Can a British Driver Drive in French Guiana? — Valid, but You Switch to the Right

French Guiana is an unusual place to drive: it is in South America but legally a part of France, so the rulebook is European even though the surroundings are Amazonian rainforest. For a British visitor, that combination shapes everything.

The verdict for British licence holders

You can drive in French Guiana on your UK licence. Because it is a French overseas department, the same arrangement that applies in mainland France applies here: your British licence is accepted for visitors, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry with it for clarity at the hire desk and any roadside check. Sort the IDP at home through the Post Office before you fly. Carry your photocard licence, the IDP and your passport together.

The adjustment that matters: switching to the right

Britain drives on the left; French Guiana, following France, drives on the right. This is the single thing most likely to catch a UK driver out, and the danger window is your first day — joining a roundabout that now turns the other way, pulling out of a junction, or a reflex glance in the wrong direction. Give yourself a quiet stretch to settle in before tackling Cayenne, and stay deliberate until right-hand driving feels normal.

One road, a lot of rainforest

Practically all driving here happens on the coastal route linking Cayenne, Kourou and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni — the spine of the territory. Off that corridor, the interior is dense forest with very few sealed roads, so plan around the coast rather than expecting a network. Conditions can include heavy tropical rain, river crossings by ferry and long gaps between fuel stops, so fill up in the main towns and carry water. Specific posted limits and an alcohol figure for the territory are not well documented here, but French national rules apply as a baseline — drive sober and to the road, not to assumptions.

The emergency number is 112 (the European number works as a French department; local listings may also show 911). Confirm exactly what your licence needs with the Driving Permit Checker, and if you are connecting through other French rules elsewhere on your trip it is worth reading our guide to driving fines abroad.