Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Comoros: 5 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
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5 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP plus national licence required
Comoros recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; UK drivers need a 1949 IDP (issued by the Post Office for GBP 5.50) carried alongside the photocard licence and passport.
Local third-party insurance mandatory
Green Card is not valid; rental vehicles include local third-party cover, and any private import must buy local insurance on arrival at the port.
Drive on the right
Traffic drives on the right with overtaking on the left, despite the colonial mix of left- and right-hand-drive vehicles in circulation.
Speed limits 40/60/80 km/h
Typical limits are 40 km/h in towns (Moroni, Mutsamudu), 60 km/h on rural roads and a nominal 80 km/h maximum. There are no motorways in the country.
Zero-tolerance alcohol culture
Comoros is a Muslim country where alcohol is heavily restricted; the practical BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L and drink-driving carries severe penalties.
Comoros is a three-island archipelago (Grande Comore, Anjouan, Moheli) with no motorways, limited paved roads, and very few formal car rental agencies: most visitors hire a car with driver or use shared taxis.
Comoros recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; UK drivers need a 1949 IDP (issued by the Post Office for GBP 5.50) carried alongside the photocard licence and passport.
Green Card is not valid; rental vehicles include local third-party cover, and any private import must buy local insurance on arrival at the port.
The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to Comoros but warns of political instability and limited medical/road infrastructure. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/comoros before departure.
FCDO Comoros adviceTraffic drives on the right with overtaking on the left, despite the colonial mix of left- and right-hand-drive vehicles in circulation.
Typical limits are 40 km/h in towns (Moroni, Mutsamudu), 60 km/h on rural roads and a nominal 80 km/h maximum. There are no motorways in the country.
Comoros is a Muslim country where alcohol is heavily restricted; the practical BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L and drink-driving carries severe penalties.
Expect goats, children, motor scooters and broken-down trucks on single-lane volcanic roads; avoid driving after dark as street lighting is almost non-existent and many vehicles have no working lights.
The rainy/cyclone season runs December to April and frequently washes out coastal roads on Anjouan and Moheli; the Karthala volcano road on Grande Comore can close after eruptions or ashfall.
There are no bridges or ferries that carry cars between the three islands. You must rent a separate vehicle on each island.
Currency is the Comorian Franc (KMF), pegged at roughly 492 KMF to 1 EUR; ATMs exist only in Moroni and Mutsamudu and almost all fuel stations and rentals are cash-only.
Pump prices are state-set at roughly 500-550 KMF per litre (about EUR 1.00-1.10); shortages occur and fuel stations outside Moroni may run dry for days.
Dial 17 for police and 18 for fire/ambulance; response times are slow and there is no nationwide roadside-assistance service, so carry water, a spare tyre and a charged phone.
No legally mandated kit list is enforced, but punctures are routine on volcanic gravel and breakdowns at night are common: bring a working spare, jack, torch and drinking water.
We'll build the itinerary, estimate fuel + tolls, and show EV chargers along the route, and this checklist appears automatically on every trip that crosses into Comoros.
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Traffic drives on the right with overtaking on the left, despite the colonial mix of left- and right-hand-drive vehicles in circulation.
Typical limits are 40 km/h in towns (Moroni, Mutsamudu), 60 km/h on rural roads and a nominal 80 km/h maximum. There are no motorways in the country.
Comoros is a Muslim country where alcohol is heavily restricted; the practical BAC limit is effectively 0.0 g/L and drink-driving carries severe penalties.