Cameroon on a UK Photocard in 2026: Six Months, Keep Right
United Kingdom
Cameroon
Yes: GOV.UK says a UK photocard licence is valid in Cameroon for up to six months; a paper licence may need an IDP. You switch to the right. Avoid driving after dark and expect roadblocks.
Cameroon rewards drivers who plan around its realities rather than its rulebook. A British licence is valid here for a normal trip; what shapes an actual journey is road condition, roadblocks and timing.
The licence verdict
The UK Foreign Office says you can use a UK photocard driving licence in Cameroon for up to six months; after that you need a Cameroonian licence. If you still hold an old paper licence, you may need the correct International Driving Permit. Keep the licence, your passport and the vehicle papers within reach: police and gendarmerie roadblocks are common, and officers ask to see them.
Roadblocks and bribes
The Foreign Office warns that some officers stop motorists for minor or invented faults to extract small bribes. Stay calm and polite, and ask for a written ticket naming the offence so that you can pay it at a local court.
You switch to the right, so choose your timing
The UK drives on the left; Cameroon drives on the right. The switch lands on top of busy traffic in Douala and Yaoundé and roads that are generally in poor condition: heavily potholed and unlit at night, with pedestrians, stray animals and badly lit vehicles. The Yaoundé-Douala road is particularly accident-prone. The Foreign Office’s strongest advice is to avoid travelling after dark, especially in rural areas, to travel in convoy between cities where possible, and to carry a satellite phone or VHF radio where mobile coverage is weak.
Speeds, alcohol and emergencies
Cameroon reports 60 km/h in towns and 110 km/h on rural roads to the WHO, with no separate motorway figure; few roads allow either. The alcohol limit is 0.08, the same as England’s, but zero is the sensible rule on these roads. Emergency lines: police 117, fire 119, ambulance 112.
Our Cameroon driving guide covers the wider detail, and the Driving Permit Checker helps with other countries on your route.
Sources
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Cameroon, safety and security (UK photocard licence up to six months; paper licence and IDP; road conditions; night travel; roadblocks and bribes): gov.uk
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Cameroon, getting help (police 117, ambulance 112, fire 119): gov.uk
- WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Cameroon profile (60/110 km/h; 0.08 g/dl): who.int
- GOV.UK, drink-drive limits (80 mg per 100 ml in England): gov.uk
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The UK Foreign Office says you can use a UK photocard licence in Cameroon for up to six months; for longer you need a Cameroonian licence. With an old paper licence you may need the correct International Driving Permit. Keep the licence, passport and vehicle papers to hand for police and gendarmerie roadblocks.
On the right, the opposite of the UK. Combined with poor road surfaces and busy traffic in Douala and Yaoundé, the side switch calls for a cautious start.
Cameroon reported 60 km/h in towns and 110 km/h on rural roads to the WHO, with no separate motorway limit, but surface quality, not the posted number, sets a safe speed on most routes.