Comoros on a British Licence — IDP Recommended + You Switch to the Right

The Comoros archipelago sits between Mozambique and Madagascar, and almost nobody arrives with a clear picture of what driving there involves. Here is the honest version for a British visitor, starting with the only question that has a firm answer.

Can a British licence holder drive in Comoros?

Yes. Driving in Comoros on a British licence is fine for a tourist stay, and an IDP is recommended to carry alongside it. The International Driving Permit is a cheap, standardised translation that smooths things at the rental desk and at any roadside check, so it is worth the small effort before you fly. Bring your licence, the IDP and your passport together.

The real adjustment: you switch to the right

Comoros drives on the right, and as a British driver that is the change to take seriously. The instinct to keep left, to look the wrong way at a junction, or to round a roundabout the British way is strongest in your first hour. Start somewhere quiet, be deliberate, and let the new pattern settle before you tackle Moroni’s busier streets.

Drive to the road, because the numbers are thin

Be wary of any site that quotes you precise Comoran speed limits — they are barely posted and barely enforced, and the islands have no motorways at all. What is true is more useful: roads on Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli are narrow, winding and often patched, shared with pedestrians and the occasional livestock, and they get worse away from the main towns. Keep your speed sensible by feel, avoid driving after dark where you can, and carry an offline map because signage and mobile signal are both unreliable.

Before you collect a car

Treat documents as your first checklist item: licence, IDP and passport. Fuel availability is limited outside the towns, so fill up when you can. The emergency number is 112. Many visitors find a hired car-and-driver less stressful than self-driving here, but if you do drive yourself, the British instincts to unlearn are side-of-the-road and speed-by-feel.

Check exactly what permit you need with the Driving Permit Checker, and if Comoros is one leg of a longer trip, our guide to who pays driving fines abroad is worth a read before you go.