1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredEcuador recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport. Rental firms and police checkpoints will ask for both.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Ecuador
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Ecuador: 8 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
8
Required
2
Recommended
7
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Ecuador
8 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Ecuador recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport. Rental firms and police checkpoints will ask for both.
Passport and entry stamp in the vehicle
Police road checks (especially near borders and in Amazon provinces) routinely ask for passport with valid entry stamp. Photocopies are not accepted at military checkpoints.
SOAT compulsory accident insurance
All vehicles need SOAT (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito); rentals include it. If importing your own car temporarily you must buy it at the border, around USD 40-80/year.
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
Standard right-hand traffic. UK drivers should take extra care at first roundabouts and on mountain switchbacks.
Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
Motorway/autopista 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 30 km/h in school zones. Fixed and mobile speed cameras are widespread, especially on the E35.
BAC limit 0.3 g/L (effectively zero)
The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.3 g/L for private drivers and 0.0 for professional drivers. Penalties include jail time and licence suspension.
Seatbelts, no phones, lights in tunnels
Seatbelts mandatory for all occupants, handheld phone use is banned, and headlights are required in tunnels and during rain. Children under 12 must use the rear seats.
Warning triangles, reflective vest, extinguisher
Vehicles must carry two reflective warning triangles, a hi-vis vest, a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, and a spare tyre with jack. Rentals are usually equipped; verify before leaving the lot.
Documents
Passport and entry stamp in the vehicle
RequiredPolice road checks (especially near borders and in Amazon provinces) routinely ask for passport with valid entry stamp. Photocopies are not accepted at military checkpoints.
SOAT compulsory accident insurance
RequiredAll vehicles need SOAT (Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito); rentals include it. If importing your own car temporarily you must buy it at the border, around USD 40-80/year.
Temporary vehicle import permit at land border
RecommendedBringing your own car via Colombia (Rumichaca) or Peru (Huaquillas) requires a SENAE temporary admission permit, valid up to 180 days. Keep it on the dashboard.
Emergency number 911
Good to knowECU911 handles police, ambulance and fire nationwide. For traffic incidents stay with the vehicle until police arrive: moving it can complicate insurance.
Vignette
No national vignette or motorway sticker
Good to knowEcuador uses cash/electronic tolls rather than a sticker system, so nothing to buy in advance.
Tolls
Cash tolls on Pan-American and coastal highways
Good to knowManned toll booths (peajes) charge USD 1-2 per car per booth; budget roughly USD 3-6 per 100 km on tolled stretches. Have small US dollar bills ready.
Driving rules
Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredStandard right-hand traffic. UK drivers should take extra care at first roundabouts and on mountain switchbacks.
Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
RequiredMotorway/autopista 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 30 km/h in school zones. Fixed and mobile speed cameras are widespread, especially on the E35.
BAC limit 0.3 g/L (effectively zero)
RequiredThe legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.3 g/L for private drivers and 0.0 for professional drivers. Penalties include jail time and licence suspension.
Seatbelts, no phones, lights in tunnels
RequiredSeatbelts mandatory for all occupants, handheld phone use is banned, and headlights are required in tunnels and during rain. Children under 12 must use the rear seats.
Required equipment
Warning triangles, reflective vest, extinguisher
RequiredVehicles must carry two reflective warning triangles, a hi-vis vest, a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, and a spare tyre with jack. Rentals are usually equipped; verify before leaving the lot.
Environment
Andes altitude and landslide risk
RecommendedRoads cross passes above 4,000 m (e.g. Papallacta) where fog, ice and altitude sickness are real risks. Rainy season (Oct-May in the Sierra) brings frequent landslides; check ECU911 or MTOP before mountain trips.
Pico y placa restrictions in Quito
Good to knowQuito enforces a weekday rush-hour plate rotation (Pico y Placa) banning cars by last licence-plate digit from 06:00-09:30 and 16:00-20:00. Tourist plates are technically subject but rentals usually advise routes.
Money
Currency is the US dollar
Good to knowEcuador uses USD; no exchange needed if arriving with dollars. ATMs are common in cities but scarce in the Amazon and on the coast.
Subsidised fuel around USD 0.50-0.55 per litre
Good to knowExtra petrol (regular) is roughly USD 2.40/gallon (~EUR 0.55/L) and diesel ~USD 1.80/gallon. Foreigners pay the same price; attendants pump for you and a USD 0.25-0.50 tip is customary.
USD 10,000 cash declaration at border
Good to knowAmounts over USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared to SENAE on entry and exit. Cards work in cities but carry small-denomination cash for tolls, fuel and rural areas.
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Drive on the right, overtake on the left
RequiredStandard right-hand traffic. UK drivers should take extra care at first roundabouts and on mountain switchbacks.
Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
RequiredMotorway/autopista 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, and 30 km/h in school zones. Fixed and mobile speed cameras are widespread, especially on the E35.
BAC limit 0.3 g/L (effectively zero)
RequiredThe legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.3 g/L for private drivers and 0.0 for professional drivers. Penalties include jail time and licence suspension.
Seatbelts, no phones, lights in tunnels
RequiredSeatbelts mandatory for all occupants, handheld phone use is banned, and headlights are required in tunnels and during rain. Children under 12 must use the rear seats.