FCDO advises against all but essential travel
Good to knowUK FCDO warns of political instability, poor road conditions and limited consular support; self-driving as a tourist is rare and not recommended.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Guinea-Bissau
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Guinea-Bissau: 8 legal requirements + 10 other things worth knowing.
8
Required
2
Recommended
8
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Guinea-Bissau
8 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Guinea-Bissau recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times.
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
Most UK and EU nationals need a visa obtained in advance; ECOWAS nationals are exempt.
Local third-party insurance (Carte Brune ECOWAS)
Green Card is not valid; buy the ECOWAS Brown Card at the border or in Bissau: a UK/EU policy alone will be refused.
V5C or proof of ownership for own vehicle
Bringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage and V5C; expect lengthy customs checks at the Senegal (Mpack/São Domingos) or Guinea borders.
Drive on the right
Traffic drives on the right; overtake on the left.
Speed limits 100 / 80 / 50 km/h
No motorways exist; open-road limit is typically 100 km/h, secondary roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, but signage is often missing.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
Blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L in line with regional norms; police checkpoints are frequent.
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
Carry a reflective warning triangle and high-visibility jacket; spare bulbs and a basic first-aid kit are strongly advised.
Documents
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredGuinea-Bissau recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times.
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
RequiredMost UK and EU nationals need a visa obtained in advance; ECOWAS nationals are exempt.
Local third-party insurance (Carte Brune ECOWAS)
RequiredGreen Card is not valid; buy the ECOWAS Brown Card at the border or in Bissau: a UK/EU policy alone will be refused.
V5C or proof of ownership for own vehicle
RequiredBringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage and V5C; expect lengthy customs checks at the Senegal (Mpack/São Domingos) or Guinea borders.
Driving rules
Drive on the right
RequiredTraffic drives on the right; overtake on the left.
Speed limits 100 / 80 / 50 km/h
RequiredNo motorways exist; open-road limit is typically 100 km/h, secondary roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, but signage is often missing.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L in line with regional norms; police checkpoints are frequent.
Avoid driving after dark
RecommendedUnlit roads, stray livestock, broken-down vehicles without lights and armed robbery risk make night driving genuinely dangerous outside Bissau.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
RequiredCarry a reflective warning triangle and high-visibility jacket; spare bulbs and a basic first-aid kit are strongly advised.
Vignette
No vignette or motorway sticker
Good to knowGuinea-Bissau has no vignette scheme and no motorway network. There is nothing to buy or display.
Tolls
No toll roads
Good to knowThere are no operational toll roads; expect informal police or military checkpoints instead, where small "fees" are sometimes requested.
Emissions / low-emission zones
No low-emission zones
Good to knowNo LEZ or environmental sticker scheme operates in Bissau or any other city.
Environment
Rainy season May–November
RecommendedHeavy rains flood unpaved roads and can cut off interior regions; a 4x4 is essential outside the Bissau–Bafatá–Gabú corridor.
Bijagós Islands are ferry/boat only
Good to knowThe Bijagós Archipelago has no road links: access is by pirogue or charter boat from Bissau or Bubaque.
Money
Currency CFA franc (XOF), cash economy
Good to knowGuinea-Bissau uses the West African CFA franc (XOF, pegged at 655.957 to EUR 1); cards are almost never accepted and ATMs are scarce outside Bissau.
Fuel around EUR 1.20–1.40 per litre
Good to knowPetrol and diesel cost roughly 800–900 XOF per litre; fill up in Bissau as upcountry stations frequently run dry.
Emergency number 117 police, 119 fire
Good to knowDial 117 for police and 119 for fire; ambulance response is unreliable, so private clinics in Bissau are the realistic option.
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Drive on the right
RequiredTraffic drives on the right; overtake on the left.
Speed limits 100 / 80 / 50 km/h
RequiredNo motorways exist; open-road limit is typically 100 km/h, secondary roads 80 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, but signage is often missing.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L in line with regional norms; police checkpoints are frequent.