Mayotte on a US Licence in 2026: What French Law Requires
United States
Mayotte
Yes, but the US licence alone is not enough. As a French department, Mayotte requires an international driving permit or an official French translation with it. Driving is on the right.
Mayotte, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, combines French rules with right-hand traffic. For American visitors the side of the road is familiar. The document rule needs attention.
The document rule
Mayotte applies French law. Service-public.fr, France’s official guide (page F1459), says a licence from outside the EU and EEA can be used during a short stay if it is valid and written in French, or “accompagné d’un permis de conduire international … ou d’une traduction officielle.” A US licence is in English, so pair it with one of those two documents:
- An international driving permit. The US-issued permit follows the 1949 Geneva Convention, which France also belongs to. Get it before you fly, because it cannot be issued locally.
- An official French translation. It must be legalised or apostilled if made abroad. Within France it must be made by an authorised translator or by the US embassy.
Keep both with your passport, and ask the hire firm about any extra conditions of its own.
No side switch
Mayotte drives on the right, like the US. Roundabouts turn the way you expect and the driver sits on the left. What changes is the French style: signage in French, priority rules, and narrow, steep island roads shared with pedestrians and scooters.
Practical notes
The capital is Mamoudzou. For emergencies, dial 112, or 15 for an ambulance, 18 for fire and 17 for police. GOV.UK reports that most services have recovered since Cyclone Chido in 2024, though water and power cuts can still occur. The Mayotte driving guide has the wider picture, and the Driving Permit Checker covers your other stops.
Sources
- Service-public.fr, driving in France on a foreign licence during a short stay (F1459): https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1459
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Mayotte (French driving laws apply; emergency numbers): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mayotte
- UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (XI-B-1), list of parties: https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-1&chapter=11
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for a short stay, but you also need an international driving permit or an official French translation. Mayotte is French territory, and France applies that rule to licences from outside the EU and EEA that are not in French.
On the right, the same as the United States, so there is no side switch to learn.
French. Mayotte is a French overseas department, so signage and priority rules follow the French pattern even though traffic keeps to the familiar side.