1968 IDP plus UK/EU licence
RequiredCambodia recognises the 1968 Vienna Convention IDP, which must be carried alongside your home UK or EU photocard licence; the older 1949 IDP is not officially accepted.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Cambodia
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Cambodia: 7 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
7
Required
4
Recommended
5
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Cambodia
7 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1968 IDP plus UK/EU licence
Cambodia recognises the 1968 Vienna Convention IDP, which must be carried alongside your home UK or EU photocard licence; the older 1949 IDP is not officially accepted.
Passport with 6 months validity
Carry your passport at all times when driving; police checkpoints routinely ask foreigners for ID and visa stamps.
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory
Green Cards are not valid; buy local third-party cover (Forte, Asia Insurance) at the border or in Phnom Penh from around USD 30/year. Rental cars include it.
Drive on the right
Cambodia drives on the right-hand side, opposite to the UK; many local vehicles are still right-hand-drive imports which complicates overtaking.
Speed limits 100 / 90 / 40 km/h
Expressway 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h, and 30 km/h past schools; limits are poorly signed and strictly enforced by mobile police.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
Blood alcohol limit is 0.50 g/L (0.25 mg/L breath); random roadside breath tests are common, especially around Phnom Penh on weekend evenings.
Seatbelts and helmets
Front-seat belts are compulsory, and motorcycle helmets are required for the rider (passengers technically too, though widely ignored); fines start at around USD 15.
Documents
Passport with 6 months validity
RequiredCarry your passport at all times when driving; police checkpoints routinely ask foreigners for ID and visa stamps.
Cambodian temporary local licence for stays >30 days
RecommendedFor longer visits you must convert your IDP to a Cambodian licence at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport in Phnom Penh; cost around USD 40.
Third-party motor insurance is compulsory
RequiredGreen Cards are not valid; buy local third-party cover (Forte, Asia Insurance) at the border or in Phnom Penh from around USD 30/year. Rental cars include it.
Hire a car with driver instead of self-driving
RecommendedFCDO and most insurers advise visitors against self-driving due to road conditions and accident rates; a car with driver costs around USD 50-80/day and is the norm.
Driving rules
Drive on the right
RequiredCambodia drives on the right-hand side, opposite to the UK; many local vehicles are still right-hand-drive imports which complicates overtaking.
Speed limits 100 / 90 / 40 km/h
RequiredExpressway 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h, and 30 km/h past schools; limits are poorly signed and strictly enforced by mobile police.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.50 g/L (0.25 mg/L breath); random roadside breath tests are common, especially around Phnom Penh on weekend evenings.
Chaotic traffic and unwritten rules
Good to knowExpect tuk-tuks, motos and livestock on all roads, frequent wrong-way driving, and an informal rule that the larger vehicle has priority; horn use is constant and expected.
Emergency number 119 / 117
Good to knowDial 119 for ambulance, 118 for fire, and 117 for police; English-speaking operators are limited, and response times outside Phnom Penh are very slow.
Tolls
Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway toll
Good to knowThe PPSHV Expressway charges by class at manned booths, roughly USD 12 (about EUR 11) one-way for a car over the 187 km route; pay in USD cash or KHR. No other motorways exist.
Required equipment
No mandatory in-car kit, but carry basics
RecommendedThere are no legal requirements for hi-vis vest, triangle or extinguisher, but a first-aid kit, torch and spare tyre are strongly advised given remote breakdown risk.
Seatbelts and helmets
RequiredFront-seat belts are compulsory, and motorcycle helmets are required for the rider (passengers technically too, though widely ignored); fines start at around USD 15.
Environment
Avoid driving at night and in monsoon
RecommendedRural roads are unlit, with unmarked livestock and potholes; the May-October monsoon brings flash flooding that closes provincial roads without warning.
Money
Dual currency: USD and Riel
Good to knowUS dollars are accepted everywhere alongside Cambodian Riel (KHR, ~4,100 to USD); fuel costs around USD 1.20-1.40/litre (EUR 1.10-1.30). Carry small USD notes.
Cash declaration limit USD 10,000
Good to knowYou must declare cash equivalent to USD 10,000 or more at the border; fuel stations in towns take cards but rural pumps are cash-only and tipping is not expected.
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Drive on the right
RequiredCambodia drives on the right-hand side, opposite to the UK; many local vehicles are still right-hand-drive imports which complicates overtaking.
Speed limits 100 / 90 / 40 km/h
RequiredExpressway 100 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h, and 30 km/h past schools; limits are poorly signed and strictly enforced by mobile police.
BAC limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.50 g/L (0.25 mg/L breath); random roadside breath tests are common, especially around Phnom Penh on weekend evenings.