Can a British Driver Use Their Licence in Gabon? IDP + the Side Switch

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

You can drive in Gabon on your British licence, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry with it. Gabon is French-speaking, so the IDP earns its keep at checkpoints by presenting your details in a form officials can read — keep it with your UK licence and passport. Arrange the IDP in the UK before you travel. To confirm the requirement for your trip, use the Driving Permit Checker.

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 number is 112, 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.