Vatican has no public road network for visitors
Good to knowThe Vatican City State is 0.49 km2 and entirely pedestrian for tourists; only accredited residents, clergy and service vehicles may drive inside. Visitors walk in from Rome.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Vatican City
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Vatican City: 3 legal requirements + 5 other things worth knowing.
3
Required
1
Recommended
4
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Vatican City
3 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Drive on the right
Vatican follows Italian rules: traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left.
UK/EU licence valid; no IDP needed
A photocard UK or EU driving licence is accepted; no International Driving Permit is required for the Vatican or surrounding Italy.
Carry passport, V5C and insurance
Bring your passport, vehicle V5C (or hire agreement) and motor insurance certificate: UK green card is no longer required for Italy/Vatican since August 2021.
Documents
Drive on the right
RequiredVatican follows Italian rules: traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left.
UK/EU licence valid; no IDP needed
RequiredA photocard UK or EU driving licence is accepted; no International Driving Permit is required for the Vatican or surrounding Italy.
Carry passport, V5C and insurance
RequiredBring your passport, vehicle V5C (or hire agreement) and motor insurance certificate: UK green card is no longer required for Italy/Vatican since August 2021.
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR)
Good to knowVatican uses the euro and mints its own collectable euro coins; cards are widely accepted in the Musei Vaticani and shops, but small cash is useful.
Driving rules
Emergency number 112
Good to knowDial 112 for police, ambulance or fire across Vatican and Italy; the Vatican Gendarmerie handle incidents inside the walls.
Tolls
No vignette, no tolls, no LEZ inside Vatican
Good to knowThere is no motorway sticker, no urban congestion charge and no low-emission zone inside the State, but Rome's ZTL and Fascia Verde zones apply the moment you cross back into Italy.
Environment
Park outside and walk in
RecommendedUse a Rome park-and-ride (e.g. Cornelia or Battistini metro car parks) and approach St Peter's on foot or by metro line A to Ottaviano. There is no tourist parking inside the Vatican.
Plan your Vatican City 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 Vatican City.
Start planning →Popular destinations in Vatican City
Places to add to your Vatican City road trip.