1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredLaos recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your national licence at all times: police checks are frequent and a domestic licence alone is not valid.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Laos
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Laos: 6 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
6
Required
3
Recommended
6
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Laos
6 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Laos recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your national licence at all times: police checks are frequent and a domestic licence alone is not valid.
Passport with 6 months validity and visa/eVisa
UK/EU nationals need a visa on arrival or eVisa (around USD 30-50); passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry and have a blank page.
Temporary import permit for own vehicle
Foreign-registered cars need a Lao customs temporary import permit and compulsory third-party insurance bought at the border: V5C/registration document and Carnet de Passage are typically required.
Drive on the right
Laos drives on the right-hand side; overtake on the left. Most rental and private cars are left-hand drive.
Speed limits 30 / 40-60 / 80-90 km/h
Typical limits: 30 km/h in school/village zones, 40-60 km/h urban, 80-90 km/h on rural highways. There are no true motorways outside the Vientiane-Vangvieng expressway (100 km/h).
BAC limit 0.08 g/L (0.02 commercial)
Blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/L for private drivers and 0.02 g/L for commercial drivers: enforcement is inconsistent but penalties for accidents involving alcohol are severe.
Documents
Passport with 6 months validity and visa/eVisa
RequiredUK/EU nationals need a visa on arrival or eVisa (around USD 30-50); passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry and have a blank page.
Temporary import permit for own vehicle
RequiredForeign-registered cars need a Lao customs temporary import permit and compulsory third-party insurance bought at the border: V5C/registration document and Carnet de Passage are typically required.
Green Card not valid: buy local insurance
RecommendedEuropean Green Card insurance does not extend to Laos; purchase compulsory third-party (TPL) cover at the border crossing, roughly USD 5-15 for a short stay.
Emergency numbers 191 (police) / 195 (ambulance)
Good to knowDial 191 for police, 1623 for traffic police and 195 for ambulance; response outside Vientiane is very limited. The British Embassy is in Bangkok, not Vientiane.
Driving rules
Drive on the right
RequiredLaos drives on the right-hand side; overtake on the left. Most rental and private cars are left-hand drive.
Speed limits 30 / 40-60 / 80-90 km/h
RequiredTypical limits: 30 km/h in school/village zones, 40-60 km/h urban, 80-90 km/h on rural highways. There are no true motorways outside the Vientiane-Vangvieng expressway (100 km/h).
BAC limit 0.08 g/L (0.02 commercial)
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/L for private drivers and 0.02 g/L for commercial drivers: enforcement is inconsistent but penalties for accidents involving alcohol are severe.
Right-of-way is informal: drive defensively
Good to knowExpect scooters, livestock, pedestrians and unlit vehicles on all roads; the larger vehicle generally takes priority regardless of signage. Avoid driving after dark outside cities.
Tolls
Vientiane-Vangvieng Expressway toll
Good to knowThe only expressway charges roughly 110,000-180,000 LAK (around EUR 5-8) end-to-end for cars, paid in cash or via Lao bank app at staffed booths. No vignette system exists.
Vignette
No vignette or motorway sticker system
Good to knowLaos has no national road tax sticker for foreign vehicles; road usage is covered by the temporary import permit and per-trip expressway tolls.
Emissions / low-emission zones
No low-emission zones
Good to knowNo LEZ, ULEZ or emissions stickers operate in Vientiane, Luang Prabang or any Lao city: diesel and older vehicles enter freely.
Environment
Wet season landslides May-October
RecommendedMountain routes (Route 13 north, Route 7, Phou Khoun) are regularly blocked by landslides and washouts during the southwest monsoon; check conditions locally before departing.
Required equipment
Spare tyre, torch and basic tools
RecommendedNo specific items are legally mandated in the car, but recovery services are scarce: carry a spare wheel, jack, torch, water and a basic first-aid kit, especially on rural routes.
Money
Currency LAK; fuel ~EUR 1.10/litre; cash king
Good to knowCurrency is the Lao Kip (LAK); petrol runs around 25,000-28,000 LAK/L (~EUR 1.10). Fuel stations outside Vientiane are cash-only: carry kip or USD/THB. No tipping expected.
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Drive on the right
RequiredLaos drives on the right-hand side; overtake on the left. Most rental and private cars are left-hand drive.
Speed limits 30 / 40-60 / 80-90 km/h
RequiredTypical limits: 30 km/h in school/village zones, 40-60 km/h urban, 80-90 km/h on rural highways. There are no true motorways outside the Vientiane-Vangvieng expressway (100 km/h).
BAC limit 0.08 g/L (0.02 commercial)
RequiredBlood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/L for private drivers and 0.02 g/L for commercial drivers: enforcement is inconsistent but penalties for accidents involving alcohol are severe.