Can a Brit Drive in Mauritius? — Yes, Same Side, and a Lower Alcohol Limit

Mauritius is one of the more comfortable places a British driver can hire a car abroad, precisely because so much of it feels like home — which is worth stating plainly rather than dressing up with figures the data does not support for an island this size.

The verdict: a British licence holder can drive in Mauritius on their UK licence for a tourist stay, and carrying an International Driving Permit alongside it is the sensible move. The IDP is not always demanded, but it smooths the rental counter and any roadside check, and it cannot be obtained once you have arrived — so arrange it in the UK before you fly.

The reason this destination is easy for British drivers is the side of the road. Mauritius drives on the left, exactly as the UK does. This is a former British territory, so the roundabouts turn the way you expect, you sit on the familiar side of the car, and your instinct to look the correct way at a junction is right. The side switch that unsettles British drivers across most of the world simply does not apply here.

The one rule worth flagging is alcohol: the limit is 0.05, lower than the 0.08 you may be used to in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no comfortable margin — treat it as zero before driving, because enforcement is real and the roads, while familiar in layout, get busy and narrow around Port Louis and the coast. Posted speed limits on the island are low and not consistently published, so drive to the signs you actually see and to the conditions; the genuine hazards here are congestion, narrow village roads and pedestrians rather than high-speed motorway driving. Fuel runs around $1.32 per litre.

To wrap up: the emergency number is 112. Keep your passport, UK licence, IDP and rental papers together, and download offline maps before you set out. For the full island rules see our Mauritius driving guide, and confirm exactly what you should carry with the Driving Permit Checker.