Can an Austrian Drive in Jordan? — Your EU Licence Isn't Enough, Carry an IDP
Austria
Jordan
An Austrian licence holder can drive in Jordan, but here the EU licence that works seamlessly across Europe is not enough on its own — an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended once you leave the bloc. Traffic stays on the right (no side switch from Austria), but town limits fall to 40 km/h, the alcohol ceiling is a higher-on-paper 0.08, and emergencies are 112.
For Austrian drivers, Jordan is the trip that quietly resets an EU habit. Inside Europe your licence travels with no extra paperwork; cross out of the bloc and that no longer holds.
The verdict on your Austrian licence
An Austrian licence holder can drive in Jordan as a visitor, and an International Driving Permit is recommended. This is the key shift from EU travel: your Austrian licence alone is recognised everywhere in the Union, but Jordan sits outside it, runs on Arabic signage, and an IDP is the document that translates your licence for police and hire desks. Your home licence is generally accepted for stays of up to around 3 months — carry the IDP, your licence and passport together, and arrange the IDP in Austria before you fly.
No side switch — the change is pace, not direction
Like Austria, Jordan drives on the right, so there is no mirror-image relearning. What changes is the tempo. The urban limit is just 40 km/h, well below Austrian town speeds; rural roads run to 80 and motorways to 110. Around Amman the traffic is denser and more improvised than the disciplined flow at home, and limits drop sharply near junctions and built-up areas, so read the signs rather than driving to European instinct.
Alcohol and the practical details
On paper Jordan’s blood-alcohol limit is 0.08, higher than Austria’s 0.05 — but the looser figure is misleading. Alcohol is far less woven into daily life here and the expectation is simply that you do not drink and drive, so treat the limit as zero. Fuel costs around USD 1.32 a litre, and the emergency number is 112.
Before collecting a car, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, gauge any penalty with the Speeding Fine Calculator, and see the full rules in our Jordan driving guide.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a tourist, but an International Driving Permit is recommended. Inside the EU your Austrian licence needs no permit; Jordan is outside the EU and uses Arabic signage, so an IDP gives police and rental desks a readable translation. A home licence is generally accepted for stays of up to about 3 months.
Yes, both drive on the right, so there is no side switch. The adjustments are the lower urban speeds and Amman's heavier, more assertive traffic rather than the side of the road.
40 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on rural roads and 110 km/h on motorways. The 40 km/h urban limit is lower than Austrian town norms, so watch posted signs closely in built-up areas.