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Country driving guide · 2026

Driving in Paraguay

Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Paraguay: 10 legal requirements + 5 other things worth knowing.

10

Required

1

Recommended

4

Good to know

Tick before you go

Pre-departure checklist for Paraguay

10 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.

  • 1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence

    Paraguay recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times when driving.

  • Carry passport and vehicle ownership proof

    Police checkpoints are common; keep passport, V5C (or rental contract / notarised authorisation if not the owner) and insurance documents in the vehicle.

  • Local third-party insurance (Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil)

    UK/EU policies and Green Cards are not valid; buy local liability cover from the rental company or at the border: Mercosur Carta Azul is accepted if entering from Argentina/Brazil.

  • Drive on the right

    Traffic drives on the right; overtaking is on the left.

  • Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

    Motorway (Ruta) 110 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, school zones 30 km/h.

  • Zero-tolerance BAC limit

    Blood-alcohol limit is 0.0 g/L for all drivers; even a single drink can mean arrest, heavy fines and impounding of the vehicle.

  • Daytime running lights on highways

    Dipped headlights are mandatory at all times on inter-city routes (rutas nacionales), day and night.

  • Seatbelts and no phones

    Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned and fined on the spot.

  • Warning triangle, hi-vis, extinguisher, first-aid kit

    Vehicles must carry two warning triangles, a reflective vest, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit; spare wheel and wheel-chock are also checked at roadside stops.

  • USD 10,000 cash declaration at border

    Amounts of USD 10,000 or equivalent in any currency must be declared to customs on entry and exit; emergency number is 911.

Documents

1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence

Required

Paraguay recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence and passport at all times when driving.

Carry passport and vehicle ownership proof

Required

Police checkpoints are common; keep passport, V5C (or rental contract / notarised authorisation if not the owner) and insurance documents in the vehicle.

Local third-party insurance (Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil)

Required

UK/EU policies and Green Cards are not valid; buy local liability cover from the rental company or at the border: Mercosur Carta Azul is accepted if entering from Argentina/Brazil.

Driving rules

Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right; overtaking is on the left.

Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (Ruta) 110 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, school zones 30 km/h.

Zero-tolerance BAC limit

Required

Blood-alcohol limit is 0.0 g/L for all drivers; even a single drink can mean arrest, heavy fines and impounding of the vehicle.

Daytime running lights on highways

Required

Dipped headlights are mandatory at all times on inter-city routes (rutas nacionales), day and night.

Seatbelts and no phones

Required

Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned and fined on the spot.

Required equipment

Warning triangle, hi-vis, extinguisher, first-aid kit

Required

Vehicles must carry two warning triangles, a reflective vest, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit; spare wheel and wheel-chock are also checked at roadside stops.

Tolls

Cash tolls (peajes) on national highways

Good to know

No vignette system; pay cash at manned booths on Rutas 1, 2, 6, 7 and 9: typically Gs.15,000-20,000 (around EUR 1.80-2.50) per booth, roughly EUR 2-3 per 100 km.

Vignette

No motorway sticker or e-vignette

Good to know

Paraguay has no vignette or electronic free-flow tolling: only physical toll plazas.

Emissions / low-emission zones

No low-emission zones

Good to know

Asuncion and other cities have no LEZ or emissions sticker scheme; any vehicle may enter city centres.

Environment

Rainy-season road conditions

Recommended

October-April brings heavy rain that floods unpaved roads especially in the Chaco; a 4x4 is strongly advised off the main paved Rutas and night driving outside cities is discouraged due to unlit roads, livestock and potholes.

Money

Currency Guarani; fuel approx EUR 1.05/L

Good to know

Currency is the Paraguayan Guarani (PYG); diesel and petrol cost roughly Gs.8,500-9,500 per litre (about EUR 1.00-1.15): cash is king at rural stations, cards accepted in cities, small tip (Gs.2,000-5,000) for pump attendants is customary.

USD 10,000 cash declaration at border

Required

Amounts of USD 10,000 or equivalent in any currency must be declared to customs on entry and exit; emergency number is 911.

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Don't get caught out

Watch out for these

Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right; overtaking is on the left.

Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (Ruta) 110 km/h, rural roads 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h, school zones 30 km/h.

Zero-tolerance BAC limit

Required

Blood-alcohol limit is 0.0 g/L for all drivers; even a single drink can mean arrest, heavy fines and impounding of the vehicle.

Daytime running lights on highways

Required

Dipped headlights are mandatory at all times on inter-city routes (rutas nacionales), day and night.

Seatbelts and no phones

Required

Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; handheld mobile phone use while driving is banned and fined on the spot.