Albania for Brazilian Drivers 2026: Same Side, 40 km/h Towns

Two things that trip up many foreign drivers in Albania won’t bother a Brazilian at all. The country drives on the right, exactly like Brazil, so there’s no side switch to relearn. And its alcohol rule, a ban on driving after drinking, sits comfortably with the habit that Brazil’s Lei Seca already builds in. The adjustment that does matter is the gap between the speed signs and the actual road.

Paperwork: the 1968 permit

Carry your Brazilian licence, your passport and an International Driving Permit. Brazil and Albania are both parties to the 1968 Vienna convention, and the permit Brazil issues follows that model. UK government advice for Albania says the 1968 IDP is useful and that the older 1949 IDP is no longer accepted, which is why the treaty model matters. The same advice says visitors need an Albanian licence after a year or once they become resident. Get the IDP in Brazil before you fly. The car must carry a warning triangle and a first-aid kit (Road Code article 72); a hire car will have them.

The road is rougher than the number

Article 140 of the Road Code sets 80 km/h on secondary interurban roads and 90 km/h on main ones, with 130 km/h on motorways. UK advice warns of poor rural surfaces, potholes, unmarked roadworks and unlit vehicles at night, so the sensible speed is often well under the sign. Coastal and mountain routes reward patience; blind bends are common.

A 40 km/h town limit

Built-up areas are capped at 40 km/h, lower than most Brazilian cities. Up to 10 km/h over costs ALL 1,000-3,000, and 10-30 km/h over ALL 2,000-4,000. If a fine reaches you through your rental company after you’ve gone, our guide on who pays driving fines abroad explains how it lands on your card, and the Speeding Fine Calculator shows the bands.

Zero means zero, as at home

Article 184 bans driving after drinking. A reading up to 0.3 g/l already costs ALL 5,000-15,000; from 0.3 g/l the licence is suspended as well. Brazil’s own Lei Seca treats any alcohol as an infraction, with a fine and a 12-month suspension, so the rule you know is the rule here.

Numbers

Dial 112 for emergencies, 127 for an ambulance and 128 for the fire service. The Albania driving guide has the full tables.

Sources

• Road Code of the Republic of Albania, law no. 8378/1998, consolidated text including Law 58/2026, articles 72, 140, 184: qbz.gov.al
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Albania (1968 IDP useful; 1949 IDP no longer accepted; Albanian licence after a year; road conditions): gov.uk
• Global Affairs Canada, Albania travel advice (112, 127, 128): travel.gc.ca
• UN Treaty Collection, 1968 Convention on Road Traffic (Brazil 1980; Albania 2000): treaties.un.org
• Código de Trânsito Brasileiro, art. 165 (driving under the influence: fine and 12-month suspension): planalto.gov.br