Drive on the LEFT
RequiredTraffic drives on the left, same as the UK: a relief for British visitors but a switch for EU drivers used to right-hand traffic.
Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Seychelles: 6 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
Required
Recommended
Good to know
Tick before you go
6 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Drive on the LEFT
Traffic drives on the left, same as the UK: a relief for British visitors but a switch for EU drivers used to right-hand traffic.
Full driving licence + passport
Carry your full UK or EU photocard licence plus passport at all times when driving; provisional licences are not accepted.
Minimum age 22 for hire
Most rental companies require drivers to be at least 22 (sometimes 25) and to have held a licence for 2+ years; third-party insurance is included in rental rates.
Speed limits 65 / 80 km/h
Urban areas 40 km/h, open roads outside towns 65 km/h, and the Mahe east coast dual carriageway 80 km/h. There are no motorways.
BAC alcohol limit 0.08 g/L
Blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100ml (same as England) and random breath tests are common, especially near Victoria and Beau Vallon at weekends.
Seatbelts and no handheld phone
Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; using a handheld mobile while driving carries an on-the-spot fine of around SCR 1,000.
Traffic drives on the left, same as the UK: a relief for British visitors but a switch for EU drivers used to right-hand traffic.
Urban areas 40 km/h, open roads outside towns 65 km/h, and the Mahe east coast dual carriageway 80 km/h. There are no motorways.
Blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100ml (same as England) and random breath tests are common, especially near Victoria and Beau Vallon at weekends.
Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; using a handheld mobile while driving carries an on-the-spot fine of around SCR 1,000.
Roads have no pavements in many areas so locals walk on the carriageway, and giant tortoises occasionally cross rural roads on Praslin and Curieuse: slow right down.
Carry your full UK or EU photocard licence plus passport at all times when driving; provisional licences are not accepted.
An International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva convention) is not legally required for stays under 90 days but some rental firms ask for one: get it from the Post Office for GBP 5.50.
Most rental companies require drivers to be at least 22 (sometimes 25) and to have held a licence for 2+ years; third-party insurance is included in rental rates.
Dial 999 for police, ambulance or fire; the tourist police hotline in Victoria is +248 4288000 for non-urgent help with accidents or theft.
Seychelles has no motorway sticker, e-vignette or toll roads: roads are free to use throughout Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.
Inland roads on Mahe (Sans Souci, Montagne Posee) are steep, single-lane and prone to landslides in the NW monsoon (Nov-Mar): drive slowly and use low gears.
Only a handful of taxis and electric buggies operate on La Digue; visitors get around by bicycle or on foot, no self-drive hire available.
Local currency is the Seychelles rupee (SCR); unleaded petrol is around SCR 22-24 per litre (approx EUR 1.40), paid in cash or by card at most stations.
Amounts equivalent to USD 10,000 or more must be declared to Customs on arrival; tourist payments in shops and restaurants are usually quoted in SCR but cards are widely accepted.
There is no legal requirement for warning triangle, hi-vis vest or first-aid kit, but rental cars usually carry a spare tyre and jack. Check before leaving the depot.
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 Seychelles.
Start planning →Places to add to your Seychelles road trip.
Don't get caught out
Traffic drives on the left, same as the UK: a relief for British visitors but a switch for EU drivers used to right-hand traffic.
Urban areas 40 km/h, open roads outside towns 65 km/h, and the Mahe east coast dual carriageway 80 km/h. There are no motorways.
Blood alcohol limit is 0.08 g/100ml (same as England) and random breath tests are common, especially near Victoria and Beau Vallon at weekends.
Seatbelts compulsory front and rear; using a handheld mobile while driving carries an on-the-spot fine of around SCR 1,000.