UK Licence in Ghana 2026: Bring a 1949 IDP and Keep Right

You can drive in Ghana on the 1949 International Driving Permit, which GOV.UK names as the document to use alongside your UK licence, and it covers up to 12 months. The shift that actually matters is physical: Ghana drives on the right, the mirror image of home, with 50 km/h in towns, 100 on motorways and a 0.08% alcohol limit.

Your case: Stations thin out once you leave the main corridors. Work out what your intended day burns in the fuel cost calculator so the tank, not the map, decides your turn-back point.

The permit

GOV.UK says you can drive in Ghana using the 1949 version of the IDP or a Ghanaian licence, so the UK licence alone is not enough. Canada adds that the IDP can be used for up to 12 months, after which you need a Ghanaian licence. Buy the IDP in the UK before you travel and keep it with your licence and passport whenever you drive. The Driving Permit Checker covers neighbouring countries.

The side switch is the first hazard

The UK drives on the left; Ghana drives on the right. Accra traffic is dense, and you will share the road with tro-tros (shared minibuses) that stop without warning, motorbikes and pedestrians. Many vehicles are poorly maintained, drivers often ignore traffic laws, and fatal accidents involving pedestrians are common, including on the Accra-Cape Coast, Accra-Kumasi and Kumasi-Tamale routes. Take your first drive somewhere quiet and be deliberate at every junction and roundabout.

Kit, checkpoints and night driving

The car must carry a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle, with valid insurance and roadworthiness stickers. Rural roads can be in poor condition; grass or leaves on the road often mean an accident or hazard ahead. Avoid driving outside the main towns after dark, when the risk of crashes and attacks on vehicles rises, and vehicles on temporary plates may not travel between 6 pm and 6 am. Police set up impromptu checkpoints at night; do not hand over cash, as it can be seen as a bribe. The alcohol limit is 0.08%, but on roads this busy the sensible line is none. In an emergency call 999 or 112.

Read the full Ghana driving guide and estimate distances and fuel with the Fuel Cost Calculator.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Ghana (1949 IDP or Ghanaian licence; road conditions; night driving; checkpoints and bribery): gov.uk
• GOV.UK, international driving permit table (Ghana: 1949): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Ghana, emergency numbers 999 or 112: gov.uk
• Government of Canada travel advice, Ghana (IDP for up to 12 months; required kit and stickers; temporary plates banned 6 pm to 6 am; dangerous routes): travel.gc.ca
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Ghana profile (50 km/h urban, 100 km/h motorway; 0.08 g/dl): who.int