Can a Spanish Driver Use Their Licence in Jordan? — Yes, with an IDP

For a Spanish driver, Jordan keeps the bit that matters most — you stay on the right — and asks you to adjust only to the local pace and a couple of unfamiliar numbers. It is an excellent country to explore by car, with Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea road all far easier under your own steam than by tour.

The verdict: you can drive in Jordan on your Spanish licence, and an International Driving Permit is recommended. Within the EU a Spanish licence travels on its own, but Jordan is outside the Union, so the IDP carries real weight here as the document rental desks and police expect alongside your Spanish licence and passport. Arrange it before you fly — it cannot be issued locally. Foreign licences are accepted for tourist stays.

There is no side-switch to relearn: Spain and Jordan both drive on the right, so roundabouts flow the way you expect and your junction reflexes stay correct. The adjustment is to the environment. Town limits are a low 40 km/h, below what you are used to and worth respecting in dense Amman traffic; rural roads run to 80 and the main highways to 110 km/h. The fine for a small speeding offence is not clearly documented, so drive to the posted signs rather than assuming a margin.

On alcohol, Jordan’s limit is 0.08, looser than Spain’s 0.05 — but alcohol is not part of everyday driving here, so the only sensible amount before driving is none, whatever the figure on paper.

Practical detail: fuel is cheap at about $1.32 a litre, the emergency number is 112 as at home, and Amman’s traffic is the hardest part of any Jordan trip, so picking up the car on the city edge is worth considering. Coverage is reliable on main routes but thin off them, so save offline maps before you set out.

See our Jordan driving guide for the full rules, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and the driving-fines-abroad guide explains how a penalty can follow you home.