Can an American Drive in Nauru? — Carry an IDP and Switch to the Left

Nauru is one of the least-visited countries in the world — a single raised-coral island in the central Pacific, about 21 square kilometres in all. The driving question here is almost a novelty: there isn’t much road, but the rules still matter, and an American visitor should know the handful of things that actually apply.

Can you drive in Nauru on a US licence?

Yes. As a visitor you may drive on your American licence, and an IDP is recommended to carry with it. The bigger practical issue isn’t the permit but availability: Nauru has very few rental vehicles, so the sensible move is to confirm whether a car is available at all — and arrange the IDP at home — well before you arrive. Check the Driving Permit Checker for the paperwork side.

The side switch — at very low speed

The United States drives on the right; Nauru drives on the left. Normally that’s a significant adjustment, but here it’s tempered by reality: you’ll be moving slowly on a single road, not weaving through traffic. Stay deliberate at junctions and when pulling out of a yard, and the change settles within minutes rather than days.

One road, no highways

Almost the entire drive on Nauru is a single sealed ring road of roughly 19 km that follows the coast around the island, with a few short spurs inland. There are no motorways, no long distances and no need to plan fuel range across the country. We don’t have verified published figures for posted speed limits or an alcohol limit specific to Nauru, so we won’t invent them — the honest guidance is to drive slowly to the road and the local conditions, keep well clear of alcohol entirely behind the wheel, and treat this as a relaxed potter around an island rather than a road trip. The emergency number is 112.

Before you drive

• Carry your US licence, IDP and passport; confirm a rental is actually available before counting on one.
• Distances are tiny, so the whole island is a short loop — there is nothing here resembling a long-haul leg.
• For how IDPs and left-hand driving work in general, see our Nauru driving guide.