1949 International Driving Permit required
RequiredTogo recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it alongside your UK/EU photocard licence. Police checkpoints routinely ask to see both.
← All country guides
Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Togo
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Togo: 9 legal requirements + 7 other things worth knowing.
9
Required
3
Recommended
4
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Togo
9 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 International Driving Permit required
Togo recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention IDP; carry it alongside your UK/EU photocard licence. Police checkpoints routinely ask to see both.
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
UK and most EU nationals need a visa: an e-visa is available online before travel, or a visa on arrival at Lome airport (not at land borders).
ECOWAS Brown Card insurance
UK/EU green cards are not valid; you must buy the ECOWAS Brown Card third-party motor insurance, available at the border or in Lome for around XOF 25,000-50,000 (EUR 38-76).
Carnet de Passage for own vehicle
Bringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane plus the V5C/registration document; without a carnet, customs will demand a temporary import bond.
Drive on the right
Togo drives on the right with left-hand-drive vehicles standard; UK right-hand-drive cars are legal but visibility for overtaking is poor.
Speed limits 90/60/40 km/h
Open road 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h. There are no motorways in Togo.
BAC limit 0.8 g/L
The blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than the UK 0.8 and well above the EU 0.5 norm, but enforcement is unpredictable so do not drink and drive.
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
Carry a red warning triangle and a reflective hi-vis vest; a spare tyre, jack and basic toolkit are also expected at police checks.
Declare cash over XOF 5,000,000
Amounts above XOF 5,000,000 (roughly EUR 7,600) must be declared at the border; undeclared currency can be seized.
Documents
Passport with 6 months validity and visa
RequiredUK and most EU nationals need a visa: an e-visa is available online before travel, or a visa on arrival at Lome airport (not at land borders).
ECOWAS Brown Card insurance
RequiredUK/EU green cards are not valid; you must buy the ECOWAS Brown Card third-party motor insurance, available at the border or in Lome for around XOF 25,000-50,000 (EUR 38-76).
Carnet de Passage for own vehicle
RequiredBringing your own car requires a Carnet de Passage en Douane plus the V5C/registration document; without a carnet, customs will demand a temporary import bond.
Check FCDO travel advice before departure
RecommendedFCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to the northern Savanes region (border with Burkina Faso) due to terrorism risk: plan routes south of Kara.
gov.uk Togo adviceDriving rules
Drive on the right
RequiredTogo drives on the right with left-hand-drive vehicles standard; UK right-hand-drive cars are legal but visibility for overtaking is poor.
Speed limits 90/60/40 km/h
RequiredOpen road 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h. There are no motorways in Togo.
BAC limit 0.8 g/L
RequiredThe blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than the UK 0.8 and well above the EU 0.5 norm, but enforcement is unpredictable so do not drink and drive.
Avoid driving after dark
RecommendedFCDO and most overland operators advise against driving outside Lome at night due to unlit roads, stray livestock, broken-down lorries and a higher risk of armed robbery.
Emergency number 117 (police) / 118 (fire)
Good to knowDial 117 for police, 118 for fire/ambulance. Response outside Lome is very limited, so carry a satellite messenger or a local SIM with data.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
RequiredCarry a red warning triangle and a reflective hi-vis vest; a spare tyre, jack and basic toolkit are also expected at police checks.
Tolls
Cash toll booths on RN1 and RN2
Good to knowThere is no vignette; small cash tolls (around XOF 500, EUR 0.76) are collected at booths on the main north-south RN1 and the coastal RN2. Keep small CFA notes ready.
Money
Currency West African CFA franc (XOF)
Good to knowXOF is pegged to the euro at roughly 656 XOF = 1 EUR. Cash is king outside Lome; ATMs in towns dispense CFA but cards are rarely accepted at fuel stations.
Fuel around EUR 1.05/litre
Good to knowPetrol is roughly XOF 700/litre (EUR 1.05) at official stations; avoid roadside bottle vendors as the fuel is often adulterated and will damage modern engines.
Declare cash over XOF 5,000,000
RequiredAmounts above XOF 5,000,000 (roughly EUR 7,600) must be declared at the border; undeclared currency can be seized.
Environment
Rainy season road damage
RecommendedThe main rainy seasons (April-July and September-October) wash out unpaved roads in the Plateaux and Savanes regions; a 4x4 is strongly recommended off the RN1.
Plan your Togo road trip
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 Togo.
Start planning →Popular destinations in Togo
Places to add to your Togo road trip.
Don't get caught out
Watch out for these
Drive on the right
RequiredTogo drives on the right with left-hand-drive vehicles standard; UK right-hand-drive cars are legal but visibility for overtaking is poor.
Speed limits 90/60/40 km/h
RequiredOpen road 90 km/h, secondary roads 60 km/h, urban areas 40 km/h. There are no motorways in Togo.
BAC limit 0.8 g/L
RequiredThe blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than the UK 0.8 and well above the EU 0.5 norm, but enforcement is unpredictable so do not drink and drive.