Colombia on a British Licence — IDP Recommended + a 0.02 Alcohol Limit

Do you need an international driving permit for Colombia? For the law, GOV.UK’s answer is that a UK photocard licence can be used to drive there. For the rental counter, it is a different story: GOV.UK lists an IDP among the things hire companies often insist on. So the practical answer is to buy one in the UK before you fly, since it cannot be issued abroad, and carry it with your photocard and passport. Colombia drives on the right, and the drink-drive limit is 0.02.

What the hire desk will ask for

GOV.UK’s list of common rental conditions in Colombia:

• a year of driving experience;
• being 18 or over;
• an International Driving Permit;
• a passport (or a Colombian citizenship card);
• a credit card to guarantee the hire.

Holders of an old paper licence may need to switch to a photocard first. Once you have the car, keep all the vehicle papers in physical form, not as phone photos, because police checks expect originals.

Alcohol: effectively nothing

Colombia’s limit is 0.02 BAC. England and Wales allow 0.08. There is no realistic amount you can drink and stay safely under it, and penalties include fines and licence suspension. Plan the day so that alcohol comes after the car is parked for the night.

Changing sides, and speeds in mph

Britain keeps left, Colombia keeps right. The steering wheel is on the left, and roundabouts flow anticlockwise. The first hours out of Bogotá or Medellín traffic are the most error-prone, so collect the car when roads are quiet.

These come from articles 106 and 107 of Ley 769 de 2002, as amended in 2022. Colombia is mountainous, and outside the main toll roads the real pace is set by hairpins, altitude and surfaces that can be far worse than the sign suggests. Bogotá sits high in the Andes, which both you and the engine will notice.

Fines worth knowing

Speeding up to the first band costs about COP 416,000; a phone at the wheel or no seatbelt the same. Running a red light costs about COP 832,000, and higher speeding bands bring the same figure plus licence suspension. The guide to who pays driving fines abroad explains how tickets on a rental car are handled.

The road kit

Colombian law requires every car to carry a fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit, a warning triangle, a reflective vest and a spare tyre. Open the boot at the rental lot and check each item before signing.

Daylight only, main roads only

GOV.UK describes driving standards as poor and accidents as common, and advises against driving at night. Main roads are generally safe in daylight. In some rural areas the risk of violence and kidnapping is higher, and illegal armed groups have set up roadblocks to rob travellers. Landmines are a risk in rural and remote areas, often in unmarked places, so stay on main roads. Never pick up hitch-hikers.

Can you drive to Colombia? Not from Central America: there is no road through the Darién Gap. Some regional capitals, those of Amazonas, Vaupés and Guainía, can only be reached by air.

In the city, use a booked taxi

If you leave the car in town, avoid hailing taxis on the street. GOV.UK recommends licensed app or phone bookings, or asking your hotel or restaurant to call one. At Bogotá’s El Dorado airport, only authorised yellow taxis with white plates may pick up passengers.

Emergency number

Dial 123 for police, ambulance and fire. The Colombia driving guide has the full rules, and the Driving Permit Checker covers Ecuador or Peru if the trip continues.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Colombia, safety and security (UK photocard licence; hire requirements including an IDP; physical documents; night driving; roadblocks; landmines; taxis; air-only departmental capitals): gov.uk
• Ley 769 de 2002 (Código Nacional de Tránsito), articles 106 and 107 as amended by Ley 2251 de 2022 (speed limits): secretariasenado.gov.co