Can a Brazilian Drive in Romania? — IDP + the Rovinieta Vignette
Brazil
Romania
Yes — a Brazilian licence holder can drive in Romania, with an International Driving Permit recommended alongside it. You already drive on the right, and the zero-alcohol rule will feel familiar from Brazil's Lei Seca — the new things to plan for are the compulsory rovinieta road vignette and horse carts on rural roads.
A Brazilian licence holder can drive in Romania, and an International Driving Permit is recommended to carry with it. As a non-EU visitor, the IDP supplies the certified translation that smooths rental pickups and roadside checks — get it in Brazil before you leave, because you cannot obtain one once you arrive.
Two parts of driving here will feel reassuringly familiar. Romania drives on the right, just like Brazil, so there is no side switch to relearn. And the alcohol rule is effectively the same: Romania enforces zero tolerance (0.0 BAC), which mirrors the spirit of Brazil’s Lei Seca. The instinct you already carry — nothing before driving — is exactly right.
The genuinely new thing is the rovinieta. Romania charges for using its national roads through an electronic vignette rather than toll booths. You buy it online or at a petrol station before you join a main road, and cameras read your plate to check it is paid. A rental may already include it — ask the desk — but if you cross a land border into Romania in your own or a borrowed car, sorting the rovinieta first is the one task you cannot skip.
The other adjustment is the roads themselves. Romania’s motorway network is still limited, so much of a road trip runs on two-lane national roads where the quality varies and you’ll genuinely meet horse-drawn carts, slow trucks and unlit vehicles after dark. Drive defensively, overtake with patience, and don’t trust the 130 km/h motorway limit to apply once you’re off it — rural roads are 90 and towns 50.
Fuel is cheap by European standards at around $1.42 per litre. Winter tyres are required in cold-weather conditions, so check the car is fitted if you travel between roughly November and March. A minor speeding fine runs RON 290-725 (about EUR 60-150), payable on the spot — carry a card or cash. The emergency number is 112.
Read the full Romania driving guide, confirm your documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and see how the rovinieta fits the wider picture in our guide to vignette countries.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Winter tyres in Romania — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Romania whenever conditions are wintry — No fixed dates — required whenever the road is covered in snow, ice or black ice.
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Romania sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: M+S / M.S. / MS / M&S required ("all seasons" alone is not enough; 3PMSF not required)
- Studded tyres: rules could not be verified from an official source
- Penalty: Class IV penalty: 9-20 penalty points plus seizure of the registration certificate (OUG 195/2002 art. 102(1) pt. 28)
In Romanian the rule is anvelope de iarnă, and snow chains are lanțuri de zăpadă — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
Verified against national legislation, August 2026 · Full Romania tyre law · Compare all countries
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, for tourist stays. Carry an IDP with your Brazilian licence — as a non-EU visitor the certified translation helps at rental desks and roadside checks. Arrange it in Brazil before you travel.
Yes. Romania requires the rovinieta e-vignette for using national roads and motorways. Buy it online or at a petrol station before you set off — there are no toll booths, and cameras catch unpaid vehicles.
Effectively yes. Romania enforces zero tolerance (0.0 BAC), matching the spirit of Brazil's Lei Seca. No alcohol before driving — penalties are severe.