Can a British Driver Drive in the Central African Republic? — IDP Recommended & a Side Switch

The Central African Republic is not a conventional tourist drive, and the honest starting point for any British visitor is to check current FCDO travel advice — much of the country has carried serious warnings. With that said, here is the licence position and the facts that are known.

A British licence holder should drive on their UK licence with an International Driving Permit alongside it. The IDP is the recognised translation a checkpoint or vehicle provider will expect, so arrange it at a UK Post Office before you travel and carry it with your licence and passport.

The clear adjustment is the side of the road. The UK drives on the left and the Central African Republic drives on the right. With limited traffic infrastructure the danger is less about busy roundabouts and more about instinct on quiet roads — staying right after a turn, and judging oncoming traffic from the unfamiliar side. Be deliberate until it feels natural.

Beyond that, write honestly rather than precisely: this is a country where sealed roads are limited and conditions outside the capital, Bangui, can be poor, with unsurfaced routes, few signs and little roadside assistance. Posted limits are recorded around 50 km/h in towns, 80 on open roads and 100 where dual carriageway exists, but treat those as a ceiling, not a target — drive to the surface in front of you. The drink-drive limit on record is 0.08, but given the conditions the only safe approach is none at all. The emergency number commonly given is 112.

Confirm what you should carry with the Driving Permit Checker, and if your wider trip crosses other countries, our explainer on who pays driving fines abroad covers how penalties follow a hire car.