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Country driving guide · 2026

Driving in Tunisia

Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Tunisia: 9 legal requirements + 6 other things worth knowing.

9

Required

1

Recommended

5

Good to know

Tick before you go

Pre-departure checklist for Tunisia

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

  • 1968 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence

    Carry a 1968 Vienna Convention International Driving Permit with your home licence; UK drivers get this from the Post Office for GBP 5.50.

  • Passport with 3+ months validity

    UK and most EU nationals enter visa-free for up to 90 days but the passport must be valid for at least three months beyond entry.

  • Green Card or local insurance at border

    Tunisia is NOT in the Green Card scheme as of 2026; UK/EU policies do not cover you, so buy short-term Tunisian frontier insurance at the port of entry (around 40-80 TND for two weeks).

  • V5C and temporary import declaration for own car

    Bring the original V5C log book; customs issues a temporary import permit (F121) valid up to 3 months and the car must leave with you or heavy duties apply.

  • Drive on the right

    Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, opposite to the UK.

  • Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

    Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, open road 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; speed cameras and police radar are common on the A1.

  • BAC limit 0.0 g/L: zero tolerance

    Tunisia enforces zero blood-alcohol for drivers; any detectable alcohol can mean a fine, licence confiscation or jail.

  • Warning triangle and hi-vis vest

    A red warning triangle and a reflective vest must be carried in the vehicle; spare bulbs and a fire extinguisher are also expected at police checks.

  • Tunisian Dinar is a closed currency

    You cannot obtain TND outside Tunisia and cannot legally export it; declare any cash over EUR 10,000 equivalent at the border and exchange on arrival.

Documents

1968 IDP required alongside UK/EU licence

Required

Carry a 1968 Vienna Convention International Driving Permit with your home licence; UK drivers get this from the Post Office for GBP 5.50.

Passport with 3+ months validity

Required

UK and most EU nationals enter visa-free for up to 90 days but the passport must be valid for at least three months beyond entry.

Green Card or local insurance at border

Required

Tunisia is NOT in the Green Card scheme as of 2026; UK/EU policies do not cover you, so buy short-term Tunisian frontier insurance at the port of entry (around 40-80 TND for two weeks).

V5C and temporary import declaration for own car

Required

Bring the original V5C log book; customs issues a temporary import permit (F121) valid up to 3 months and the car must leave with you or heavy duties apply.

Driving rules

Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, opposite to the UK.

Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, open road 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; speed cameras and police radar are common on the A1.

BAC limit 0.0 g/L: zero tolerance

Required

Tunisia enforces zero blood-alcohol for drivers; any detectable alcohol can mean a fine, licence confiscation or jail.

Aggressive urban driving and unlit hazards

Good to know

Expect undisciplined lane use in Tunis and Sfax, livestock and unlit carts on rural roads after dark, and avoid driving at night outside cities.

Emergency numbers 197 police / 198 ambulance

Good to know

Dial 197 for police, 198 for ambulance/fire; 112 also works from mobiles. Police checkpoints are frequent: slow down and have documents ready.

Tolls

Ticket-and-pay autoroute tolls

Good to know

The A1 (Tunis-Sfax), A3 and A4 use a ticket-on-entry, pay-on-exit system; budget roughly 3-5 TND (about EUR 1) per 100 km: cash in dinars only at most booths.

Required equipment

Warning triangle and hi-vis vest

Required

A red warning triangle and a reflective vest must be carried in the vehicle; spare bulbs and a fire extinguisher are also expected at police checks.

Headlamp beam deflectors

Recommended

Fit beam deflectors on RHD UK cars to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic: checked at port of entry.

Money

Tunisian Dinar is a closed currency

Required

You cannot obtain TND outside Tunisia and cannot legally export it; declare any cash over EUR 10,000 equivalent at the border and exchange on arrival.

Fuel around EUR 0.75/litre, cash preferred

Good to know

Petrol is roughly 2.5 TND per litre (about EUR 0.75) in 2026; pay cash at most stations outside Tunis, and tip the pump attendant 500 millimes to 1 TND.

Environment

Sand, flash floods and southern desert tracks

Good to know

South of Douz and Tataouine, off-piste desert driving requires a 4x4, convoy and notification to the National Guard; flash floods can close wadis in the north Sept-Nov.

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Popular destinations in Tunisia

Places to add to your Tunisia road trip.

Don't get caught out

Watch out for these

Drive on the right

Required

Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, opposite to the UK.

Speed limits 110 / 90 / 50 km/h

Required

Motorway (autoroute) 110 km/h, open road 90 km/h, urban areas 50 km/h; speed cameras and police radar are common on the A1.

BAC limit 0.0 g/L: zero tolerance

Required

Tunisia enforces zero blood-alcohol for drivers; any detectable alcohol can mean a fine, licence confiscation or jail.