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Country driving guide · 2026

Driving in Ivory Coast

Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Ivory Coast: 9 legal requirements + 6 other things worth knowing.

9

Required

3

Recommended

3

Good to know

Tick before you go

Pre-departure checklist for Ivory Coast

9 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.

  • 1949 IDP required alongside national licence

    Côte d'Ivoire recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; UK and EU drivers must carry both their domestic licence and a 1949 IDP for stays beyond short transit.

  • Passport with 6 months validity and visa

    UK and most non-ECOWAS EU nationals need an e-visa obtained in advance via snedai.com; passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry.

  • ECOWAS Brown Card insurance

    Foreign vehicles must carry the ECOWAS Brown Card (Carte Brune CEDEAO) third-party insurance; a European Green Card is not valid and local cover must be bought at the border or in Abidjan.

  • Carnet de Passage or temporary import permit for own car

    Bringing your own vehicle requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane or a temporary admission (admission temporaire) document from customs, plus the V5C/registration showing ownership.

  • Drive on the right

    Traffic drives on the right; overtake on the left. UK drivers should fit headlamp beam deflectors to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

  • Speed limits 110 / 80 / 50 km/h

    Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, rural roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; limits are signposted and enforced by police checkpoints rather than cameras.

  • Blood alcohol limit 0.8 g/L

    Legal BAC is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checks are common and penalties for exceeding it are severe.

  • Cash tolls on A1, A3 and Henri Konan Bédié bridge

    The Abidjan–Yamoussoukro A3 motorway and the HKB toll bridge in Abidjan charge cash tolls at booths; cars pay roughly 500–2,500 XOF (EUR 0.75–3.80) per section, no vignette system exists.

  • Warning triangle and hi-vis vest

    A reflective warning triangle and high-visibility vest must be carried in the vehicle; a spare tyre, jack and basic tool kit are also expected at checkpoints.

Documents

1949 IDP required alongside national licence

Required

Côte d'Ivoire recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; UK and EU drivers must carry both their domestic licence and a 1949 IDP for stays beyond short transit.

Passport with 6 months validity and visa

Required

UK and most non-ECOWAS EU nationals need an e-visa obtained in advance via snedai.com; passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry.

ECOWAS Brown Card insurance

Required

Foreign vehicles must carry the ECOWAS Brown Card (Carte Brune CEDEAO) third-party insurance; a European Green Card is not valid and local cover must be bought at the border or in Abidjan.

Carnet de Passage or temporary import permit for own car

Required

Bringing your own vehicle requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane or a temporary admission (admission temporaire) document from customs, plus the V5C/registration showing ownership.

Driving rules

Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right; overtake on the left. UK drivers should fit headlamp beam deflectors to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

Speed limits 110 / 80 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, rural roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; limits are signposted and enforced by police checkpoints rather than cameras.

Blood alcohol limit 0.8 g/L

Required

Legal BAC is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checks are common and penalties for exceeding it are severe.

Frequent police and gendarmerie checkpoints

Good to know

Expect multiple checkpoints per journey, especially outside Abidjan and on routes north; keep documents accessible and small-denomination CFA francs for unofficial 'fees' are commonly requested though officially illegal.

Emergency numbers 170 police, 180 fire, 185 ambulance

Good to know

Dial 170 for police, 180 for fire/SAPEURS, 185 for SAMU ambulance; response outside Abidjan is limited and the FCDO advises caution travelling after dark due to banditry on rural roads.

Tolls

Cash tolls on A1, A3 and Henri Konan Bédié bridge

Required

The Abidjan–Yamoussoukro A3 motorway and the HKB toll bridge in Abidjan charge cash tolls at booths; cars pay roughly 500–2,500 XOF (EUR 0.75–3.80) per section, no vignette system exists.

Required equipment

Warning triangle and hi-vis vest

Required

A reflective warning triangle and high-visibility vest must be carried in the vehicle; a spare tyre, jack and basic tool kit are also expected at checkpoints.

Fire extinguisher and first-aid kit

Recommended

Although enforcement is inconsistent for private cars, a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are strongly advised and frequently requested at gendarmerie stops.

Environment

Rainy season hazards May–July and Sept–Nov

Recommended

Heavy rains flood Abidjan streets and wash out unsealed roads in the interior; 4x4 with high clearance recommended outside the main paved corridors during wet season.

Money

West African CFA franc (XOF), pegged to EUR

Good to know

Currency is XOF, fixed at 655.957 to 1 EUR; petrol around 875 XOF/litre (EUR 1.33) and diesel around 715 XOF/litre (EUR 1.09) at state-regulated pumps.

Cash dominates outside Abidjan, tip pump attendants

Recommended

Cards work at Abidjan hotels and major Total/Shell stations but cash is essential upcountry; tip fuel attendants 200–500 XOF and declare cash over 1,000,000 XOF (approx EUR 1,525) at the border.

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Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right; overtake on the left. UK drivers should fit headlamp beam deflectors to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

Speed limits 110 / 80 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, rural roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; limits are signposted and enforced by police checkpoints rather than cameras.

Blood alcohol limit 0.8 g/L

Required

Legal BAC is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checks are common and penalties for exceeding it are severe.