Paraguay on a British Licence — IDP Recommended, Zero Alcohol & the Side Switch

Paraguay is one of South America’s least-touristed self-drive countries, which is part of the appeal: empty roads through the Chaco, the river towns around Asunción, and almost no queues at the rental desk. The driving rules are manageable for a British visitor, but three of them differ sharply from home.

Start with the licence question, because it is the one people search for. A British licence holder can drive in Paraguay on a full UK licence, and an International Driving Permit is recommended rather than legally mandatory. The practical reason is the same everywhere in the region — rental companies and roadside police would rather see the standard IDP translation than puzzle over a foreign card. Get it from the Post Office before you fly, and carry the IDP, your UK licence and your passport together.

The first real difference is alcohol. Paraguay runs a 0.0 limit — effectively a total ban behind the wheel — against the 0.08 you live with in Britain. Forget the “one with dinner” habit; if you are driving, you drink nothing.

The second is equipment, and it is unusually specific. The car must legally carry a warning triangle, a reflective vest, a first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher. A hire car normally comes stocked, but it is worth opening the boot before you leave the lot, because an inspection that turns up a missing item becomes a roadside fine.

The third is the side switch — Paraguay drives on the right, and you are coming from the left. As always the danger is your first day: roundabouts flow the other way, junctions ask for the opposite glance, and the instinct to drift left after a turn takes a while to unlearn. Ease in on quiet roads.

On speeds, the posted limits are 40 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on rural roads and 110 km/h on the few dual carriageways — but away from the main routes, surfaces are rough and unmarked, so drive to the road, not the sign. Fuel runs around $1.02 a litre and the emergency number is 911.

Confirm your paperwork with the Driving Permit Checker, read the country rules on the Paraguay driving guide, and gauge any penalty with the Speeding Fine Calculator.