Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Kenya: 9 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
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Tick before you go
9 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 International Driving Permit required
Kenya recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which UK drivers obtain from the PostOffice/AA for GBP 5.50; carry it alongside your UK/EU photocard licence. Visitors may drive on a foreign licence for up to 90 days.
Passport and visa/eTA
All UK and EU visitors need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before arrival, costing around USD 30; carry your passport in the vehicle at all times.
Source: etakenya.go.ke →Carnet de Passage for own vehicle
Bringing your own car overland requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane plus the V5C logbook; without a carnet the vehicle will be refused entry or impounded at the border.
Third-party motor insurance (COMESA Yellow Card)
Kenyan third-party cover is compulsory; overland drivers should buy a COMESA Yellow Card valid across East Africa, while rentals include local insurance by default.
Drive on the LEFT
Kenya drives on the left-hand side of the road, same as the UK; right-hand-drive vehicles are the norm and overtaking is on the right.
Speed limits 100 / 80 / 50 km/h
Limits are 100 km/h on highways, 80 km/h on rural roads and 50 km/h in built-up areas, with lower 30 km/h zones near schools. Speed cameras and police radar are common on the Nairobi-Mombasa and Thika highways.
BAC limit 0.08 g/L
The legal blood-alcohol limit for private drivers is 0.08 g/100 ml (same as England); commercial and PSV drivers face a stricter 0.00 limit and random Alcoblow checkpoints are routine in Nairobi.
Seatbelts and no handheld phones
Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants and handheld mobile use while driving is banned; fines are typically KES 5,000-10,000 (EUR 35-70) payable on the spot via M-Pesa.
Two warning triangles and reflective vest
Vehicles must carry two red reflective warning triangles (life-savers) plus a hi-vis vest and a fire extinguisher; police roadblocks routinely check these.
Kenya recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which UK drivers obtain from the PostOffice/AA for GBP 5.50; carry it alongside your UK/EU photocard licence. Visitors may drive on a foreign licence for up to 90 days.
All UK and EU visitors need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) before arrival, costing around USD 30; carry your passport in the vehicle at all times.
etakenya.go.keBringing your own car overland requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane plus the V5C logbook; without a carnet the vehicle will be refused entry or impounded at the border.
Kenyan third-party cover is compulsory; overland drivers should buy a COMESA Yellow Card valid across East Africa, while rentals include local insurance by default.
The FCDO advises against all travel within 60 km of the Somali border and parts of Turkana/Mandera; check current advice before any overland route through these counties.
gov.uk/kenyaKenya drives on the left-hand side of the road, same as the UK; right-hand-drive vehicles are the norm and overtaking is on the right.
Limits are 100 km/h on highways, 80 km/h on rural roads and 50 km/h in built-up areas, with lower 30 km/h zones near schools. Speed cameras and police radar are common on the Nairobi-Mombasa and Thika highways.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for private drivers is 0.08 g/100 ml (same as England); commercial and PSV drivers face a stricter 0.00 limit and random Alcoblow checkpoints are routine in Nairobi.
Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants and handheld mobile use while driving is banned; fines are typically KES 5,000-10,000 (EUR 35-70) payable on the spot via M-Pesa.
Dial 999 or 112 for police, ambulance or fire; AA Kenya provides roadside assistance on +254 20 282 5000. Report accidents to the nearest police station within 24 hours.
Vehicles must carry two red reflective warning triangles (life-savers) plus a hi-vis vest and a fire extinguisher; police roadblocks routinely check these.
The 27 km Nairobi Expressway uses electronic free-flow tolling (ETC tag or manual lanes), costing roughly KES 180-360 (EUR 1.20-2.50) per section depending on vehicle class and distance.
nairobiexpressway.keKenya has no motorway sticker or e-vignette; tolls only apply on the Nairobi Expressway and a handful of bypasses. Most highways are toll-free.
Currency is the Kenyan Shilling (KES); petrol costs around KES 180-195/litre (EUR 1.25-1.35) and diesel slightly less, with prices capped monthly by EPRA. M-Pesa mobile money is accepted at most fuel stations.
Amounts over USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared at the border; ATMs are widely available in towns but carry small KES notes for rural fuel stops and tips.
The long rains (Mar-May) and short rains (Oct-Dec) wash out unpaved roads, especially in the Rift Valley and northern counties; the FCDO and AA strongly advise against driving outside cities after dark due to unlit roads, livestock and security risks.
Most national parks (Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Tsavo) require a 4x4 with high clearance; many tracks are impassable in the wet season and self-drive is banned in some conservancies.
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Don't get caught out
Kenya drives on the left-hand side of the road, same as the UK; right-hand-drive vehicles are the norm and overtaking is on the right.
Limits are 100 km/h on highways, 80 km/h on rural roads and 50 km/h in built-up areas, with lower 30 km/h zones near schools. Speed cameras and police radar are common on the Nairobi-Mombasa and Thika highways.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for private drivers is 0.08 g/100 ml (same as England); commercial and PSV drivers face a stricter 0.00 limit and random Alcoblow checkpoints are routine in Nairobi.
Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants and handheld mobile use while driving is banned; fines are typically KES 5,000-10,000 (EUR 35-70) payable on the spot via M-Pesa.