Cape Verde on a US Licence — Yes, Same Side, Carry an IDP

Cape Verde is an island-hopping destination, and a hire car is the practical way to see a single island properly. For an American driver the basics are reassuringly familiar — the differences are small, and worth knowing before you collect the keys.

The verdict for American licence holders

You can drive in Cape Verde on your US licence. The headline relief is that Cape Verde drives on the right, exactly like the United States — no side switch, no relearning roundabouts. Carry an International Driving Permit with your licence and passport; it is the recognised translation a rental company or officer will look for, and you should arrange it through AAA before you fly rather than on arrival.

The alcohol limit is the real change

The one rule that differs from home is alcohol. Cape Verde sets the drink-drive limit at 0.05 BAC, below the US 0.08. On compact islands where journeys are short and police checks are common, there is no practical upside to drinking before driving — treat it as zero.

Speeds are not well documented — drive to the road

Cape Verde does not publish a clean national set of speed limits that we can responsibly quote, so rather than invent numbers, the honest guidance is to follow posted signs and drive to the road. Inter-town roads on the larger islands range from good modern surfaces to steep, narrow cobbled climbs, and conditions change quickly with terrain. Where a sign is missing, err low. You can sense-check any posted limits against home on the Speed Limit Map.

Before you set off

The emergency number is 112, and the capital is Praia on the island of Santiago. Read the full local context on our Cape Verde driving guide, and confirm exactly what you should carry with the Driving Permit Checker.