Valid licence plus 1949 IDP
RequiredCuba recognises the 1949 Geneva International Driving Permit alongside your UK/EU photocard licence; carry both at all times along with your passport and tourist card (visa).
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Cuba
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Cuba: 8 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
8
Required
3
Recommended
6
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Cuba
8 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Valid licence plus 1949 IDP
Cuba recognises the 1949 Geneva International Driving Permit alongside your UK/EU photocard licence; carry both at all times along with your passport and tourist card (visa).
Tourist card (visa) required
UK and most EU visitors need a Tarjeta del Turista before arrival; without it you cannot board the flight or rent a car on landing.
Mandatory rental insurance bought locally
Foreign motor insurance and Green Cards are not valid; you must buy the rental company's CDW insurance in cash at the desk (roughly 15-30 EUR per day) and keep the contract in the car.
Drive on the right
Cuba drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK/IE/AU/JP drivers must adjust, and overtaking is on the left.
Speed limits in km/h
Autopista (motorway) 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 40 km/h past schools; speed traps are common on the Autopista Nacional.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
The BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L; any alcohol detected can lead to detention, and causing a fatal accident while drinking can mean years in a Cuban prison before you may leave the country.
Warning triangle and spare wheel
Rentals must carry a warning triangle, jack and serviceable spare; check all are present before leaving the lot as roadside assistance is extremely limited outside Havana and Varadero.
Cash-only economy, bring euros
UK-issued cards (and any card drawn on a US bank) do not work; bring euros or Canadian dollars in cash to exchange at a CADECA, and budget for fuel, tolls-of-life (parking attendants) and emergencies entirely in cash.
Documents
Tourist card (visa) required
RequiredUK and most EU visitors need a Tarjeta del Turista before arrival; without it you cannot board the flight or rent a car on landing.
Mandatory rental insurance bought locally
RequiredForeign motor insurance and Green Cards are not valid; you must buy the rental company's CDW insurance in cash at the desk (roughly 15-30 EUR per day) and keep the contract in the car.
Bringing your own car is not realistic
Good to knowPrivate vehicle import for tourists is effectively impossible; virtually all foreign visitors drive rental cars from Cubacar, Rex, Havanautos or Via.
FCDO travel advice and US sanctions
RecommendedCheck gov.uk FCDO advice before booking; US sanctions mean UK/EU bank cards linked to US networks (and any travel via the US ESTA route) can be affected, so plan payments and routing accordingly.
FCDO Cuba adviceDriving rules
Drive on the right
RequiredCuba drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK/IE/AU/JP drivers must adjust, and overtaking is on the left.
Speed limits in km/h
RequiredAutopista (motorway) 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 40 km/h past schools; speed traps are common on the Autopista Nacional.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
RequiredThe BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L; any alcohol detected can lead to detention, and causing a fatal accident while drinking can mean years in a Cuban prison before you may leave the country.
Hazards: livestock, cyclists, horse carts
RecommendedRoads, even the motorway: are routinely shared with horse-drawn carts, cyclists, pedestrians and stray animals; avoid driving after dark when most serious accidents happen and unlit hazards are invisible.
Emergency number 106 police, 104 ambulance
Good to knowDial 106 for police (PNR) and 104 for ambulance; at any accident with injury you must stay at the scene and you may be barred from leaving Cuba until the investigation concludes.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and spare wheel
RequiredRentals must carry a warning triangle, jack and serviceable spare; check all are present before leaving the lot as roadside assistance is extremely limited outside Havana and Varadero.
Tolls
No tolls or vignette
Good to knowCuba has no motorway tolls, no vignette and no electronic toll system; the Autopista Nacional (A1/A4) is free to use.
Emissions / low-emission zones
No low-emission zones
Good to knowCuba operates no LEZ, ULEZ or emissions sticker schemes; no registration is required to drive in Havana, Santiago or any other city.
Money
Cash-only economy, bring euros
RequiredUK-issued cards (and any card drawn on a US bank) do not work; bring euros or Canadian dollars in cash to exchange at a CADECA, and budget for fuel, tolls-of-life (parking attendants) and emergencies entirely in cash.
Fuel ~1.10 EUR/L, shortages common
Good to knowSpecial (95) petrol is sold at Cupet/Oro Negro stations at roughly 1.10 EUR per litre and must be paid in cash (often only in MLC or USD); expect long queues and frequent shortages, so fill up whenever the tank drops below half.
Cash declaration over 5,000 USD
Good to knowAmounts equivalent to over 5,000 USD must be declared on arrival; tipping 1 CUP-equivalent to fuel pump and parking attendants (custodios) is standard.
Environment
Hurricane season June-November
RecommendedTropical storms can flood roads, down power lines and close the Autopista at short notice between June and November; check the Instituto de Meteorología before long drives and never ford flooded roads.
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Drive on the right
RequiredCuba drives on the right-hand side of the road; UK/IE/AU/JP drivers must adjust, and overtaking is on the left.
Speed limits in km/h
RequiredAutopista (motorway) 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 40 km/h past schools; speed traps are common on the Autopista Nacional.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
RequiredThe BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L; any alcohol detected can lead to detention, and causing a fatal accident while drinking can mean years in a Cuban prison before you may leave the country.