Lebanon 2026: Level 4 Warning, and an IDP to Drive There

Before any driving question comes a bigger one: the State Department has Lebanon at Level 4: Do Not Travel, citing crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines and armed conflict, and on 23 February 2026 it ordered non-emergency US government staff to leave. The embassy’s ability to help US citizens is limited. What follows is for Americans who are in Lebanon regardless.

The permit question

The U.S. State Department’s country page is direct: “An international driver’s license is required for visitors to Lebanon.” For an American that means an International Driving Permit from AAA or AATA, carried with the US licence, plus the car’s registration and proof of insurance. Get the permit in the US before you fly. UK government advice, written for British licence holders, asks them for the 1968 version of the permit. If you are unused to local conditions, hiring a car with a driver is the simpler option, and UK advice suggests the same. The Driving Permit Checker summarises other routes.

Same side, very different traffic

Lebanon drives on the right, as at home. The State Department describes Beirut streets and highways as known for heavy congestion and aggressive driving, with lanes generally unmarked and roads outside the capital often poorly lit. UK advice adds that traffic lights are often switched off and not always obeyed, and that the army runs checkpoints on major and minor roads, so carry ID and expect to stop. Protests can block roads, including the airport road, at short notice, and landmines remain in some areas, so stay on well-used routes and avoid night driving outside towns.

Limits and rules

WHO’s 2023 profile gives 50 km/h in towns, 70 km/h on rural roads and 100 km/h on motorways. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.05 g/dl, below the 0.08 of most US states. The State Department lists the rules police check: seat belts front and rear, phones only hands-free, a hazard triangle in the car, helmets for motorcyclists and cyclists, no open alcohol containers, and radar detectors banned. UK advice notes that diesel cars are banned, which matters if a private hire is offered. For emergencies UK advice gives 112, and 175 for the fire service. Background is in the Lebanon driving guide.

Sources

• U.S. Department of State, Country Information, Lebanon (“An international driver’s license is required for visitors to Lebanon”), last updated May 14, 2026: cadataapi.state.gov
• US Department of State, Lebanon travel advisory (Level 4: Do Not Travel; ordered departure 23 February 2026): travel.state.gov
• US Department of State, Lebanon international travel information (road conditions; traffic laws): travel.state.gov
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Lebanon safety and security (1968 IDP for UK licence holders, car with driver, diesel ban, checkpoints, 112 and 175): gov.uk
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Lebanon profile (50/70/100 km/h, 0.05 g/dl): who.int
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, United States profile (0.08 g/dl): who.int