Country driving guide ยท 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Myanmar: 7 legal requirements + 7 other things worth knowing.
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Tick before you go
7 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP plus UK/EU licence required
Myanmar recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; carry it alongside your home licence and passport at all times.
Source: IDP info โForeign-plated cars need MTT permit and guide
Bringing your own vehicle requires an advance permit from Myanmar Travels & Tours plus a mandatory licensed guide vehicle escorting you throughout the country.
Source: Local laws โCarnet de Passage and local insurance
A Carnet de Passage en Douane is needed to temporarily import a vehicle, and you must buy local third-party insurance on arrival as green cards are not accepted.
Source: Carnet info โDrive on the right with left-hand-drive cars preferred
Myanmar drives on the right since 1970, yet most local cars are right-hand-drive Japanese imports: overtaking visibility is poor, so be extremely cautious.
Speed limits 100 / 80 / 48 km/h
Expressway (Yangon-Mandalay) 100 km/h, rural highways 80 km/h, urban areas 48 km/h (30 mph); limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints.
Zero-tolerance alcohol limit
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L for drivers; any alcohol can lead to arrest, heavy fines and detention.
Cash tolls on expressways
The Yangon-Naypyidaw-Mandalay expressway uses manned toll booths charging roughly MMK 4,000-6,000 (around EUR 1.50-2.50) per 100 km for cars; pay in kyat cash.
Civil conflict, martial law in many townships and ongoing fighting make self-driving impractical and dangerous; check gov.uk Foreign Travel Advice before any journey.
FCDO Myanmar adviceMyanmar recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit; carry it alongside your home licence and passport at all times.
IDP infoBringing your own vehicle requires an advance permit from Myanmar Travels & Tours plus a mandatory licensed guide vehicle escorting you throughout the country.
Local lawsA Carnet de Passage en Douane is needed to temporarily import a vehicle, and you must buy local third-party insurance on arrival as green cards are not accepted.
Carnet infoResponse times are slow and English is rarely spoken; save your embassy contact and have your guide call on your behalf if possible.
Myanmar drives on the right since 1970, yet most local cars are right-hand-drive Japanese imports: overtaking visibility is poor, so be extremely cautious.
Expressway (Yangon-Mandalay) 100 km/h, rural highways 80 km/h, urban areas 48 km/h (30 mph); limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints.
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L for drivers; any alcohol can lead to arrest, heavy fines and detention.
Unlit roads, stray animals, unmarked vehicles and military checkpoints make driving after dark hazardous; plan to arrive at destinations before sunset.
The Yangon-Naypyidaw-Mandalay expressway uses manned toll booths charging roughly MMK 4,000-6,000 (around EUR 1.50-2.50) per 100 km for cars; pay in kyat cash.
Roadside assistance is virtually non-existent outside Yangon; carry a spare tyre, tools, first-aid kit, torch and extra water and fuel for long trips.
Monsoon (May-October) causes flooding and landslides on hill roads to Shan/Kachin; large areas of Sagaing, Chin, Rakhine, Kayah and Kayin states are off-limits due to armed conflict.
Currency is Myanmar kyat (MMK); foreign cards rarely work, so bring clean USD notes to exchange. Petrol costs roughly MMK 2,800-3,500/litre (around EUR 0.90-1.20).
Amounts above USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared to customs on arrival; sanctions make banking transfers in/out of Myanmar extremely difficult.
Entry rulesWe'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 Myanmar.
Start planning โPlaces to add to your Myanmar road trip.
Don't get caught out
Myanmar drives on the right since 1970, yet most local cars are right-hand-drive Japanese imports: overtaking visibility is poor, so be extremely cautious.
Expressway (Yangon-Mandalay) 100 km/h, rural highways 80 km/h, urban areas 48 km/h (30 mph); limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints.
BAC limit is effectively 0.00 g/L for drivers; any alcohol can lead to arrest, heavy fines and detention.