1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
RequiredSuriname recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence, as the national licence alone is not accepted for visitors.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Suriname
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Suriname: 6 legal requirements + 10 other things worth knowing.
6
Required
5
Recommended
5
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Suriname
6 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence
Suriname recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it with your home licence, as the national licence alone is not accepted for visitors.
Passport with valid visa or e-tourist card
UK and most EU nationals need a Suriname e-Tourist Card (around USD 25) obtained online before arrival; passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry.
Local third-party motor insurance (WA)
Green Card is not valid; buy compulsory WA (Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheid) insurance at the border or in Paramaribo: Green Card / UK policies do not extend here.
Drive on the LEFT
Suriname drives on the left like the UK, one of the few mainland South American countries to do so: though most cars are left-hand drive imports.
Speed limits 80 / 80 / 40-50 km/h
Urban limit is 40-50 km/h, rural/highway 80 km/h; there are no motorways. Limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints near Paramaribo.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
BAC limit is 0.50 g/L (0.05%); random police checks occur, especially weekends around Paramaribo, with on-the-spot fines and possible detention.
Documents
Passport with valid visa or e-tourist card
RequiredUK and most EU nationals need a Suriname e-Tourist Card (around USD 25) obtained online before arrival; passport must be valid 6 months beyond entry.
Local third-party motor insurance (WA)
RequiredGreen Card is not valid; buy compulsory WA (Wettelijke Aansprakelijkheid) insurance at the border or in Paramaribo: Green Card / UK policies do not extend here.
V5C and notarised permission for own vehicle
RecommendedIf importing your own car via Guyana/French Guiana ferry, carry V5C/ownership proof plus a Carnet de Passage; rentals are far more common for visitors.
Driving rules
Drive on the LEFT
RequiredSuriname drives on the left like the UK, one of the few mainland South American countries to do so: though most cars are left-hand drive imports.
Speed limits 80 / 80 / 40-50 km/h
RequiredUrban limit is 40-50 km/h, rural/highway 80 km/h; there are no motorways. Limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints near Paramaribo.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBAC limit is 0.50 g/L (0.05%); random police checks occur, especially weekends around Paramaribo, with on-the-spot fines and possible detention.
Seatbelts front and rear, no phone use
RecommendedSeatbelts compulsory for all occupants and handheld mobile phone use while driving is prohibited; fines are issued at frequent checkpoints.
Emergency number 115 (police) / 113 (ambulance)
Good to knowDial 115 for police and 113 for ambulance; outside Paramaribo response times are very slow and mobile coverage is patchy.
Vignette
No vignette or motorway sticker
Good to knowSuriname has no toll roads, no e-vignette, and no electronic road-pricing: all public roads are free to use.
Tolls
No tolls anywhere in the country
Good to knowThere are zero toll roads; the only road-user fee is the small Wijdenbosch Bridge crossing into Paramaribo (a few SRD, cash).
Environment
Interior accessible only by 4x4 or boat
RecommendedPaved roads are limited to the coastal strip; reaching the interior (Brokopondo, Upper Suriname River) requires 4x4 plus river transport. No rental car will get you there.
Rainy seasons cause flash flooding
RecommendedMajor rainy seasons (Apr-Aug and Dec-Jan) flood unpaved roads and wash out interior tracks; avoid night driving as livestock and unlit vehicles are common.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and spare tyre advised
RecommendedNo formal legal kit list, but a warning triangle, spare wheel, jack and torch are strongly recommended given remote stretches and limited roadside assistance.
Money
Currency SRD; USD and EUR widely accepted
Good to knowCurrency is the Surinamese dollar (SRD); USD is accepted at hotels and fuel stations in Paramaribo, but carry small SRD notes for rural fuel stops.
Fuel around EUR 1.05-1.20 per litre
Good to knowPetrol runs roughly SRD 25-30 per litre (about EUR 1.05-1.20); pay in cash as card terminals at pumps are unreliable outside Paramaribo. No tipping expected.
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Drive on the LEFT
RequiredSuriname drives on the left like the UK, one of the few mainland South American countries to do so: though most cars are left-hand drive imports.
Speed limits 80 / 80 / 40-50 km/h
RequiredUrban limit is 40-50 km/h, rural/highway 80 km/h; there are no motorways. Limits are strictly enforced by police checkpoints near Paramaribo.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBAC limit is 0.50 g/L (0.05%); random police checks occur, especially weekends around Paramaribo, with on-the-spot fines and possible detention.