UK Licence in Mongolia 2026: 1968 Permit Needed, Keep Right

A UK licence on its own will not do in Mongolia. The Foreign Office says you need the 1968 international driving permit as well, and adds that “the 1949 IDP is not accepted any more”, so check which version you are handed. Permits are sold only in the UK, in person at certain PayPoint shops, for GBP 5.50; the 1968 version lasts three years or until your licence runs out. Sort it before you fly, because nothing can be arranged once you land. The licence is the easy part; Mongolia asks more of the driver than almost anywhere on this site.

The first change is the side of the road. The UK drives on the left; Mongolia drives on the right. In Ulaanbaatar, a congested, fast-moving city, that switch matters at every junction and roundabout, so take your bearings on quieter streets before joining the main flow. Beyond the capital the side of the road quickly stops being the issue, because there often is no road. Mongolia has one of the lowest paved-road densities anywhere; most cross-country travel happens on braided dirt tracks across the steppe, where you navigate by GPS and landmarks rather than signs.

That reality shapes everything. The documented town limit is 40 km/h and rural roads are posted at 80, but on a washboard track or a river crossing your real speed is far lower. This is why most visitors hire a 4x4, frequently with a local driver, rather than self-driving the long routes solo: fuel stations can be hundreds of kilometres apart and a breakdown in the Gobi is a serious situation.

The drink-drive limit is a near-zero 0.02, which you should treat as zero given the terrain and isolation. Fuel can be hard to find between towns, so carry spare fuel and water for any long leg. Winters are extreme, with snow, ice and very short daylight. For emergencies call 102 for police (traffic police included), 103 for an ambulance and 101 for fire, though response across the steppe is limited.

For the country picture see the Mongolia driving guide, check other licences with the Driving Permit Checker, and read driving fines abroad and who pays for how penalties tend to work if you are stopped.

Sources

• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Mongolia, safety and security (1968 IDP and UK licence; 1949 IDP not accepted; IDP only sold in the UK): gov.uk
• GOV.UK, driving abroad: get an international driving permit (PayPoint shops, GBP 5.50, 1968 permit validity): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Mongolia, getting help (police 102, ambulance 103, fire 101): gov.uk