Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Papua New Guinea: 8 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
Required
Recommended
Good to know
Tick before you go
8 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP plus full UK/EU licence
PNG recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which must be carried alongside your original national licence and passport; a 1968 Vienna IDP is not the correct format.
Convert to PNG licence if staying over 3 months
Visitors driving for longer than three months must obtain a PNG driver's licence from the Department of Transport; short-term visitors can drive on the IDP.
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance
All vehicles must carry MVIL (Motor Vehicles Insurance Ltd) third-party cover; hire cars include it, but verify the sticker on the windscreen before driving.
Drive on the left
PNG drives on the left-hand side of the road, the same as the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Speed limits 75 / 60 / 50 km/h
Default limits are 75 km/h on the open Highlands Highway and rural roads, 60 km/h on built-up arterial roads and 50 km/h in towns; there are no motorways.
BAC limit 0.08 g/L
The blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100 ml (0.08%), higher than the UK's 0.08 but enforcement at roadblocks is unpredictable; treat zero as the safe choice.
Seatbelts and no mobile phones
Front-seat seatbelts are mandatory, handheld phone use while driving is prohibited, and headlights must be on in rain or poor visibility.
Declare cash over 20,000 PGK at the border
Amounts above 20,000 PGK (around EUR 4,700) in any currency must be declared to PNG Customs on arrival or departure.
UK FCDO warns against all but essential travel to many provinces due to tribal violence, carjackings and lawlessness; self-driving as a tourist is highly unusual and most visitors use hired drivers or company transport.
PNG recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP, which must be carried alongside your original national licence and passport; a 1968 Vienna IDP is not the correct format.
Visitors driving for longer than three months must obtain a PNG driver's licence from the Department of Transport; short-term visitors can drive on the IDP.
All vehicles must carry MVIL (Motor Vehicles Insurance Ltd) third-party cover; hire cars include it, but verify the sticker on the windscreen before driving.
PNG drives on the left-hand side of the road, the same as the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Default limits are 75 km/h on the open Highlands Highway and rural roads, 60 km/h on built-up arterial roads and 50 km/h in towns; there are no motorways.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100 ml (0.08%), higher than the UK's 0.08 but enforcement at roadblocks is unpredictable; treat zero as the safe choice.
Front-seat seatbelts are mandatory, handheld phone use while driving is prohibited, and headlights must be on in rain or poor visibility.
Local advice and most embassies recommend driving on to the nearest police station rather than stopping after a minor accident or for unofficial roadblocks, due to the risk of mob retaliation (a recognised 'payback' issue).
Dial 000 for police, fire or ambulance; mobile coverage is patchy outside main towns, so satellite communication is recommended for remote travel.
Only a small percentage of roads are sealed; the Highlands Highway and provincial roads require a 4x4, and the wet season (Dec-Mar) causes frequent landslides and washouts.
There is no road connecting the capital Port Moresby to the rest of the country; travel between major centres requires domestic flights or coastal shipping.
No specific kit is mandated by law, but a spare wheel, jack, tow rope, jerry can of fuel and drinking water are standard for any trip outside the capital due to long distances between services.
PNG has no toll roads, motorway vignette or electronic road-pricing system; all public roads are free to use.
Petrol costs around 5.50 PGK per litre (roughly EUR 1.30); fuel stations in Port Moresby and Lae take cards but cash in Kina is essential in the Highlands and provinces.
Amounts above 20,000 PGK (around EUR 4,700) in any currency must be declared to PNG Customs on arrival or departure.
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Don't get caught out
PNG drives on the left-hand side of the road, the same as the UK, Ireland and Australia.
Default limits are 75 km/h on the open Highlands Highway and rural roads, 60 km/h on built-up arterial roads and 50 km/h in towns; there are no motorways.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100 ml (0.08%), higher than the UK's 0.08 but enforcement at roadblocks is unpredictable; treat zero as the safe choice.
Front-seat seatbelts are mandatory, handheld phone use while driving is prohibited, and headlights must be on in rain or poor visibility.