Indonesia on a British Licence — IDP Required + Zero-Alcohol Rule (No Side Switch)
United Kingdom
Indonesia
A British licence holder can drive in Indonesia, including Bali, but an International Driving Permit is required — police checks in tourist areas do ask for it. The good news: Indonesia drives on the left like the UK, so no side switch. The catch is a zero blood-alcohol limit, stricter than home.
Most British visitors who drive in Indonesia do it on Bali, and the questions that matter there are very specific: is my licence enough, and what will the police checkpoint want? Here is the honest answer.
Can you drive in Indonesia on a UK licence?
Yes, but your British licence on its own is not sufficient — you must carry an International Driving Permit with it. This is not a technicality that gets waved through. Bali runs frequent roadside checks aimed squarely at tourists, and officers routinely ask to see the IDP; turning up without one is the most common way visitors end up paying an on-the-spot fine. Arrange the IDP in the UK before you travel, because you cannot get one in Indonesia. Your home licence is treated as valid for short stays of around three months.
The British advantage: Indonesia drives on the left
Like the UK, Indonesia keeps left. There is no wrong-side reflex to fight at junctions or roundabouts, which removes the hazard that trips up British drivers across most of the world. What replaces it is sheer density — scooters and motorcycles by the thousand, filtering on both sides, appearing from gaps you would not expect. That, not the side of the road, is what makes the official rating “challenging,” and it is the thing to keep your eyes moving for.
Speeds, alcohol and the gear you carry
Town limits are 50 km/h, rural roads 80 km/h and the limited toll motorways up to 100 km/h — lower at the top end than UK motorways, so ease off. The headline rule is alcohol: Indonesia enforces a zero limit (0.0 BAC), stricter than home and with no margin for “one with dinner.” None before driving, full stop. Carry a warning triangle, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher; fuel is cheap at around $0.78/litre, and the emergency number is 112.
Read the country detail on our Indonesia driving guide, confirm the IDP requirement with the Driving Permit Checker, and see how penalties are handled abroad in who pays driving fines abroad.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you must carry an International Driving Permit with your UK licence. Bali in particular runs roadside checks on tourists, and police there ask for the IDP — driving without one risks an on-the-spot fine.
Indonesia drives on the left, the same as the UK, so British drivers do not face a side switch. The harder adjustment is the volume of motorcycles weaving through traffic.
Indonesia applies a zero blood-alcohol limit (0.0 BAC), stricter than the UK. Combined with dense traffic, the only safe rule is nothing to drink before driving.