Right-Hand Traffic and Topes: UK Drivers in Mexico, 2026

Can a British driver use a UK licence in Mexico? Yes. GOV.UK says you can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Mexico. If you still hold the old paper licence, you may need to update it to a photocard or get the 1926 version of the international driving permit as well. Mexico drives on the right, so the real adjustments are the side of the road, the unmarked speed bumps, and a few rules that surprise visitors in the capital.

Paper, photocard and permit

For most visitors the licence question is short. Carry the photocard and your passport. An IDP is optional, though some rental desks prefer to see one, so ask the hire company which documents it wants. If you hold a paper licence, sort it before you fly: you cannot get an IDP in Mexico, and updating a licence takes time. The Driving Permit Checker shows what other trips require.

The side switch, and Pemex forecourts

The UK drives on the left; Mexico drives on the right. The danger window is the first day: pulling out of a Pemex forecourt, joining a roundabout that now flows clockwise, glancing the wrong way at a junction. Take your first hour on quiet roads instead of Mexico City traffic, and say “right” before each turn.

Topes: the tax on every village

The tope is an unmarked speed bump at the entrance to villages on the free roads. Unlike British humps, many are unpainted and unsigned, and hitting one fast in a low rental can cost a tyre or the sump. Slow hard at any cluster of houses or roadside stalls. On toll roads, called cuotas, you meet fewer, and the surface is generally better, but do not rely on that on a free road.

Standards of driving, per GOV.UK

GOV.UK says driving standards are very different from the UK. Roads can have potholes, and conditions can be unpredictable. Be prepared to stop unexpectedly and beware of vehicles moving slowly, changing lane without indicating and going through red lights. Many drivers do not have car insurance. That last point is why you should read your own hire insurance carefully before you sign. A cautious driver at a green light still looks both ways.

Hoy no Circula

To reduce pollution, authorities ban cars from parts of Mexico City and other places on some days of the week, based on their number plates. The rules are strictly enforced, and offenders face heavy fines and temporary confiscation of the vehicle. GOV.UK also says vehicles without registration plates from the State of Mexico or Mexico City are not allowed into the capital from Monday to Friday, 5am to 11am, and on Saturday from 5am to 10pm. There may be extra restrictions if air pollution is high, generally from February to June. Ask the hire company whether your car is affected.

Limits side by side

Federal fines are 50-60 times the daily UMA up to 20 km/h over, and 60-70 times beyond that, while state roads set their own. A seatbelt or phone offence on a federal road is 15-20 times the UMA. The alcohol limit matches the UK, but night roadblocks are routine, so keep it at zero. The Speeding Fine Calculator helps estimate a ticket.

In the car

A warning triangle and a spare tyre are listed as required; a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are recommended. Dial 911 for any emergency. The full rules are on our Mexico driving guide.

Sources

• Reglamento de Tránsito en Carreteras y Puentes de Jurisdicción Federal (DOF 22 Nov 2012), article 134 (110 km/h signed maximum; 100/90 km/h and 50 km/h defaults where no sign is posted) and article 136 (speeding fines in multiples of the daily UMA): dof.gob.mx
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Mexico: safety and security (UK photocard licence; paper licence and 1926 IDP; driving standards; uninsured drivers; Hoy no Circula): gov.uk