Cyprus on an American Licence — IDP Recommended & You Drive on the Left

The drink-drive question brings a lot of people to this page, so first the numbers. Cyprus allows 0.05% for most drivers and 0.02% for young and new drivers. Most US states use 0.08%. If you are an American visitor, the licence is the simple half of the answer. The half that matters is which side of the road you will be on.

Driving on the left

Cyprus drives on the left. The State Department puts it plainly: traffic moves on the left, the opposite direction most US citizens are used to. A US driver reverses every reflex: roundabouts go the other way, turns across traffic change sides, and the glance to the left at a junction now points the wrong way. Pick the car up and spend your first hour on quiet roads, not in central Nicosia. The danger window is at the start.

Pedestrians should be extra careful, too, and look both ways before crossing.

The permit

The United States and Cyprus are both parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention, and the permit issued under it is the one to carry. The UK government’s permit table lists the 1949 IDP for Cyprus, and Canada’s advice tells its travellers to carry an IDP. In the US the permit is issued by AAA or AATA, and it cannot be obtained once you are abroad. Bring it with your licence and passport. Other stops on a European trip can be checked in the Driving Permit Checker.

What the State Department says about the roads

• Modern motorways link the major cities. Secondary roads, especially in the mountains, are narrow, winding and less well maintained.
• Speeding, tailgating, overtaking and running caution lights, though illegal, are common and are major causes of accidents.
• Traffic laws, signs and speed limits follow European standards.
• Front seat belts and child car seats are mandatory. Phones are allowed only with hands-free.
• You must have liability insurance.
• There are few public buses and no rail lines. Taxis are widely available.

A first-day routine

Collect the car in daylight and sit in it for a few minutes before moving. Find the indicators and wipers, which swap sides on many cars, and note that the gear lever is now on your left. At the first roundabout, give way to traffic coming from your right and circulate clockwise. If you feel the old reflex pulling you toward the right-hand lane, stop where it is safe and reset.

Speeds, in miles per hour

Motorways here are slower than many US interstates. In towns, follow the posted limit.

Fines

Cypriot penalties are fixed amounts, with points for the more serious offences:

A US red-light ticket runs USD 100-500 depending on the state. The Speeding Fine Calculator gives a rough idea for your own case.

Crossing to the north

The island is divided. Insurance bought in the government-controlled area is not valid in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, though cover for the north can be purchased at the UN buffer zone checkpoints. The Foreign Office adds that cars hired in the Republic of Cyprus often have no cover in the north. Ask the rental company in writing before you cross. Road safety there is similar to the south, except that the road network is less developed.

Numbers

Dial 112 for any emergency. Police or roadside help in the Republic is 199, and in the north 155. A warning triangle is required in the car. The full rules are on the Cyprus driving guide.

Sources

• U.S. Department of State, Country Information for Cyprus (last updated August 13, 2026; left-hand traffic; road conditions; insurance in the north; seat belts and phones): cadataapi.state.gov
• GOV.UK, international driving permit table (Cyprus: 1949 IDP): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Cyprus safety and security (heavy penalties for drink-driving, seatbelts and phones; hire cars often uninsured in the north; 112): gov.uk
• Global Affairs Canada, Cyprus travel advice (traffic on the left; carry an IDP; 199, 155, 112): travel.gc.ca
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Cyprus profile (100 km/h motorway; 0.05 g/dl general, 0.02 g/dl young or novice): who.int
• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (United States 1950, Cyprus 1962): treaties.un.org