Can an American Drive in Papua New Guinea? — IDP Recommended + the Left-Side Switch
United States
Papua New Guinea
Yes — an American licence holder can drive in Papua New Guinea, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry alongside it. The harder part is not the paperwork: PNG drives on the LEFT (you switch from the right), and away from Port Moresby the roads are unsealed, steep and best avoided after dark.
Papua New Guinea is not a casual self-drive destination, and that is exactly why the licence question matters before you book anything. The good news is short: your American licence will get you behind the wheel. The rest of this page is about the things that actually catch US drivers out.
Can you drive on a US licence?
Yes. Driving in Papua New Guinea on an American licence is permitted for a tourist stay, and an IDP is recommended — not because it is always demanded, but because the rental desk and any roadside police would rather see the standardised permit than puzzle over a US state card. Sort the IDP at home; you cannot buy one once you have landed. Carry the IDP, your licence and your passport as a set.
The change that matters most: PNG drives on the left
This is the part Americans underestimate. Papua New Guinea drives on the left, so you are switching from the right-hand traffic you grew up with. The danger window is your first day — pulling out of a fuel station onto the wrong side, drifting right on an empty road, or glancing the wrong way at a junction. Roundabouts now flow clockwise. Give yourself a slow first hour away from traffic before you trust your instincts.
Roads, not rules, are the real story
Posted limits exist — roughly 50 km/h in towns, 70 on rural roads and 80 on the few faster stretches — but the speed sign is rarely your limiting factor. Outside Port Moresby and Lae the network is largely unsealed, the Highlands Highway is steep and slow, and washouts are common in the wet. Most visitors do not drive at night at all. Drive to the surface in front of you, keep fuel topped up between towns (petrol is around $0.95/litre), and treat journey times as optimistic.
On alcohol and the basics
The blood-alcohol limit is 0.08 — the same number you know from most US states — but enforcement and road conditions make any drinking before driving a poor bet here. The emergency number is 112. Mobile coverage is patchy outside the main towns, so download offline maps before you set off.
Confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, read the country detail on our Papua New Guinea driving guide, and if you are continuing to other left-drive countries the Speed Limit Map is a quick reference.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Your US licence is accepted for short visits, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry with it — rental firms and police prefer the translated document. Bring your licence, IDP and passport together.
Papua New Guinea drives on the LEFT. As an American used to right-hand traffic, this is the single biggest change — take your first hour somewhere quiet and be deliberate at every junction and roundabout.
Sealed roads exist mainly around Port Moresby and Lae. Most of the country, including the Highlands Highway, is rough, unsealed and slow. Many visitors hire a driver rather than self-drive; if you do drive, avoid travelling after dark.