Can a British Driver Use Their Licence in Brunei? — IDP, No Side Switch, Zero Alcohol

Brunei rarely tops a self-drive wish list, but for a British visitor it is one of the more straightforward places to get behind the wheel — and the main reason is that you keep the same side of the road.

The verdict: you can drive in Brunei on your British licence for a tourist stay, and an International Driving Permit is recommended. It is the document rental desks most readily accept, so carry it with your UK photocard and your passport, and arrange it at home before you fly.

The standout point is what you do not have to relearn. Both the UK and Brunei drive on the left, so there is no side switch — no mirrored roundabouts, no wrong-way glances at junctions. For a long-haul destination that is a genuine relief, and it removes the single adjustment that catches most British drivers out abroad. Your road reflexes already point the right way around Bandar Seri Begawan and out along the coastal roads.

The one rule to take seriously is alcohol. Brunei enforces a 0.0 blood-alcohol limit — absolute zero — and it is worth knowing that alcohol is tightly restricted across the country in general. So the practical answer is simple: do not drink before driving, at all. This is not a place to test a margin.

On the road itself, the documented limits are gentle — 50 km/h in towns, 80 on rural roads and 100 on the better highways — and Brunei’s roads are generally well surfaced and lightly trafficked compared with much of the region, so the driving is calm by South-East Asian standards. Keep your papers accessible, drive to the posted signs, and the trip is an easy one. The emergency number is 112.

Check the country detail on our Brunei driving guide, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and you will find Brunei one of the less stressful places a UK licence will take you.