No rental car industry
Good to knowTuvalu has no commercial car-rental agencies; visitors get around Funafuti atoll on foot, by bicycle, or by borrowing/hiring a motorbike informally from locals.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Tuvalu
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Tuvalu: 4 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
4
Required
1
Recommended
7
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Tuvalu
4 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Drive on the left
Traffic keeps to the left, a legacy of British administration; the single 'main road' on Funafuti is about 10 km long.
Carry passport and licence
Bring your UK/EU photocard licence plus passport; a 1949 IDP is the safer pairing if police ever stop you, though enforcement is minimal.
Speed limit 40 km/h
A blanket 40 km/h limit applies on Funafuti's single road; there are no motorways or rural highways anywhere in the country.
Zero-tolerance drink-driving in practice
Driving under the influence is an offence; treat the limit as effectively 0.0 g/L and never ride a borrowed scooter after drinking.
Environment
King tides flood the road
Good to knowDuring king tides (typically Feb-Mar and Oct-Nov) seawater regularly covers parts of the main road and the airstrip, making driving briefly impossible.
Driving rules
Drive on the left
RequiredTraffic keeps to the left, a legacy of British administration; the single 'main road' on Funafuti is about 10 km long.
Speed limit 40 km/h
RequiredA blanket 40 km/h limit applies on Funafuti's single road; there are no motorways or rural highways anywhere in the country.
Zero-tolerance drink-driving in practice
RequiredDriving under the influence is an offence; treat the limit as effectively 0.0 g/L and never ride a borrowed scooter after drinking.
Emergency number 911
Good to knowDial 911 for police, fire or ambulance on Funafuti; response is limited and the only hospital is Princess Margaret in Funafuti.
Documents
Carry passport and licence
RequiredBring your UK/EU photocard licence plus passport; a 1949 IDP is the safer pairing if police ever stop you, though enforcement is minimal.
No vehicle import for tourists
Good to knowThere is no realistic way to bring a UK/EU car: Tuvalu is reached only by infrequent flights from Suva (Fiji), so V5C and Green Card questions do not arise.
Required equipment
Helmet on scooters and motorbikes
RecommendedMost short-term visitors who drive end up on a borrowed 50-110cc scooter; wear a helmet even though local compliance is patchy.
Money
Currency is Australian dollar
Good to knowTuvalu uses the Australian dollar (AUD); there are no ATMs that accept foreign cards on the islands, so bring enough AUD cash for your entire stay.
Fuel is cash-only and expensive
Good to knowPetrol on Funafuti typically runs around AUD 2.50-3.00/litre (roughly EUR 1.50-1.80) and is sold for cash from drums at the harbour; no card payment, no tipping.
Vignette
No tolls or vignettes
Good to knowThere are no toll roads, motorway stickers, low-emission zones or congestion charges anywhere in Tuvalu.
Plan your Tuvalu road trip
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Don't get caught out
Watch out for these
Drive on the left
RequiredTraffic keeps to the left, a legacy of British administration; the single 'main road' on Funafuti is about 10 km long.
Speed limit 40 km/h
RequiredA blanket 40 km/h limit applies on Funafuti's single road; there are no motorways or rural highways anywhere in the country.
Zero-tolerance drink-driving in practice
RequiredDriving under the influence is an offence; treat the limit as effectively 0.0 g/L and never ride a borrowed scooter after drinking.