Can a British Driver Drive in Kazakhstan? — Carry an IDP + Side Switch

Which side of the road does Kazakhstan drive on? The right, the opposite of Britain. Everything else a British driver needs to settle comes down to paperwork and distance. GOV.UK says you need a 1968 international driving permit as well as your UK licence to drive in Kazakhstan, and that you cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so it has to be in your bag before you fly. Kazakhstan is a party to the 1968 Vienna convention, which is why that version is the one named.

The permit, and what hire firms add

Carry three documents together: the UK licence, the 1968 IDP and your passport. Our records add a detail from Kazakhstan’s road traffic law: an IDP issued abroad is valid only alongside the matching national licence, so the permit never replaces the card. Hire companies often go further than the law. GOV.UK says they may ask for a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age, and an IDP. The legal minimum age is 18 for cars and 16 for motorbikes. If you plan to take your own car out of the UK, check whether you need a UK sticker.

Treat the permit as required, not optional, because the British government’s wording leaves no room.

Right-hand traffic across very long distances

Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world, and the highways between cities are long, straight and empty. That is the setting where the left-hand reflex returns: after hours of steady driving, after a fuel stop, at a junction with no other cars. Say “right” out loud when you pull out. Pay particular attention on the first morning, since you will probably be driving after a long flight.

Road conditions in the British government’s words

GOV.UK describes driving standards as erratic. Many cars are not safely maintained and do not have rear seatbelts. Many roads are poorly maintained, and roadworks and damaged roads are often not signposted. In remote rural areas, stray animals appear on the road. In winter, roads can be hazardous with snow or ice, and low visibility has led to accidents involving multiple cars. The advice is plain: do not take risks, and avoid driving in bad weather.

Service stations are limited outside the main cities. Take everything you need for the journey, including fuel and water, and make sure the vehicle is properly maintained for long trips. That is a job for the rental desk to confirm, not for you to find out on the road.

Limits in two units

The rural and motorway limits are well above British ones, but distance and fatigue are the practical constraints, not the signs. Sources differ on the alcohol figure, and the rule is easy to get wrong, so the sensible approach is not to drink at all before driving.

If the police stop you

GOV.UK says that if traffic police stop you for an offence, they should give you an official paper. Do not pay on the spot without one. Follow local advice on road closures: local SIM cards receive updates in Kazakh and Russian from 112, and alerts appear in English on the QazAvtoJol website.

Areas you cannot enter

Some places are closed to visitors unless you have prior permission from the Foreign Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Kazakh National Security Committee: Gvardeyskiy village in the Almaty region, the town of Baikonur, and the districts of Karmakchi and Kazalinsk in the southern Kyzylorda region. Officials may also close border crossings at short notice, so check announcements before an overland leg.

Use offline maps and keep the phone charged. More local detail is on the Kazakhstan driving guide, and the Driving Permit Checker covers other destinations.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Kazakhstan: safety and security (1968 IDP plus UK licence; cannot buy an IDP outside the UK; road conditions; service stations; police paperwork; closed areas): gov.uk