1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredBolivia recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times when driving.
← All country guides
Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Bolivia
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Bolivia: 9 legal requirements + 7 other things worth knowing.
9
Required
1
Recommended
6
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Bolivia
9 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Bolivia recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times when driving.
Passport and entry stamp in the vehicle
Police checkpoints (trancas) are frequent on intercity routes and will ask for passport, entry stamp and vehicle papers.
SOAT mandatory third-party insurance
Every vehicle must carry a valid SOAT sticker on the windscreen; foreign vehicles can buy it at the border or in any major town for roughly Bs 250-400 (EUR 30-50) per year.
Temporary vehicle import permit at the border
Own-car drivers must obtain a temporary admission permit from Aduana Nacional valid up to 90 days; bring V5C/log book and original ownership documents.
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
Bolivia drives on the right; UK drivers should consider headlamp beam deflectors for night driving.
Speed limits 80/80/40 km/h
Typical limits are 80 km/h on highways (no true motorways exist), 80 km/h rural, and 40 km/h urban: always check posted signs as enforcement is inconsistent.
Zero-tolerance BAC 0.0 g/L
Bolivia operates a strict zero blood-alcohol limit; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and vehicle impoundment.
Seatbelts and no phones while driving
Seatbelts are compulsory front and rear and handheld phone use is banned; daytime running lights are recommended in mountains and fog but not legally mandated.
Warning triangle, reflective vest and extinguisher
Vehicles must carry two warning triangles, a hi-vis vest, a fire extinguisher and a basic first-aid kit; spare tyre and jack are also checked at trancas.
Documents
Passport and entry stamp in the vehicle
RequiredPolice checkpoints (trancas) are frequent on intercity routes and will ask for passport, entry stamp and vehicle papers.
SOAT mandatory third-party insurance
RequiredEvery vehicle must carry a valid SOAT sticker on the windscreen; foreign vehicles can buy it at the border or in any major town for roughly Bs 250-400 (EUR 30-50) per year.
Temporary vehicle import permit at the border
RequiredOwn-car drivers must obtain a temporary admission permit from Aduana Nacional valid up to 90 days; bring V5C/log book and original ownership documents.
Driving rules
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredBolivia drives on the right; UK drivers should consider headlamp beam deflectors for night driving.
Speed limits 80/80/40 km/h
RequiredTypical limits are 80 km/h on highways (no true motorways exist), 80 km/h rural, and 40 km/h urban: always check posted signs as enforcement is inconsistent.
Zero-tolerance BAC 0.0 g/L
RequiredBolivia operates a strict zero blood-alcohol limit; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and vehicle impoundment.
Seatbelts and no phones while driving
RequiredSeatbelts are compulsory front and rear and handheld phone use is banned; daytime running lights are recommended in mountains and fog but not legally mandated.
Emergency number 110 police, 118 ambulance
Good to knowDial 110 for police and 118 for medical emergencies; response times outside cities can be very long, so consider repatriation insurance.
Tolls
Cash-only toll booths on main highways
Good to knowThere is no vignette; ABC toll booths (peajes) on routes such as La Paz-Oruro and Santa Cruz-Cochabamba charge Bs 5-15 (EUR 0.60-2) per pass. Keep small bolivianos handy.
Required equipment
Warning triangle, reflective vest and extinguisher
RequiredVehicles must carry two warning triangles, a hi-vis vest, a fire extinguisher and a basic first-aid kit; spare tyre and jack are also checked at trancas.
Environment
High-altitude and rainy-season hazards
RecommendedMost routes sit above 3,500 m; the rainy season (Nov-Mar) causes landslides and washouts on Yungas, Cochabamba-Santa Cruz and Potosi roads: avoid night driving.
Avoid the old Yungas Road and night travel
Good to knowThe FCDO advises against driving the old North Yungas Road (Death Road) and recommends avoiding intercity driving after dark due to unlit roads, livestock and bandits.
Money
Boliviano (BOB) and USD scarcity
Good to know1 EUR is roughly Bs 7.5; petrol for foreigners is sold at the international rate of about Bs 8.88/litre (EUR 1.15) versus the subsidised Bs 3.74 for locals: carry cash as cards are rarely accepted at fuel stations.
Cash declaration over USD 10,000 at border
Good to knowAmounts above USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared to Aduana on entry and exit; cash is king outside major cities.
Emissions / low-emission zones
No low-emission zones
Good to knowBolivia has no LEZ schemes or environmental stickers; however La Paz operates a weekday plate-based restriction (Restriccion Vehicular) in the centre. Check the last digit of your plate.
Plan your Bolivia road trip
We'll build the itinerary, estimate fuel + tolls, and show EV chargers along the route, and this checklist appears automatically on every trip that crosses into Bolivia.
Start planning →Popular destinations in Bolivia
Places to add to your Bolivia road trip.
Don't get caught out
Watch out for these
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredBolivia drives on the right; UK drivers should consider headlamp beam deflectors for night driving.
Speed limits 80/80/40 km/h
RequiredTypical limits are 80 km/h on highways (no true motorways exist), 80 km/h rural, and 40 km/h urban: always check posted signs as enforcement is inconsistent.
Zero-tolerance BAC 0.0 g/L
RequiredBolivia operates a strict zero blood-alcohol limit; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and vehicle impoundment.
Seatbelts and no phones while driving
RequiredSeatbelts are compulsory front and rear and handheld phone use is banned; daytime running lights are recommended in mountains and fog but not legally mandated.