Denmark on a Chinese Licence — Why You Need an IDP & a Translation

The driving in Denmark is genuinely easy for a Chinese visitor — you stay on the right, just like home, on some of the best-maintained roads in Europe. The obstacle comes earlier, at the rental counter, and it’s the one thing worth sorting weeks before you fly.

A mainland Chinese licence isn’t accepted on its own in Denmark. China isn’t a signatory to the 1968 road-traffic convention that smooths recognition across Europe, so the rental desk needs an International Driving Permit or a certified translation presented alongside your Chinese licence. Arrange the IDP at home before departure — there’s no way to obtain one once you’ve landed, and a hire company can simply refuse the car without it. Carry the IDP, your licence and your passport as a set, and check the requirement on our driving permit checker before booking.

After that, Denmark relaxes. The alcohol limit is 0.05, looser than China’s 0.02, but that’s not an invitation — Danish fines are tied to your income, so a serious breach is expensive whoever you are. Treat it conservatively. Speeds are 130 km/h on motorways, 50 in towns, 80 on rural roads, with widespread fixed and mobile cameras; a 10-over ticket runs about DKK 1,000 (≈ EUR 135), which you can estimate on the speeding fine calculator.

The cost that surprises first-timers is crossing between Denmark’s islands. The Great Belt bridge is roughly DKK 250 (≈ EUR 34) each way and the Øresund bridge to Sweden about DKK 510 (≈ EUR 68) — main routes, not optional, paid by card at the booths. And there’s the Danish cycling culture: bikes get their own lanes and right of way, so always check the inside lane before turning right.

Only a warning triangle is legally required in the car. Fuel sits near $2.05/litre, and the emergency number is 112. The complete local rulebook is on our Denmark driving guide.