1949 International Driving Permit required
RequiredEgypt recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which UK drivers obtain from the Post Office or PAA for GBP 5.50; carry it alongside your photocard licence at all times.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Egypt
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Egypt: 9 legal requirements + 7 other things worth knowing.
9
Required
2
Recommended
5
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Egypt
9 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 International Driving Permit required
Egypt recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which UK drivers obtain from the Post Office or PAA for GBP 5.50; carry it alongside your photocard licence at all times.
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
UK and most EU nationals need an e-visa (USD 25 single entry) or visa-on-arrival at Cairo airport; passport must be valid for at least 6 months from entry.
Carnet de Passage for own vehicle
Bringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane from RAC/AA with a hefty deposit (often 100-800% of vehicle value); without it the car cannot legally enter.
Third-party insurance mandatory
UK/EU green cards are not valid; buy compulsory Egyptian third-party motor insurance at the border or from a local insurer on arrival.
Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
Motorways 100 km/h (some toll roads 120 km/h), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; fixed and mobile radar enforcement is common, especially on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and imprisonment.
Warning triangle and fire extinguisher
All vehicles must carry a warning triangle and a working fire extinguisher; a first-aid kit and spare tyre are also expected at police checkpoints.
Seatbelts and no handheld phones
Front-seat seatbelts are compulsory and handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned; fines apply at the many police checkpoints, especially between governorates.
Cash declaration limit USD 10,000
Declare cash on entry/exit if carrying the equivalent of USD 10,000 or more; importing or exporting more than EGP 5,000 in local currency is prohibited.
Documents
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
RequiredUK and most EU nationals need an e-visa (USD 25 single entry) or visa-on-arrival at Cairo airport; passport must be valid for at least 6 months from entry.
Carnet de Passage for own vehicle
RequiredBringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane from RAC/AA with a hefty deposit (often 100-800% of vehicle value); without it the car cannot legally enter.
Third-party insurance mandatory
RequiredUK/EU green cards are not valid; buy compulsory Egyptian third-party motor insurance at the border or from a local insurer on arrival.
Driving rules
Drive on the right
Good to knowTraffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, opposite of the UK.
Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
RequiredMotorways 100 km/h (some toll roads 120 km/h), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; fixed and mobile radar enforcement is common, especially on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
RequiredBAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and imprisonment.
Avoid driving at night and in Sinai
RecommendedFCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai and parts of the Western Desert; nationwide, night driving is dangerous due to unlit vehicles, livestock and poor road markings.
Seatbelts and no handheld phones
RequiredFront-seat seatbelts are compulsory and handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned; fines apply at the many police checkpoints, especially between governorates.
Police checkpoints and convoys
Good to knowExpect frequent police checkpoints (have passport, IDP and insurance ready); foreign drivers heading to some desert or Red Sea areas may still be required to travel in police-escorted convoys.
Emergency number 122 police, 123 ambulance
Good to knowDial 122 for police, 123 for ambulance and 180 for fire; the tourist police can be reached on 126 and often speak English.
Tolls
Cash tolls on major highways
Good to knowToll booths on the Cairo Ring Road, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road and Cairo-Ain Sokhna Road charge EGP 5-20 per section in cash; budget roughly EGP 15-30 (EUR 0.30-0.60) per 100 km of motorway.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and fire extinguisher
RequiredAll vehicles must carry a warning triangle and a working fire extinguisher; a first-aid kit and spare tyre are also expected at police checkpoints.
Money
Currency EGP and fuel approx EUR 0.30/L
Good to knowCurrency is the Egyptian pound (EGP); petrol 95 is around EGP 17/L (~EUR 0.32) and diesel around EGP 15/L (~EUR 0.28), among the cheapest in the region.
Cash king, tip fuel attendants
RecommendedFuel stations are full-service and almost exclusively cash; tip the attendant EGP 5-10 and keep small notes for tolls and checkpoints.
Cash declaration limit USD 10,000
RequiredDeclare cash on entry/exit if carrying the equivalent of USD 10,000 or more; importing or exporting more than EGP 5,000 in local currency is prohibited.
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Speed limits 100/90/50 km/h
RequiredMotorways 100 km/h (some toll roads 120 km/h), rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; fixed and mobile radar enforcement is common, especially on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
RequiredBAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L; any detectable alcohol can result in arrest, heavy fines and imprisonment.
Seatbelts and no handheld phones
RequiredFront-seat seatbelts are compulsory and handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned; fines apply at the many police checkpoints, especially between governorates.