Can a British Driver Use a UK Licence in Argentina? — IDP Required + the Side Switch
United Kingdom
Argentina
A British licence holder can drive in Argentina, but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required by law — carry it with your licence and passport. Two things catch UK drivers out — the switch from left- to right-hand traffic, and motorways that run to 130 km/h while town limits drop to a strict 40.
Argentina is built for the long drive — Ruta 40 down the Andes, the wine country around Mendoza, the empty roads of Patagonia. For a British visitor the appeal is obvious, and so is the catch: this is a right-hand-traffic country, and the paperwork is stricter than most of South America.
The verdict for British licence holders
You can drive in Argentina on your UK licence, but an International Driving Permit is required — this is one of the corridors where the IDP is not just a courtesy. Carry the IDP, your British photocard licence and your passport as a set; rental companies in Buenos Aires routinely ask for all three, and so will police at a roadside check. The Post Office issues IDPs in the UK; you cannot obtain one once you have landed, so do it before you fly. Confirm the exact permit type on the Driving Permit Checker.
Left to right — the adjustment that bites first
The UK drives on the left; Argentina drives on the right. After a lifetime of left-hand habits, the dangerous window is your first hour — joining a roundabout that now circulates the other way, pulling out of a fuel station, or the instinctive glance in the wrong direction at a junction. Take the keys, and ease in on a quiet road rather than central Buenos Aires, which is fast and assertive.
Speeds swing wide — and so do the fines
Town limits are a strict 40 km/h, but rural roads run to 110 and motorways to 130 km/h — a wider spread than the UK, and easy to misjudge on the long straights. Speeding fines are issued in pesos and vary by province; a typical penalty lands around ARS 10,000–30,000 (roughly €10–30 at current rates), often payable on the spot, so carry a card or cash. The Speeding Fine Calculator helps you sanity-check the maths before you set off.
Fuel is cheap by European standards at about $0.88 a litre, the drink-drive limit is 0.05 (lower for novices in several provinces), and the general emergency number is 911. For the full rulebook, see the Argentina driving guide.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
Renting a Car?
Compare prices from all major rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare Car Rental PricesSome links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
More Free Tools
Explore TyreMap
Winter tyres in Argentina — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Argentina whenever conditions are wintry — June - September (Patagonia, Andean regions).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Argentina sets no separate winter figure.
- Studded tyres: allowed in season
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Argentina tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you must carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your British licence — in Argentina the IDP is required, not merely advised, and rental desks and police expect to see both with your passport. Get the IDP from the Post Office in the UK before you travel.
Argentina drives on the right; the UK drives on the left. The switch is the biggest single adjustment, and the riskiest moment is your first day pulling onto a road or joining a roundabout the opposite way round.
The limit is 0.05 BAC, stricter than the 0.08 you know at home. Several provinces run lower or zero limits for newer drivers, so treat zero alcohol as the rule when you are behind the wheel.