FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Angola
Good to knowCheck FCDO advice before driving: provinces near the DRC border and Cabinda are flagged for security risks, and self-drive trips are uncommon for tourists.
FCDO advice← All country guides
Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Angola
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Angola: 10 legal requirements + 6 other things worth knowing.
10
Required
2
Recommended
4
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Angola
10 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Angola recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; carry it with your home licence at all times: a UK photocard alone is not accepted.
Source: AA IDP guide →Visa and passport with 6 months validity
Most UK/EU visitors need a pre-arranged visa or e-visa; passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond entry with two blank pages.
Third-party insurance mandatory; green card not valid
European Green Card is not accepted: buy local Seguro de Responsabilidade Civil Automóvel at the border or from an Angolan insurer before driving.
Vehicle ownership documents (DUA / V5C) plus carnet for own car
Bringing your own vehicle requires the V5C/registration, and a Carnet de Passage en Douane is normally required for temporary import: arrange via RAC or AA in advance.
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
Angola drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK drivers should be especially careful at junctions and roundabouts.
Speed limits: 120 / 90 / 60 km/h
Motorway 120 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h unless signed otherwise; speed traps are common around Luanda.
BAC alcohol limit 0.6 g/L
Blood alcohol limit is 0.6 g/L (higher than the UK's 0.8 in England or EU norm of 0.5): police checkpoints conduct breath tests, especially at night.
Seatbelts compulsory; no handheld phones
Front and rear seatbelts mandatory; using a mobile phone without hands-free is prohibited and fines are issued on the spot in cash.
Carry warning triangle, hi-vis vest and spare wheel
Two warning triangles, a reflective jacket, a working spare tyre and a jack must be in the vehicle: police checkpoints routinely inspect these items.
Cash declaration limit USD 15,000
Amounts above USD 15,000 equivalent must be declared at customs on entry and exit; undeclared cash can be seized.
Documents
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredAngola recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; carry it with your home licence at all times: a UK photocard alone is not accepted.
AA IDP guideVisa and passport with 6 months validity
RequiredMost UK/EU visitors need a pre-arranged visa or e-visa; passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond entry with two blank pages.
Third-party insurance mandatory; green card not valid
RequiredEuropean Green Card is not accepted: buy local Seguro de Responsabilidade Civil Automóvel at the border or from an Angolan insurer before driving.
Vehicle ownership documents (DUA / V5C) plus carnet for own car
RequiredBringing your own vehicle requires the V5C/registration, and a Carnet de Passage en Douane is normally required for temporary import: arrange via RAC or AA in advance.
Driving rules
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredAngola drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK drivers should be especially careful at junctions and roundabouts.
Speed limits: 120 / 90 / 60 km/h
RequiredMotorway 120 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h unless signed otherwise; speed traps are common around Luanda.
BAC alcohol limit 0.6 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.6 g/L (higher than the UK's 0.8 in England or EU norm of 0.5): police checkpoints conduct breath tests, especially at night.
Seatbelts compulsory; no handheld phones
RequiredFront and rear seatbelts mandatory; using a mobile phone without hands-free is prohibited and fines are issued on the spot in cash.
Emergency number 113 (police), 112 (general)
Good to knowDial 113 for police, 115 for ambulance, 118 for fire; English is rarely spoken by emergency responders: Portuguese phrases help.
Required equipment
Carry warning triangle, hi-vis vest and spare wheel
RequiredTwo warning triangles, a reflective jacket, a working spare tyre and a jack must be in the vehicle: police checkpoints routinely inspect these items.
Tolls
No motorway vignette or toll system
Good to knowAngola has no national vignette or electronic toll network; main roads are toll-free but condition varies wildly: a 4x4 is strongly recommended outside Luanda.
Environment
Rainy season (Nov-Apr) washes out rural roads
RecommendedFlash floods and washed-out bridges are common in the wet season; many provincial routes become impassable without a high-clearance 4x4.
Landmine risk off paved roads
RecommendedUnexploded ordnance from the civil war remains in rural areas: never drive or park off marked tracks, especially in Bié, Moxico and Cuando Cubango provinces.
Money
Currency: Angolan Kwanza (AOA); fuel approx EUR 0.30/L
Good to knowPetrol is heavily subsidised at roughly 300 AOA/L (~EUR 0.30); fuel stations are cash-only (Kwanza) outside Luanda: carry small notes.
Cash declaration limit USD 15,000
RequiredAmounts above USD 15,000 equivalent must be declared at customs on entry and exit; undeclared cash can be seized.
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Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredAngola drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK drivers should be especially careful at junctions and roundabouts.
Speed limits: 120 / 90 / 60 km/h
RequiredMotorway 120 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 60 km/h unless signed otherwise; speed traps are common around Luanda.
BAC alcohol limit 0.6 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.6 g/L (higher than the UK's 0.8 in England or EU norm of 0.5): police checkpoints conduct breath tests, especially at night.
Seatbelts compulsory; no handheld phones
RequiredFront and rear seatbelts mandatory; using a mobile phone without hands-free is prohibited and fines are issued on the spot in cash.