for visits. Road deaths are about four times the UK rate, and the rules differ by state.
Read the guide →Drive on the left like home, but you need a 1949 IDP. Very safe roads.
Read the guide →Left-hand driving on your UK licence. The risks are distance, fatigue and wildlife at dusk.
Read the guide →UK licence is enough, but road deaths are higher than the EU average and quad bikes are risky.
Read the guide →Drive on the left, but you need an IDP, and road deaths are among the world's highest.
Read the guide →Before you drive abroad
- Search your destination above for the side of the road, licence rules and road safety.
- Get an International Driving Permit at a PayPoint shop if it's needed.
- Check your travel insurance covers driving, and buy excess cover before you go, not at the desk.
- Download offline maps. Rural signal is patchy almost everywhere.
- Read the rules on low-emission and restricted zones in any city you plan to drive into.