Country driving guide · 2026
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Venezuela: 7 legal requirements + 8 other things worth knowing.
Required
Recommended
Good to know
Tick before you go
7 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
1949 IDP plus national licence
Venezuela recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit, which must be carried with your original UK or EU licence and passport at all times.
Source: AA IDP guide →Local third-party insurance mandatory
Foreign green card and most UK/EU policies are not valid; you must buy local Responsabilidad Civil cover (Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil para Vehiculos) on entry or from a Venezuelan insurer.
Vehicle ownership proof and temporary import permit
Carry the V5C or equivalent title and obtain a temporary vehicle import permit (Permiso de Importacion Temporal) from SENIAT customs at the border; the vehicle must leave with you.
Speed limits 100 / 70 / 40 km/h
Motorway (autopista) limit is 100 km/h, rural roads 70-80 km/h, and urban areas 40 km/h unless posted otherwise. Limits are often poorly signed and unevenly enforced.
BAC limit 0.8 g/L
The blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checkpoints (alcabalas) by Guardia Nacional are common and penalties are severe.
Warning triangle, spare tyre and jack
You must carry a warning triangle, a serviceable spare tyre, a jack and wheel brace; hi-vis vest and basic first aid kit are strongly recommended though not strictly mandated.
Declare cash over 10,000 USD at border
Amounts of cash or equivalent over 10,000 USD must be declared to SENIAT customs on entry and exit; undeclared sums can be seized.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel to Venezuela due to political instability, violent crime, and risk of arbitrary detention. Driving as a tourist is not realistic and most insurers will not cover trips here.
FCDO Venezuela adviceVenezuela recognises the 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit, which must be carried with your original UK or EU licence and passport at all times.
AA IDP guideForeign green card and most UK/EU policies are not valid; you must buy local Responsabilidad Civil cover (Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil para Vehiculos) on entry or from a Venezuelan insurer.
Carry the V5C or equivalent title and obtain a temporary vehicle import permit (Permiso de Importacion Temporal) from SENIAT customs at the border; the vehicle must leave with you.
The general emergency number is 911, though response is unreliable outside Caracas. Save your embassy contact and a local fixer's number before driving.
Traffic drives on the right and overtakes on the left, the same as continental Europe. Right turns on red are not permitted unless signed.
Motorway (autopista) limit is 100 km/h, rural roads 70-80 km/h, and urban areas 40 km/h unless posted otherwise. Limits are often poorly signed and unevenly enforced.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checkpoints (alcabalas) by Guardia Nacional are common and penalties are severe.
Night driving is strongly discouraged due to unlit roads, unmarked potholes, livestock, unlit vehicles, and a high risk of armed robbery and carjacking, especially outside cities.
You must carry a warning triangle, a serviceable spare tyre, a jack and wheel brace; hi-vis vest and basic first aid kit are strongly recommended though not strictly mandated.
Venezuela has a ticket-and-pay (peaje) system on a few autopistas, but tolls are nominal bolivar amounts (cents of a EUR) and many booths are unmanned or abandoned. No vignette exists.
Official currency is the Bolivar Soberano (VES) but US dollars in cash are widely accepted and often preferred. Foreign cards rarely work due to sanctions; bring USD cash.
Subsidised petrol at PDVSA stations costs a few cents per litre in bolivars for residents; foreigners pay the international rate of around 0.50 EUR/L in USD. Expect long queues and shortages.
Amounts of cash or equivalent over 10,000 USD must be declared to SENIAT customs on entry and exit; undeclared sums can be seized.
Heavy rain causes landslides and washouts on Andean and coastal roads from May to November; mountain routes such as the Trasandina can close without notice.
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 Venezuela.
Start planning →Places to add to your Venezuela road trip.
Don't get caught out
Motorway (autopista) limit is 100 km/h, rural roads 70-80 km/h, and urban areas 40 km/h unless posted otherwise. Limits are often poorly signed and unevenly enforced.
The blood alcohol limit is 0.8 g/L, higher than most of Europe, but random checkpoints (alcabalas) by Guardia Nacional are common and penalties are severe.