Gabon 2026: British Drivers Must Carry an IDP and Licence

For a British driver, Gabon splits cleanly into two trips: the paved capital, and everywhere else. Getting the licence right is easy; reading the road conditions is what matters.

The verdict for British licence holders

The UK licence alone will not do. GOV.UK says British drivers need both the correct version of the International Driving Permit and the UK licence with them in the car in Gabon. IDPs are sold in the UK, so buy it before you travel and check on GOV.UK’s IDP page which version to ask for. Police stopping you will want your passport, driving licence and vehicle registration documents, so keep them together. The Driving Permit Checker covers onward countries.

The side switch comes first

Britain drives on the left; Gabon drives on the right. This is the adjustment most likely to catch you out in the first day — pulling out, joining a roundabout that now flows the other way, or glancing the wrong direction at a junction. Spend your first hour on quiet roads, not in Libreville traffic, and stay deliberate until right-hand driving stops feeling backwards.

Beyond the capital, the road is the obstacle

Libreville and the main coastal route are sealed and straightforward. Step off them and Gabon becomes one of the most heavily forested countries on earth, crossed by laterite (red-earth) tracks that are dusty in the dry season and deep mud in the rains. Bridges can be timber, fuel stations thin out, and there is no relying on mobile signal. A 4x4, a full tank, water and a working spare turn an ambitious route into a manageable one. Posted limits are not consistently signed, so let the surface, not a number, decide your speed. The emergency numbers are police and fire 177 and ambulance 117, though help is far away outside the city.

Before you set off

Carry your IDP, UK licence and passport, and plan fuel and daylight rather than assuming services en route. For the country detail see our Gabon driving guide, and re-check paperwork for any onward travel with the Driving Permit Checker.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Gabon, safety and security (correct IDP version plus UK licence; police document checks): gov.uk
• GOV.UK, International Driving Permits (which IDP version each country uses): gov.uk