Can an Indian Drive in Romania? — IDP Required, Zero-Alcohol Rule

Romania has become a far easier country to drive than its old reputation suggests — new motorway sections, cheap fuel and dramatic Carpathian routes like the Transfăgărășan make it tempting for a self-drive trip. For an Indian visitor, the paperwork and two specific rules are what to get right before you set off.

The licence verdict

Your Indian licence works, but Romania expects a non-EU visitor to carry an International Driving Permit with it. EU and EEA licence holders are exempt; you are not, so treat the IDP as required rather than optional and sort it in India before you fly. Carry it with your licence and passport.

Romania’s alcohol rule is absolute

The drink-drive limit is 0.0 — genuine zero tolerance. India allows 0.03; Romania allows nothing, and any reading is an offence with serious penalties. This is the rule visitors most often underestimate, so the message is simple: do not drink at all if you are driving.

Winter tyres are a legal point, not a suggestion

When roads are snowy, icy or slushy, winter tyres are legally required in Romania. If you are travelling between roughly late autumn and early spring, make sure your hire car is properly fitted — ask the rental company directly, because being caught without them brings a fine.

Speeds, roads and fines

Limits are 50 km/h in towns, 90 on rural roads and 130 km/h on motorways. The catch is the rural network: expect horse-drawn carts, slow trucks and the occasional unlit vehicle, so overtake with real care. Romania also drives on the right, the opposite of India, so be deliberate at junctions on your first day. A typical speeding fine runs RON 290–725 (≈ €60–150), enforced by both fixed cameras and mobile patrols. Fuel is about $1.42 a litre and the emergency number is 112.

Confirm your permit position with the driving permit checker, read the full rules on the Romania driving guide, and estimate any penalty with the speeding fine calculator.