Andorra on a US Licence 2026: IDP Required, No Motorways

Andorra is a sliver of the Pyrenees between France and Spain, and almost every American who drives there arrives in a car hired in Barcelona or Toulouse. So the real question splits in two: what paperwork do you need on a US licence, and what is different once the road starts climbing?

The verdict for American licence holders

Your US licence is not enough on its own. The U.S. State Department’s country page says you must carry proof of car insurance and an International Driving Permit while driving in Andorra. The same page adds that renting a car inside Andorra takes a valid EU licence or an International Driving Permit, plus a credit card. Get the IDP before you fly — in the US it is issued by AAA or AATA — and keep it with your licence, passport and the car’s insurance papers.

What’s genuinely different: there is no highway

Here is the adjustment that surprises American drivers. Andorra has no motorways at all. The whole country is mountain road — switchbacks, tunnels, and gradients — and the highest limit anywhere is 90 km/h, dropping to 50 km/h in towns. You drive on the right, same as home, so there is no side switch, but forget cruise-control highway habits. In winter you may need chains or winter tyres on the passes, and shopping-day congestion around the capital can crawl.

Alcohol and the everyday rules

The alcohol limit is 0.05 BAC, below the 0.08 common across US states. With drops at the road edge and no hard shoulder, treat it as a zero-tolerance rule. For help, call 110 for the police, 116 for an ambulance or 118 for the fire service; 112 reaches mountain rescue. Fuel is often cheaper than in neighbouring France or Spain, which is part of why people drive in at all.

Before you go, run your documents through the Driving Permit Checker, read the full picture on our Andorra driving guide, and if you’re routing through France first, our France Crit’Air & ZFE fines guide covers the emission stickers you may need on the way.

Sources

• U.S. Department of State, Country Information, Andorra (“You must carry proof of car insurance and an International Driving Permit while driving.”), last updated June 11, 2026: cadataapi.state.gov
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Andorra: getting help (police 110, ambulance 116, fire 118, mountain rescue 112): www.gov.uk