Can a British Driver Use a UK Licence in Lithuania? — Yes, but Carry an IDP + the Side Switch
United Kingdom
Lithuania
Yes — a British licence holder can drive in Lithuania on a UK photocard, and post-Brexit an International Driving Permit is worth carrying alongside it. The three things that actually catch British drivers: switching to right-hand traffic, a strict 0.04 alcohol limit (half the home figure), and winter-tyre rules that bite from November.
Lithuania is one of the easier European countries to drive in — good main roads, light traffic and a compact size that makes a Baltic road trip genuinely doable in a long weekend. For British drivers the few things worth knowing are concentrated around the licence, the side of the road and a couple of stricter rules than home.
The verdict on your UK licence
A British licence holder can drive in Lithuania on a standard UK photocard, and since Brexit it is worth carrying an International Driving Permit with it. The IDP is rarely demanded for short tourist trips, but it removes any argument at a rental desk or a roadside check, and it costs little to arrange at a Post Office before you fly. Carry the photocard, the IDP and your passport together. The country is rated an easy drive, so the paperwork is the fiddly part — not the roads.
You’re now driving on the right
The UK drives on the left; Lithuania drives on the right. It is the adjustment most likely to catch you out in the first day — pulling out of a fuel station, joining a roundabout that flows the other way, or a reflex glance the wrong direction at a junction. Take your first hour somewhere quiet rather than central Vilnius, and stay deliberate at every turn until it feels natural.
A stricter alcohol limit and winter tyres
Lithuania’s drink-drive limit is 0.04 — half the 0.08 you may be used to, and stricter still for novice drivers — so there is no “one beer” margin here. Winter tyres are also mandatory in the cold months (roughly November to March); a winter rental should arrive already fitted, but confirm it. Speeds run 50 km/h in town, 90 rural and 130 on motorways, with both fixed cameras and mobile patrols. Going around 10 km/h over typically costs EUR 30-50. Fuel is about €1.52 a litre, and the emergency number is 112.
Confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker, read the wider rules on the Lithuania driving guide, and estimate any penalty with the Speeding Fine Calculator.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
Side-by-side driving rules comparison
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Winter tyres in Lithuania — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are compulsory on fixed dates in Lithuania: 10 Nov - 31 Mar.
- Legal winter tread minimum: 3 mm — not the 1.6 mm figure most guides quote, which is the year-round minimum.
- Accepted marking: M+S, snowflake or "All seasons"
- Studded tyres: allowed in season
- Penalty: EUR 30-40 (ANK art. 415(2))
In Lithuanian the rule is žieminės padangos, and snow chains are sniego grandinės — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Lithuania tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A UK photocard licence is accepted for tourist stays, and since Brexit it is sensible to carry an International Driving Permit alongside it in case a rental desk or officer asks. Bring your licence, the IDP and your passport.
Lithuania enforces a 0.04 BAC limit — half the 0.08 most British drivers are used to — and novice drivers face an even stricter rule. Treat it as no alcohol before driving.
Yes. Winter tyres are mandatory in the cold months (typically November to March). If you are renting in winter the car should already be fitted, but confirm it with the desk before you drive off.