Japanese Licence in Albania 2026: Keep Right, Zero Alcohol

The hardest part of driving in Albania as a Japanese visitor is not the speed limits, it is which side of the road you are on. Japan drives on the left; Albania drives on the right, and that reversal is the one thing most likely to catch you out.

The danger window is your first day. Reflexes built over years work against you: glancing the wrong way at a junction, drifting to the left on an empty road, taking a roundabout clockwise when traffic here circles the other way. Spend your first hour on quiet roads rather than central Tirana, expect the gear lever on your right in a left-hand-drive car, and be deliberate at every turn until “right” stops feeling backwards.

Which permit to pack

Japan has signed only the 1949 Geneva convention, so the permit you can get at home is the 1949 model. The U.S. State Department’s country page for Albania says “All international driving permits (IDP) issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are accepted”, with each permit usable for one year; staying longer means an Albanian licence. UK government advice, written for British licence holders, asks instead for a 1968 permit and says the 1949 one is not accepted any more. Bring the Japanese permit with your licence and passport, and check with the hire firm before you book what it will accept.

Alcohol: none at all

Article 184 of the Road Code bans driving after drinking, a zero limit below Japan’s 0.03. There is no margin for a drink with dinner. A reading up to 0.3 g/l already costs ALL 5,000-15,000, and from 0.3 g/l the licence is suspended too.

Limits and road conditions

Article 140 sets 40 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h on secondary interurban roads, 90 km/h on main interurban roads and 130 km/h on motorways. UK advice warns of poor rural surfaces, potholes, unmarked roadworks and unlit vehicles at night, so drive to the road rather than the number. Up to 10 km/h over costs ALL 1,000-3,000, and 10-30 km/h over ALL 2,000-4,000; the Speeding Fine Calculator shows the bands.

Kit and emergencies

Article 72 requires a warning triangle and a first-aid kit in the car, so check the hire car has both. After any accident, even a minor one, stay at the scene until the police arrive. Dial 112 for emergencies, 129 for police, 127 for an ambulance and 128 for the fire service. The full rules sit on the Albania driving guide, and the Driving Permit Checker covers other countries on your route.

Sources

• U.S. Department of State, Country Information, Albania (“All international driving permits (IDP) issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention are accepted”), last updated August 27, 2026: cadataapi.state.gov
• 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 for British drivers; 1949 IDP no longer accepted; accidents; road conditions): gov.uk
• Global Affairs Canada, Albania travel advice (112, 129, 127, 128): travel.gc.ca
• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (Japan acceded 1964) and 1968 Convention (Japan not a party): treaties.un.org
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Japan country profile (BAC 0.03 g/dl): who.int